tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80676891190039476352024-03-17T21:07:27.757-07:00Mr. MovieIn addition to reviewing movies from then and now, you will find my top tens, recaps on legacies, an occasional photo or two and more. Rock on, Movie Lovers!Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.comBlogger540125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-58417380094703521092024-03-16T10:20:00.000-07:002024-03-17T21:06:52.642-07:00Every Robin Hood Movie I’ve seen Ranked <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4WjBM5XXXvuuv9KDwwbGjNrSNaLqwiVbmDnjVlzGQyOloQo-eblZsfdixeNZNfcXKnC_prqrMwn9W7_-Q4b8zFgHh6AIhG4V4NX2vi2TyX2Py2TNgZTgrwmwH8tersrFA2pqStnUxkVztjCpsS8ZYOh9GuPtXZ44PLHScifWE22wE1XQNVgU1GD-RyA/s713/Picture1908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="523" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4WjBM5XXXvuuv9KDwwbGjNrSNaLqwiVbmDnjVlzGQyOloQo-eblZsfdixeNZNfcXKnC_prqrMwn9W7_-Q4b8zFgHh6AIhG4V4NX2vi2TyX2Py2TNgZTgrwmwH8tersrFA2pqStnUxkVztjCpsS8ZYOh9GuPtXZ44PLHScifWE22wE1XQNVgU1GD-RyA/w158-h215/Picture1908.jpg" width="158" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GRNB46SM7mBgt7cfJTUrBOQpj3ztJ-uzS8tvUL8I071x4s_V1je4qYpB6kfGQ-i4ekryQMfLtORljoEX8T7dcbBKgMflTwNAB4hR7AKnVDvdPPocQrnAGMyAElBscg8yIseaP8DVrKfKPwkljgUhKETbo0jo1jTAwG9hVVGxYpfbBtVmVHibWb2zY6A/s485/Picttyure1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="350" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GRNB46SM7mBgt7cfJTUrBOQpj3ztJ-uzS8tvUL8I071x4s_V1je4qYpB6kfGQ-i4ekryQMfLtORljoEX8T7dcbBKgMflTwNAB4hR7AKnVDvdPPocQrnAGMyAElBscg8yIseaP8DVrKfKPwkljgUhKETbo0jo1jTAwG9hVVGxYpfbBtVmVHibWb2zY6A/w145-h216/Picttyure1.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyVqiEAVhbay53l9629w_c2XzByy374OGFjxupNj-bN21hA-Tjo3PgCUFap0oCVIxqa7d9KxmufpA1ViToewIqpP8SzDsMt5uL8b30XFr8MEDg7_lDh9_jlQD0gClFFmT7KIeWinKEjXzSoPuQZHDzvoi48uFnjXsjoEYWuD8CHYbWOmCc9_KJ-QXOjQ/s310/yugu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="240" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifyVqiEAVhbay53l9629w_c2XzByy374OGFjxupNj-bN21hA-Tjo3PgCUFap0oCVIxqa7d9KxmufpA1ViToewIqpP8SzDsMt5uL8b30XFr8MEDg7_lDh9_jlQD0gClFFmT7KIeWinKEjXzSoPuQZHDzvoi48uFnjXsjoEYWuD8CHYbWOmCc9_KJ-QXOjQ/w141-h216/yugu.jpg" width="141" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The legendary outlaw Robin Hood has certainly
had quiet the history. From his early depictions in English Folklore, to
countless movies and TV adaptions, he’s one of those iconic literary figures
who’s always remained in the public conscience in one form or another. While the stories
of Robin Hood have taken many different narratives, the basic contemporary
perception of Robin Hood is the midlevel-times outlaw of Nottingham, who in the
absence of King Richard robs from the rich to give the poor. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyqHqMgOdiq2QrYb3xY-8iF-eCB1r-BQ7wehC9PExfIm8NT7JnIJANV1ZP78uWpAZ7nvXKf6xWSUB3oPHpS8H6JWrd2jWoT0mE0hKf7tl8SjHRd4jjtJGKWIf8WYVoXDFq7Ft2rpqzyJjKUqOIMrwOaWXHZQNnWCJAtR93nuxL4gowB7LWiwCmQB82G8/s1200/trfytu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyqHqMgOdiq2QrYb3xY-8iF-eCB1r-BQ7wehC9PExfIm8NT7JnIJANV1ZP78uWpAZ7nvXKf6xWSUB3oPHpS8H6JWrd2jWoT0mE0hKf7tl8SjHRd4jjtJGKWIf8WYVoXDFq7Ft2rpqzyJjKUqOIMrwOaWXHZQNnWCJAtR93nuxL4gowB7LWiwCmQB82G8/s320/trfytu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dressed in his
signature look of Lincoln Green, he wins the hand of the fair Maid Marian, and
along with his equally outlawed band of Merrie Men, revolts against the terrine
of villains like Prince John, Sir Guy of Gisborne, and the ruthless Sherrif of
Nottingham. There’s obviously a lot more to the Robin Hood legend and
character, but these are the basic formula beats that most adaptions like to
focus on. There are so many Robin Hood adapted projects in general that it’s
impossible to keep track of all them … but I have seen 10 different movie
versions of the character. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVY_PbVY7AEYKxH78eBwm98lhh5IOehzuM_nGtDlIoOkL_60pZ95MlCuGHnbqMhUUTsxB9Vc8t4HT9czYcBgRGq4HgbvZaLu7JDbZ5e9XzlXA_xmObfIAoxiqbl8JgrqrHcGhkBlizgUUQRmWRTX3C0OSH16bAbmvt7tPCs_eKjH2ny9PI2yOi88BGtk/s1200/uioooui.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVY_PbVY7AEYKxH78eBwm98lhh5IOehzuM_nGtDlIoOkL_60pZ95MlCuGHnbqMhUUTsxB9Vc8t4HT9czYcBgRGq4HgbvZaLu7JDbZ5e9XzlXA_xmObfIAoxiqbl8JgrqrHcGhkBlizgUUQRmWRTX3C0OSH16bAbmvt7tPCs_eKjH2ny9PI2yOi88BGtk/s320/uioooui.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, with March being the month of Saint Patrick's Day …
a day for dressing in Green, I wanted to celebrate with one of the most famous
Green suited characters, and rank all 10 of the Robin Hood movies I’ve seen,
from my least favorite, to my personal favorite. A reminder, these are just the
one’s I’ve seen, I’m sure there are several others still worth discovering, and
I’m not ranking them based on any objective quality, but how each left an
impression on me as a fan. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 “<b>Robin
Hood</b>” (1922) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQaVvy5oUA1UxHKv5slQ4uQ7UkPKZ5mY4TbZWVDaACGl13mKAzS695UQD9tZRBF31jz8xajSDCBzJTBTnnkbPCzCksaqUN5HWbA0N1BbJ2q2zAnE5il-qKkFKYnR6jrbfGl70K-Sahm4UAVjDIfmor2LCTGFSYF896wC-XzBY6hgfZKgCAzgGQF3USHU/s1024/uihyui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQaVvy5oUA1UxHKv5slQ4uQ7UkPKZ5mY4TbZWVDaACGl13mKAzS695UQD9tZRBF31jz8xajSDCBzJTBTnnkbPCzCksaqUN5HWbA0N1BbJ2q2zAnE5il-qKkFKYnR6jrbfGl70K-Sahm4UAVjDIfmor2LCTGFSYF896wC-XzBY6hgfZKgCAzgGQF3USHU/w243-h187/uihyui.jpg" width="243" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihifAQ2qhdbcgC1bbKulmwNUVVY0Ds96C8ELVT5z186J-IC9271PtSF2GFZBMIYAeBNykH5TPTtFSpJobis3YMNwqcZAgC1JdhEvTV-d-6U_YPkY2IRbFPSmPCQLxrcOGaFEhxPD0DAmUADGlkzaYRc5P9ZmbuPHaYlx2Iiihx9jgFlgR3XZUySXtnU7g/s848/yftfytfy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="848" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihifAQ2qhdbcgC1bbKulmwNUVVY0Ds96C8ELVT5z186J-IC9271PtSF2GFZBMIYAeBNykH5TPTtFSpJobis3YMNwqcZAgC1JdhEvTV-d-6U_YPkY2IRbFPSmPCQLxrcOGaFEhxPD0DAmUADGlkzaYRc5P9ZmbuPHaYlx2Iiihx9jgFlgR3XZUySXtnU7g/w258-h188/yftfytfy.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">While there were some theatrically released short films
beforehand, this marked the very first feature length Robin Hood movie, with
Douglas Fairbanks being the first actor to portray the character in a
theatrical film. This movie opens with our hero as a decorated Knight named
Earl of Huntingdon, who’s the closest friend of King Richard the Lion Heart,
and serves as his trusted righthand during the Crusades. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqraqiX5Wx2UFr7G8q_8WPjWlkOe1igVkpSqyoSzFv9HlTY8xKwQ_I8OgrQCTqnH0boyKciSv8KM2wIalMLofK78yr3b1ofE_-WeY8b0mvY2yK-NSNiy59B4eANPN0h8ypr87xlaGbeFtzRzyC75E2h5WhyphenhyphenZXri8cKaj6kkE-p42sO1LY8_5K5815Ubxs/s674/rthrt.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqraqiX5Wx2UFr7G8q_8WPjWlkOe1igVkpSqyoSzFv9HlTY8xKwQ_I8OgrQCTqnH0boyKciSv8KM2wIalMLofK78yr3b1ofE_-WeY8b0mvY2yK-NSNiy59B4eANPN0h8ypr87xlaGbeFtzRzyC75E2h5WhyphenhyphenZXri8cKaj6kkE-p42sO1LY8_5K5815Ubxs/w301-h400/rthrt.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In their absence,
Prince John and Guy of Gisborne orchestrates a cue to take over the land,
forcing the Lady Marian to send a message for help. Huntingdon receives the
message before the King, abandons his post, and flees back home. Branded as a
deserter, Huntingdon changes his name to Robin Hood, and leads his band of
rebels in a two-year campaign against Prince John. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When it comes to old
silent-films, I tend to respect and admire them more then I actually love them.
As such, this is the Robin Hood movie I have the least feelings for … but with
that said, this was a great production for it’s time, as well as one of the
most expensive. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-KZ77_wDd79o6CvPPv0FU0tnNie4-u9tMLbXnZc1Q5Xeo3mEC80apI44WPHQQyqVrP1xjGMsQy6mhaClWDV8Fyp-_ZM2CYN5QAWArA2M2d4UCFEVvyHXtRqnwk0uT-4LR3gmfRhr98rNcL0sOGHvf2HgOqriSOmsEENOP-PDD1JcpsFowLhki-gZoss/s920/tygfvuygu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="920" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-KZ77_wDd79o6CvPPv0FU0tnNie4-u9tMLbXnZc1Q5Xeo3mEC80apI44WPHQQyqVrP1xjGMsQy6mhaClWDV8Fyp-_ZM2CYN5QAWArA2M2d4UCFEVvyHXtRqnwk0uT-4LR3gmfRhr98rNcL0sOGHvf2HgOqriSOmsEENOP-PDD1JcpsFowLhki-gZoss/s320/tygfvuygu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It may seem dated today, but this really was a marvel for an
early 1920’s film, and you really see the money on the screen, with lavish
settings, and a massive number of performers. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While it takes over an hour
before we see Robin Hood as we know him, it still delivers all the classic,
harrowing action and adventure … as well as some really goofy moments. Like I
said, this is far from my favorite “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Robin Hood</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” movie … but absolutely
admirable for it’s time, and required viewing for anyone who still enjoys
watching silent movies from this era.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#9 “<b>The
Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men</b>” (1952) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wgzdvj1LjJ8eitzpVh0YCPA0BDvCkH9gM4DPlT5DV7Z7YlwfAMyNynm3P-DsO0UFG_3hyFp_Kw7S2ppjRHgtmtBRCBC69jIKERDLuCexLSkDKqkfYqrlXYrn2OCjx7p0fXMlH3eAOqsMWNJGuiKOkRlk-hQ9r5FgJNVW-7HmSwszyzAwcpJ7wEaai4g/s613/tgvuy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="613" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wgzdvj1LjJ8eitzpVh0YCPA0BDvCkH9gM4DPlT5DV7Z7YlwfAMyNynm3P-DsO0UFG_3hyFp_Kw7S2ppjRHgtmtBRCBC69jIKERDLuCexLSkDKqkfYqrlXYrn2OCjx7p0fXMlH3eAOqsMWNJGuiKOkRlk-hQ9r5FgJNVW-7HmSwszyzAwcpJ7wEaai4g/w249-h190/tgvuy.jpg" width="249" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiNhEc9UQAW80Mt1BA-zSDF_-Q1LPEcYGEt24NQgT7aT_5HU_RzbBtoFCIyraByMi1aX57cDHdIcN6Q-yd-6oglHnNSkLRgVv9swjiCRzLQ6J-F57Eb6FdpXdsozpcTN7eLfzj9j1aXFQMwc9Wj0L7kSLmxo2x83p1NtMg-FqOyyJ3KWWWH4c1jRR2ZY/s635/rdcytfvyu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="635" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiNhEc9UQAW80Mt1BA-zSDF_-Q1LPEcYGEt24NQgT7aT_5HU_RzbBtoFCIyraByMi1aX57cDHdIcN6Q-yd-6oglHnNSkLRgVv9swjiCRzLQ6J-F57Eb6FdpXdsozpcTN7eLfzj9j1aXFQMwc9Wj0L7kSLmxo2x83p1NtMg-FqOyyJ3KWWWH4c1jRR2ZY/w252-h189/rdcytfvyu.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Before Disney’s more
famous animated feature, Walt Disney produced this live-action film version
from the 50’s. This telling of Robin Hood is fairly straight forward in showing
how he became an outlaw, and enemy of Prince John, and it’s … well …
unmistakably a product of its time. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8xSQNOZCh2Hn_H-TSYPMXF4h9SaodovV8aftW92rLS9rDGAZ3JDToCe5ZjA_-nadQR-HI3gLezCA55FIPODs6_2oECZFBMS3eONSDidsq0MXgM6VKPvk_HYnfMvqZ-pOsYLnF3Zf1iv-hS4zgmc-WUfimQtyKLVQGzBuIUXrXsNDJoAaig9GHGJXjrE/s720/1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8xSQNOZCh2Hn_H-TSYPMXF4h9SaodovV8aftW92rLS9rDGAZ3JDToCe5ZjA_-nadQR-HI3gLezCA55FIPODs6_2oECZFBMS3eONSDidsq0MXgM6VKPvk_HYnfMvqZ-pOsYLnF3Zf1iv-hS4zgmc-WUfimQtyKLVQGzBuIUXrXsNDJoAaig9GHGJXjrE/w266-h400/1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Unlike most versions, this film doesn’t
rely focus much on action or even a sense of adventure, and is simply trying to
be a pleasant little experience for both kids and the family to enjoy together.
I’d say about half the time this version is actually quite charming and likable
in its own simplistic way … while the other half is a little too silly and
sometimes even boring. It’s certainly a good-looking production, </span><a name="_Hlk161395120" style="font-size: 12pt;">shot in Technicolor</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, making all the green in the film
really pop. Richard Todd is an okay Robin Hood, and Joan Rice is likable as
Maid Marian. </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T-StTyRWhYv4-wL-wOWpZ6DYvA1KspWWPEhgLKwWer3_xk0H9kDO4mrwQtcjma_r09q5YzVkcq4pPY3wa7o50CwwG0p0CcLwCwnrlP6ycpT_M0PbCiWLz8Sng37JW0rWrOt77taCz0zgZ-jI0KDDXePF2dcf17jSTfqGlAU7nDFOnQLPGlxXAV8G63o/s414/Picture17.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="414" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T-StTyRWhYv4-wL-wOWpZ6DYvA1KspWWPEhgLKwWer3_xk0H9kDO4mrwQtcjma_r09q5YzVkcq4pPY3wa7o50CwwG0p0CcLwCwnrlP6ycpT_M0PbCiWLz8Sng37JW0rWrOt77taCz0zgZ-jI0KDDXePF2dcf17jSTfqGlAU7nDFOnQLPGlxXAV8G63o/s320/Picture17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Academy Award winning British actor Peter Finch certainly shines
as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, and most of the supporting cast is
suitable in their respected roles. While the film has the charm, it lacks the
same forward momentum and excitement of other films, namely the 1938 classic,
which dwarfs this by comparison. Kind of a mixed offering, but recommendable to
anyone who has a soft spot for vintage Disney movies of this sort from the
50’s.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#8 “<b>Robin
Hood</b>” (2018) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGrsU-VwxDrRzizcljteHOJQTNnIdZyZVX1hNNIfDuuXDwgm3kXx1Wg2p3ilE93rxUXpLhzCpFKsCYk5hIg6bpCZleFc_1aAe-4_Ob1JwpLaZ3NEZqXOB0LzFfUzk4bXyDPqTGW-c8v2tPQ9nRT3HSH32vBS8GQ-_kyVPife4WJwJ2QbpmdBAUlVSaj8/s1082/jiljijil.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1082" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZGrsU-VwxDrRzizcljteHOJQTNnIdZyZVX1hNNIfDuuXDwgm3kXx1Wg2p3ilE93rxUXpLhzCpFKsCYk5hIg6bpCZleFc_1aAe-4_Ob1JwpLaZ3NEZqXOB0LzFfUzk4bXyDPqTGW-c8v2tPQ9nRT3HSH32vBS8GQ-_kyVPife4WJwJ2QbpmdBAUlVSaj8/w238-h166/jiljijil.jpg" width="238" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1JZ2vIu30otD7XRSFhzULEGymrRyM-qn-fitFuUeQnmBH1-4kMg85hG8HTezQuBak4aU85nix-SEocuFoimYN3jCfCnD78iVY3gd7Jmv9UScc_GCjERT8KU01X7mFGdz_ruqTISygSEU66Qs50SeCzjeAEiGy2iQCGfDiYOV5LpFZwFhPDizRT7l6hE/s1000/hukuhu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1JZ2vIu30otD7XRSFhzULEGymrRyM-qn-fitFuUeQnmBH1-4kMg85hG8HTezQuBak4aU85nix-SEocuFoimYN3jCfCnD78iVY3gd7Jmv9UScc_GCjERT8KU01X7mFGdz_ruqTISygSEU66Qs50SeCzjeAEiGy2iQCGfDiYOV5LpFZwFhPDizRT7l6hE/w271-h166/hukuhu.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In this contemporary version of Robin Hood, we see a much
younger rebel played by Taron Egerton, under the training of Jamie Fox, who
plays a fusion character of both Azeem and John Little. After gaining respect
for one another during the battles of the Third Crusade, they return to Robins
home of Nottingham, only to find that everything he held close to his heart has
been taken away. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEHzIitgpqfm-3QHDClMEzjyEaFGqltKKIkvPu-xVjwq_89o4STsalfifHFUGklt6jbs_7CUhVzNmEt-cbt0kM1-dVDsxrAhXiIyHqs_NbOf9w8ZpMYN3xqhnlh92Hy7tfjx9FYjsgSOigU3qwhNCpdZJFOz2Ds-3xXiv03uVTECopRoBvzW9cT2vNIs/s684/gfthrtj.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEHzIitgpqfm-3QHDClMEzjyEaFGqltKKIkvPu-xVjwq_89o4STsalfifHFUGklt6jbs_7CUhVzNmEt-cbt0kM1-dVDsxrAhXiIyHqs_NbOf9w8ZpMYN3xqhnlh92Hy7tfjx9FYjsgSOigU3qwhNCpdZJFOz2Ds-3xXiv03uVTECopRoBvzW9cT2vNIs/w284-h400/gfthrtj.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Instead of leading a revolt against Prince John, this version
see’s Robin going against the oppression of the Cardinal, played by F. Murray
Braham, along with his main enforcers the Sheriff, played by Ben Mendelsohn,
and Guy of Gisborne, played by Paul Anderson. Like many film adaptions these
days, this film falls into the trap of being presented as a modern day,
comic-book, superhero movie, with lots of flashy action and spectacle at the
for front. Also, despite being set in the 11</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> century, the film has
a very modern look, with weapons, clothing and fashions that look ahead of
their time. Robin most notably has gone from his Lincoln Green tights, to a
stylish leather jacket and hood. It’s a curious choice, but it compliments the
comic-book tone the film is going for, and it certainly gives the film a unique
personality over other Robin Hood adaptions. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvDyOll6-d86qprvSm5Fl4AVaguFwBBkiuc-uT_JmKgG3Lx4HoveCL-uYo1d2hee4c1QsxLPMVdiTrLOVJaW-c6RdGKwIHl7ETcxh0w4-A-jF1pr2Xbdf3jL2homsg-wsHBRFh643lKCf8XU2ZS1C5OsyFAH_bnkis5sYDItNhgxILk-Mpn-Nte3gHWA/s855/Picture1890.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="855" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvDyOll6-d86qprvSm5Fl4AVaguFwBBkiuc-uT_JmKgG3Lx4HoveCL-uYo1d2hee4c1QsxLPMVdiTrLOVJaW-c6RdGKwIHl7ETcxh0w4-A-jF1pr2Xbdf3jL2homsg-wsHBRFh643lKCf8XU2ZS1C5OsyFAH_bnkis5sYDItNhgxILk-Mpn-Nte3gHWA/w272-h229/Picture1890.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Some of the cast is okay, with </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Eve
Hewson being a passable Marian, and Tim Minchin is honestly one of the better
Friar Tucks I’ve seen on screen. Aside from that, the film is a safe,
one-and-done experience, with surface level enjoyment throughout. It’s a movie
that keeps me entertained in the moment it’s on, but I don’t really think about
it afterwards either … so, you’ll either take it for the light fluff that it is,
or go with something that has a little more staying power.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 “<b>Robin
and Marian</b>” (1976) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThSLNsAqAer4egkq1C7srH0t3baqnKP52pR-UIhE-4BEe11tyC8KT7i904krepCEn6fw7PRPJqNq3sjbKBLxdDCNaCac6JnyqnmARid25hK74dGKiQqK8sGo58BhZQIZf2veDzVvjoaRYdLd9bfznCjsr1-8g1T11WUZJsk3q4aMAyYKPbP4aPhgwZbg/s1067/Picture1tfytfy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1067" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThSLNsAqAer4egkq1C7srH0t3baqnKP52pR-UIhE-4BEe11tyC8KT7i904krepCEn6fw7PRPJqNq3sjbKBLxdDCNaCac6JnyqnmARid25hK74dGKiQqK8sGo58BhZQIZf2veDzVvjoaRYdLd9bfznCjsr1-8g1T11WUZJsk3q4aMAyYKPbP4aPhgwZbg/w226-h174/Picture1tfytfy.jpg" width="226" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TNfYUP-KgK8PvxBA7BzrBXfcpjcuXDC9vYBdoXCiYnicIB1AVudSwDBsMB1YscuvPAV-2KiIspLyMJ1hDNe-K_BKZ3sNgkq5wIw4kg3DflPbPxmXXQQ1stKl-s2SSEZj6M0eECVo6ggkm7BWDqZ113h8vkgbofcDczObiWpSw1Pi0GHfiHaTW-mDO2A/s1600/opkijih.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TNfYUP-KgK8PvxBA7BzrBXfcpjcuXDC9vYBdoXCiYnicIB1AVudSwDBsMB1YscuvPAV-2KiIspLyMJ1hDNe-K_BKZ3sNgkq5wIw4kg3DflPbPxmXXQQ1stKl-s2SSEZj6M0eECVo6ggkm7BWDqZ113h8vkgbofcDczObiWpSw1Pi0GHfiHaTW-mDO2A/w281-h173/opkijih.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Focusing on an older version of Robin Hood, the hero
has returned home from many battles in France, in an effort to rekindle his
love with Maid Marian, only to discover that she’s now a nun in a nearby
convent … awkward. Things heat up when she’s arrested by the wicked Sheriff of
Nottingham, forcing Robin into one final battle against his longest standing
rival. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5RjVm6t4-Sq2R3rzqiYNmRP10ETvUzE3CAmo8hU1FSiu45EHdM8SMBrAJ22eU5I_uuWxY4HDuf6_mvJx69tNL-lhvlFb3_iWu_44pTgWW4Lf_p-cgPw_RiF7WUKq78o84mcviZNrUIPbN_HbktX-Sld88TkMclGTZZpVgf96IOxUhjm1sgpeOA0YGOM/s720/reteyr.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="503" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5RjVm6t4-Sq2R3rzqiYNmRP10ETvUzE3CAmo8hU1FSiu45EHdM8SMBrAJ22eU5I_uuWxY4HDuf6_mvJx69tNL-lhvlFb3_iWu_44pTgWW4Lf_p-cgPw_RiF7WUKq78o84mcviZNrUIPbN_HbktX-Sld88TkMclGTZZpVgf96IOxUhjm1sgpeOA0YGOM/w280-h400/reteyr.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before making a nice cameo as King Richard in 1991’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Robin Hood:
Prince of Thieves”, </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sean Connery actually stared as Robin Hood himself in
this frequently overlooked picture from the 1970’s. As one would expect from
the title, this version mainly focuses on the romantic qualities of both Robin
and Lady Marian … so, the films strength really rests on the actors. Thankfully,
both Sean Connery and his co-star Audrey Hepburn display a convincing chemistry
on screen, and manage to carry the film. The remaining cast also include
Richard Harris as Richard the Lion Heart, and Captain Quint himself, also known
as Robert Shaw, is Robins dreaded rival the Sheriff. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZSVa7q-gknrE7zIwvN3VXY4bcuNCaIuAi2_oFjt5gZ0phu_YClYvfaYnAxeAEsdyAaSwAYksHyKRU_38FMbCV7Ri23Jsh1kR_fnJLugDWcS59odhQwRb1njMP2qL1U8q-3bvR3cPanIWOz3SCX19lj3cIZ7oGFtX5LyA9iPFG3UudYPum_dt4SituiA/s754/trfdt.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="754" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZSVa7q-gknrE7zIwvN3VXY4bcuNCaIuAi2_oFjt5gZ0phu_YClYvfaYnAxeAEsdyAaSwAYksHyKRU_38FMbCV7Ri23Jsh1kR_fnJLugDWcS59odhQwRb1njMP2qL1U8q-3bvR3cPanIWOz3SCX19lj3cIZ7oGFtX5LyA9iPFG3UudYPum_dt4SituiA/s320/trfdt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Quick Spoiler warning, but
for me, the most memorable thing this movie adds to the Robin Hood filmography
(outside of the leads) is the ending, which takes a page from “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Romeo and
Juliet</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and features our two lovers dying together after sharing a
friendly glass of poison … Maid Marian is kind of malicious in this film. It’s
all around an okay film, with a bitter sweet ending, and if you’re a fan of
both leads, then it’s well worth checking out.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b>Robin
Hood</b>” (2010) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9oWLMSgAB70XQG75XN00Ruc0YbMfuKlo6EmywZw5PGJ0eps6QPaf4MFMaiv5LZUeehzvlWlyZvCaBQX83CTvvIkZxKyTt-w_w6Dg297mh-m3IhBpJTCLptyEDrYuqlH2DQVDvMro9k9KFTk9zcREgFnSWVIS-yUjy6VGNef_P30ewnnhzkBrigT3B0g/s650/ghtr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="650" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9oWLMSgAB70XQG75XN00Ruc0YbMfuKlo6EmywZw5PGJ0eps6QPaf4MFMaiv5LZUeehzvlWlyZvCaBQX83CTvvIkZxKyTt-w_w6Dg297mh-m3IhBpJTCLptyEDrYuqlH2DQVDvMro9k9KFTk9zcREgFnSWVIS-yUjy6VGNef_P30ewnnhzkBrigT3B0g/w209-h160/ghtr.jpg" width="209" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ns4XAwO26HM7HZhhu_GLWw7GVEkzBYF9cnlLEkexkMG3ZFB7N3F3Hq2Jl5Da6uXk-edo5MKxKif8HLefl3RhTylTJHhGLoyV5_UmWuJGnU_u1ta2ssI6lKzZllk_eg6e9751VZF6LPkjt9fl1VLkvXypSzix4sKVNpSyB-Wddwt4Myf2pXn-CLlOmRk/s1280/trders.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ns4XAwO26HM7HZhhu_GLWw7GVEkzBYF9cnlLEkexkMG3ZFB7N3F3Hq2Jl5Da6uXk-edo5MKxKif8HLefl3RhTylTJHhGLoyV5_UmWuJGnU_u1ta2ssI6lKzZllk_eg6e9751VZF6LPkjt9fl1VLkvXypSzix4sKVNpSyB-Wddwt4Myf2pXn-CLlOmRk/w285-h160/trders.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Director Ridley Scott and star Russell Crowe, the same
winning talents from “<b>Gladiator</b>”, join forces again to bring the same
sense of epic grandeur to the Robin Hood legend, resulting in the most
war-focused of Robin’s theatrical films, and by extent, it’s a decent movie …
but it doesn’t feel like Robin Hood in the slightest. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqq3LksreLEmgZme_BOY0kkA2CNSzFvzgBK-k_tc1qHvw0zzlCyDfz5gFwR6E352pwvNiQOTO0HAZ_UJ2JDeaIJDyPJYdthkFZpkLkJwyMrs4vrEZccDs-qFBw0SeTYwHojH_49HSR6mG2tyKUHM8toUJ1I7twe8o7d0ByQE0_H7px8obY5KC2-p1DMU/s684/trdctr.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="471" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqq3LksreLEmgZme_BOY0kkA2CNSzFvzgBK-k_tc1qHvw0zzlCyDfz5gFwR6E352pwvNiQOTO0HAZ_UJ2JDeaIJDyPJYdthkFZpkLkJwyMrs4vrEZccDs-qFBw0SeTYwHojH_49HSR6mG2tyKUHM8toUJ1I7twe8o7d0ByQE0_H7px8obY5KC2-p1DMU/w275-h400/trdctr.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">On the one hand, this is
a refreshingly different narrative, avoiding all the familiar staples and set-pieces
frequently associated with the character. In general, I’ve always been a fan of
Medieval war-epics, and the battles are certainly engaging to watch, most
especially the climactic beach battle under the cliffs of Dover. Also,
alongside Russell Crowe is a talented cast, including Cate Blanchett as Lady
Marion, Oscar Isaac as Prince John, William Hurt as the Marshal, a young Lea
Seydoux as Isabella of Angouleme, and Mark Strong as the film’s main villain
Godfrey, who’s one of the rare off-brand Robin Hood villains. Lastly, the films
production is impressive, although … I’m not a fan of the films frequently
murky lighting and settings. When people say it’s one of the darker Robin Hood
films … they mean it’s visually devoid of color. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Gqm7RksbYz5MsvkeMn4T4jgGR34HCGapqV0_vYZqbkdR593AGEQZn5L6rQnf9QuV8ZR9BN6HFhxJJsa_-JZPmppi3SkPo1bCV-d2a3hG4QMkD5UhBSI3wwt09VPYY1Wdprdk_pTCz2pDYAWfVXwrXMFzol10BXYM9TsHBlKdco3Ih_N2XeXYslKICuQ/s1275/tyfuyu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="1275" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Gqm7RksbYz5MsvkeMn4T4jgGR34HCGapqV0_vYZqbkdR593AGEQZn5L6rQnf9QuV8ZR9BN6HFhxJJsa_-JZPmppi3SkPo1bCV-d2a3hG4QMkD5UhBSI3wwt09VPYY1Wdprdk_pTCz2pDYAWfVXwrXMFzol10BXYM9TsHBlKdco3Ih_N2XeXYslKICuQ/s320/tyfuyu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My main point of reservation
is a lacking sense of closure, as the movie feels like a set-up for a string of
sequels that never happened. Granted, the film is aiming to tell the origins of
his status as an outlaw against John the King, but even still, I prefer my
Robin Hood ventures to be presented in a tight, self-contained, three-act
structure. If you like war-epics in the vein of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Kingdom of Heaven</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
then this film with deliver what you came for, but if you prefer a more
traditionally adventurous Robin Hood, you have plenty other options to choose
from. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b>Robin
Hood: Men in Tights</b>” (1993) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvrQyiqWyfCS0FGX8sOE79lsVWX5iFGeArc2f8NixLIKR0NxQtD3B3t-9YD5TZnEJQZrfrmfWl7nuW0oja_0kDtA_5tO_GINeFoel1hRWgjgLCXlU4Aq8PvjhZpesE-QhmPXze_6ts8l21aMZZM5Wbqs_20EDMaAH1fqqunHKRK6ykT6WSfpiy6mE0Bg/s1280/rtfdtygu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvrQyiqWyfCS0FGX8sOE79lsVWX5iFGeArc2f8NixLIKR0NxQtD3B3t-9YD5TZnEJQZrfrmfWl7nuW0oja_0kDtA_5tO_GINeFoel1hRWgjgLCXlU4Aq8PvjhZpesE-QhmPXze_6ts8l21aMZZM5Wbqs_20EDMaAH1fqqunHKRK6ykT6WSfpiy6mE0Bg/w253-h152/rtfdtygu.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJQ_KT4Avx-BwXZJ4VW0PPmNEI1H0QU4ubFY0-XbyBdqN9adJu2qNZs7_Q_daU2mQ1O3_7O_5mUlez3jFwhMFX0jFE1dcWgqD11CGUo9-MaW0smWZkCnDRVNqwwZUox5OyzN8yvoip7-12YgCrbH3zY-FdBTSf6APkUKTd3s4HJ6L4fpR_z4WvP4sb7k/s1065/vbtyu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1065" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJQ_KT4Avx-BwXZJ4VW0PPmNEI1H0QU4ubFY0-XbyBdqN9adJu2qNZs7_Q_daU2mQ1O3_7O_5mUlez3jFwhMFX0jFE1dcWgqD11CGUo9-MaW0smWZkCnDRVNqwwZUox5OyzN8yvoip7-12YgCrbH3zY-FdBTSf6APkUKTd3s4HJ6L4fpR_z4WvP4sb7k/w234-h153/vbtyu.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve loved comedies my whole life, and Mel
Brooks film collection has always ranked high on my pillar of lough-out-loud
favorites. While “<b>Men in Tights</b>” has never been regarded as one of his
best, I can’t help but have a soft spot for it. While not as consistently funny
as his early classics, the film still has that infectious, anything goes sense
of goofiness, including fourth wall jokes, musical numbers, and a cartoony
environment that always wins me over. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WeoFjJrAiBRZLwdeJ_zniBowoZ3DUk-s1UBYMsR51qrBdNCjDKX1cX_wFEma2BvElYxHD5E0K3PH8Ke5VhojOI5zT7v92u4OIrnXWul1LdWrQ20wKaa7lZXt44GiTkrMUdsnUVi5VnsR6EkelL6WeYOMo7pqapzhZnwf2lqEyknlCbGGKGTcA0n8mTA/s629/ghvuj.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="488" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WeoFjJrAiBRZLwdeJ_zniBowoZ3DUk-s1UBYMsR51qrBdNCjDKX1cX_wFEma2BvElYxHD5E0K3PH8Ke5VhojOI5zT7v92u4OIrnXWul1LdWrQ20wKaa7lZXt44GiTkrMUdsnUVi5VnsR6EkelL6WeYOMo7pqapzhZnwf2lqEyknlCbGGKGTcA0n8mTA/w310-h400/ghvuj.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Also, even though this Robin Hood is
playing for laughs, Cary Elwes in the lead role is mentally ingrained in my
mind as my definitive live-action Robin Hood - “Unlike all the Robin Hoods
before me … I speak with a British accent”. Also, I find Amy Yasbeck to be the
loveliest Maid Marian I’ve seen, and even Patric Stewart is memorable in his
cameo as King Richard – “Put him in the tower of London … make him part of the
tour”. Again, it’s not one of Mel Brooks absolute best, but it’s always been a
comfort food of sorts to watch, and enjoy for what it is. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b>Princess
of Thieves</b>” (2001) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdWsxpZvnoBZjcyXPhx3Q8ksTY93uVNl2IOlC9MwgXWCkguVA22fCD8BD4zw6ogcyQ6s68Yixjx5O93GIe5_n70VUM2ySaT4DgJ_V5D0RgUPRMUmytJ7x11PZX9ilxCrN80Y2lI9-tt0MJLp5cBRlDVEhv9XHKJSmgoWrGsJRD71qDGvMbYoDPl7PVwU/s775/hkuuio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="775" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdWsxpZvnoBZjcyXPhx3Q8ksTY93uVNl2IOlC9MwgXWCkguVA22fCD8BD4zw6ogcyQ6s68Yixjx5O93GIe5_n70VUM2ySaT4DgJ_V5D0RgUPRMUmytJ7x11PZX9ilxCrN80Y2lI9-tt0MJLp5cBRlDVEhv9XHKJSmgoWrGsJRD71qDGvMbYoDPl7PVwU/w244-h219/hkuuio.jpg" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PD4Ey-0EBcUg_SBTQHeA1IDKGTlgiRp7ledLzLOhLXHkaG5X3oK7896sNa2RNhgRTAbanKMWHzlcKBI7BS9h76X1GwRsgBbOXrPLcoBVa9Lx8lnBVvoKTRiO3QUehxT-Skep8aiT4AQRFlhtJohY5qaZPdzzKurCe-jfS-cb6pp6PJwUAd0WAJsikGo/s250/dfgfr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="250" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PD4Ey-0EBcUg_SBTQHeA1IDKGTlgiRp7ledLzLOhLXHkaG5X3oK7896sNa2RNhgRTAbanKMWHzlcKBI7BS9h76X1GwRsgBbOXrPLcoBVa9Lx8lnBVvoKTRiO3QUehxT-Skep8aiT4AQRFlhtJohY5qaZPdzzKurCe-jfS-cb6pp6PJwUAd0WAJsikGo/w226-h218/dfgfr.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In this often-overlooked Disney production, we get one
of the more unique telling’s of the Robin Hood legend, as this time it focuses on
Gwen, the daughter of Robin and Marian. After King Richard passes away, and
Robin Hood is locked-up in the tower of London, Gwen takes-up her father’s
mantel, and leads a revolt against Prince John and the Sheriff. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKyzbWz5aKTQbIuxXrnYDZQci9uQwQTud8HDc51275HBQg6q8jR0Lig3NmZWv0veUTOcwfqg4yptn39ff4Gs0z7DOy5X6hY08x35r-TIZHeH7uqffy_P9GAnQgLy8AP9eiw9GgXtjvWdeg-ytknMIbbGS2YrqDcd8yFGaUs2CPoARVFaEVuRfK7seJUA/s540/tyutuythjgj.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKyzbWz5aKTQbIuxXrnYDZQci9uQwQTud8HDc51275HBQg6q8jR0Lig3NmZWv0veUTOcwfqg4yptn39ff4Gs0z7DOy5X6hY08x35r-TIZHeH7uqffy_P9GAnQgLy8AP9eiw9GgXtjvWdeg-ytknMIbbGS2YrqDcd8yFGaUs2CPoARVFaEVuRfK7seJUA/w266-h400/tyutuythjgj.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Along the way,
she finds herself won-over by the disguised Prince Philip, who’s rightful air
to the throne of London, and goes on his own personal journey of
self-reflection. Seems like a movie Disney would release today, but it was
twenty years ahead of its time, and all the better for it. It’s an impressive
production for a TV movie from 2001, with great righting, thoughtful
characters, and solid performances all around. Before embarking on adventure in
“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Pirates of the Caribbean</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, or fighting battles in “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">King Arthur</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
Keira Knightley shined as the rouge </span><a name="_Hlk160832126" style="font-size: 12pt;">daughter</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> of
Robin Hood. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiC8erDQWCed_SU1iu1rRTEOtMT_hn15qZUNvseyOdZK2T0uytL0o-dL7vEMPVmr0U3H_BmspNz2ovRyKFbGOPhr0kdLBOJSNgA3EqC8SSZk1-2b7CnglcLU48qzTg6vBEBHNl9ViiJWj7wHupUK59Ph8ku1SHq_A8ljCu5e6aVgkizjFcBW-QSx54Fs/s948/iuob.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="948" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiC8erDQWCed_SU1iu1rRTEOtMT_hn15qZUNvseyOdZK2T0uytL0o-dL7vEMPVmr0U3H_BmspNz2ovRyKFbGOPhr0kdLBOJSNgA3EqC8SSZk1-2b7CnglcLU48qzTg6vBEBHNl9ViiJWj7wHupUK59Ph8ku1SHq_A8ljCu5e6aVgkizjFcBW-QSx54Fs/w295-h199/iuob.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is so cool to see her emotional and charismatic talents on
display in this film before she became famous. Malcolm McDowell and Jonathan
Hyde are also excellent as our sinister pair of villains, as they bring both
their trademark theatrics to their respected roles. All around, this is an
above average film for its production, and I hope more people take note of it
as a worthwhile addition to the Robin Hood filmography.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b>The
Legend of Robin Hood</b>” (1938) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclfWiuYEPZdx8Nsw6SV3pfV6fRPlD4q1zr7wFg0DPS38ZAf85k4e8blmlDbiEaxAZuUbyogRg2lapybo2eAqitN5d_Jshv0Zp-q5D9DW16OyvMASJyxUHdc3vLHzLngXAuv9fXKKOB_iSS0n84zobOIkF_Cm7WPl1rEYQxwYRZnZozWg22WV-5F-l1c0/s1184/0980Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1184" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclfWiuYEPZdx8Nsw6SV3pfV6fRPlD4q1zr7wFg0DPS38ZAf85k4e8blmlDbiEaxAZuUbyogRg2lapybo2eAqitN5d_Jshv0Zp-q5D9DW16OyvMASJyxUHdc3vLHzLngXAuv9fXKKOB_iSS0n84zobOIkF_Cm7WPl1rEYQxwYRZnZozWg22WV-5F-l1c0/w271-h170/0980Picture2.jpg" width="271" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2b3gh-QJcbph4dBkLJy1Ak1HMbYYBamRtShb0-KBZlTyFyQmbjuZBh33ONzqY2Mm8M7ME2GPTM1g0fWb5b6MIonWCoasvAC1H-Mae2yBSsuoy4xpBoEsLj_tJp_YKeoEHZCVrTmMhyphenhyphenlSfwhnfPyl9zyKtKPwm52rzaEBb8-_WsJFHSYhEWOkQE2iRTs/s720/Picture1ytoipb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2b3gh-QJcbph4dBkLJy1Ak1HMbYYBamRtShb0-KBZlTyFyQmbjuZBh33ONzqY2Mm8M7ME2GPTM1g0fWb5b6MIonWCoasvAC1H-Mae2yBSsuoy4xpBoEsLj_tJp_YKeoEHZCVrTmMhyphenhyphenlSfwhnfPyl9zyKtKPwm52rzaEBb8-_WsJFHSYhEWOkQE2iRTs/w226-h170/Picture1ytoipb.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Here it is, the most classic of all Robin
Hood motion pictures, a benchmark in adventure cinema, and the film that set
the standard for which future, action-packed swashbucklers would be judged by.
Even if this film isn’t one of your favorite action-adventure pictures, it
no-doubt inspired one of your favorites. Of course, Errol Flynn’s charisma in
the leading role made him the main face of the character in our pop culture,
and has yet to be surpassed … at least as far as iconography is concerned. While
the first 1922 “<b>Robin Hood</b>” played the long-game of setting-up the hero,
this film jumps right-in with the character already living in the forest,
dressed in Lincon Green, leading a revolt against Prince John, and making
enemies with Sir Guy of Gisborne. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZV2OjKUmJizLxtQGHbzDJMloCigPNAHcroq6d7DDTMhvpruzCHkPRDNH83fUHbj33F2kULC1JjNpOb4Idb6104TlF9QIknrpH-RlLzsUT_CSuNLEPEbjnZkRvSU9bsg1fg_Wq4qLwGem3Mr37YKKIxssBRaF3XmHTfoL113CBWBnzLf8ZE41TImS3Q8/s1484/tfuygi.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZV2OjKUmJizLxtQGHbzDJMloCigPNAHcroq6d7DDTMhvpruzCHkPRDNH83fUHbj33F2kULC1JjNpOb4Idb6104TlF9QIknrpH-RlLzsUT_CSuNLEPEbjnZkRvSU9bsg1fg_Wq4qLwGem3Mr37YKKIxssBRaF3XmHTfoL113CBWBnzLf8ZE41TImS3Q8/w270-h400/tfuygi.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The movie dose however take it’s time
developing Robins romantic relation with Maid Marian, which is one of the best,
and most charismatic of their on-screen pairings. Marian was played by Olivia de Havilland, who was
one of the great, long-lasting actresses from the golden age of Hollywood. Little
John was played by Alan Hale, who previously played the character in the 1922
picture, and would reprise his role for a third time in the lesser known 1950’s
“<b>Rogues of Sherwood Forest</b>”. Basil Rathbone, famous for playing Sherlock
Homes and the “<b>Son of Frankenstein</b>”, gets to shine as the villainous Sir
Guy of Gisborne. Claude Rains, who I’ve always associated with classic monster
roles like “<b>The Invisible Man</b>” and “<b>The Phantom of the Opera</b>”, is
almost unrecognizable in his portrayal of Prince John, which goes to show how
versatile the talent was. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Also, predating “</span><b style="font-size: 16px;">The Wizard of Oz</b><span style="font-size: 16px;">” by a year, this was one of the very first movies to be shot in Technicolor, and the colorful imagery leaps off the screen. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DWAE9v5zoGjYJf8OX-NzU6jqmIIIziHCw1ozk2bNwVqeDLtTghwmWXhYeeDlsdhoSwwKGPWtgyxab8Yd-2on-cR84N9MKyzUg-iFJPh89X_FUcW5RaBjax0EEbojRzDKT9M7P418QHI2dpDycYFVl4wTHZ-ScfS7gmsI06-JNLRWo0g276jYv2EHlYE/s510/yfyt.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="510" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DWAE9v5zoGjYJf8OX-NzU6jqmIIIziHCw1ozk2bNwVqeDLtTghwmWXhYeeDlsdhoSwwKGPWtgyxab8Yd-2on-cR84N9MKyzUg-iFJPh89X_FUcW5RaBjax0EEbojRzDKT9M7P418QHI2dpDycYFVl4wTHZ-ScfS7gmsI06-JNLRWo0g276jYv2EHlYE/s320/yfyt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">This movie also moves at a brisk pace, from one entertaining set-piece to another, all leading to a climactic sword fight between Robin and Sir Guy, which features one of the most iconic visuals of any swashbuckler … when it cuts to their shadow-silhouettes sword-fighting on the wall. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All around, there are still two other Robin Hood
movies that I have a little more fondness for … but this is undeniably one of
the best, and most recommendable, both to fans of the character, and fans of
adventure cinema.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 Disney’s
“<b>Robin Hood</b>” (1973) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ6J4o1By8JnPfe4TuOUMA3du3KqPdk3E-j_361334aw-NQGXKQVuKHLmyZQfS1u0_nK_IjJDSOSoSPGQWnJ94p_ORe5dPKGZ_EJRwZh5A95xgFHL7WVjEq_RcL1dUAJOyXa5SXOcMHXwZzP5axvWQqyJF4R1E-vFs03O4e8gvpJqC018LG8x3OixVqE/s488/dsgv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="488" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ6J4o1By8JnPfe4TuOUMA3du3KqPdk3E-j_361334aw-NQGXKQVuKHLmyZQfS1u0_nK_IjJDSOSoSPGQWnJ94p_ORe5dPKGZ_EJRwZh5A95xgFHL7WVjEq_RcL1dUAJOyXa5SXOcMHXwZzP5axvWQqyJF4R1E-vFs03O4e8gvpJqC018LG8x3OixVqE/w238-h170/dsgv.jpg" width="238" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3489OAvXn0g5B1iVkNU7GoUplPtyz3SlniG0EpGnEpNKPm3uqtC0F4UxkbFyE2GwG6nNQ3YJy0gBoQ8po_Pz5cIlpRWJRuVd5F9FIFWjhcfDZuiHfFT5dbx0KjOzp5OUyBsdUAER40LGomcxeJtr1yMslnAtY9LFZd5dRL2EewzWd1UFGKwuykA72J4/s1176/Pictuiuiuy6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1176" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3489OAvXn0g5B1iVkNU7GoUplPtyz3SlniG0EpGnEpNKPm3uqtC0F4UxkbFyE2GwG6nNQ3YJy0gBoQ8po_Pz5cIlpRWJRuVd5F9FIFWjhcfDZuiHfFT5dbx0KjOzp5OUyBsdUAER40LGomcxeJtr1yMslnAtY9LFZd5dRL2EewzWd1UFGKwuykA72J4/w277-h170/Pictuiuiuy6.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Like most kids, I was first introduced to Robin
Hood through Disney’s animated picture, and it still holds a special place in
my nostalgic heart all these years later. It’s the unique Disney offering which
features all its characters as animal-morphed-people, and beyond the visual
presentation, these characters are exploding with personality and charisma. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjVkKyW592B2rntDeZT3I7bmSkx0UCpCuKwrJg2OBFZoK4_6kXEvmhiah6EGhk_O8KsWHEXjKPQn9qtrbYvvfQKLh1_rMPWXBLUS8Np3_gOde_31PnIbL6gEO3W1gos8Wgb9phhsV5DT5fe21v3nvO9gOoemSAd9Gb1Tq9ACYpMEBPkJfGY5YUd_gWdc/s720/dgdf.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjVkKyW592B2rntDeZT3I7bmSkx0UCpCuKwrJg2OBFZoK4_6kXEvmhiah6EGhk_O8KsWHEXjKPQn9qtrbYvvfQKLh1_rMPWXBLUS8Np3_gOde_31PnIbL6gEO3W1gos8Wgb9phhsV5DT5fe21v3nvO9gOoemSAd9Gb1Tq9ACYpMEBPkJfGY5YUd_gWdc/w266-h400/dgdf.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Honestly, the strength of this film isn’t its story or morals, its simply the
joy that comes from watching this group of colorful characters work-off each
other. It’s about Robin Hood palling around with Little John, Maid Marian
bonding with Skippy, Prince John arguing with Sir Hiss, and the Sherif of
Nottingham scheming against Friar Tuck and the tows people. It’s all these
special connections that make this setting and experience an absolute joy to
return too. On top of that, the music is catchy, and the action can get more
creative and fun with the advantage of being animated. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnO-SX8Svqck-LKeGvdAgWkMO0Li-b02l_wgil1MaKBx1ebc0pPFiQ-vvzZyoztZCEOT6aMbYQoCgATsl3-nXl1kVCOxGEPD970WiiVL58a2yjWwCSGUqydSeSq8ad1kvMU5_NbzcTLN4YkVmNUxBN6Bf3Pxl8HGTwLoVxMX5XwGFA1Xrqbhb1S1WjrE/s1176/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1176" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnO-SX8Svqck-LKeGvdAgWkMO0Li-b02l_wgil1MaKBx1ebc0pPFiQ-vvzZyoztZCEOT6aMbYQoCgATsl3-nXl1kVCOxGEPD970WiiVL58a2yjWwCSGUqydSeSq8ad1kvMU5_NbzcTLN4YkVmNUxBN6Bf3Pxl8HGTwLoVxMX5XwGFA1Xrqbhb1S1WjrE/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Even the films climax is
suitably suspenseful and exciting. It’s also one of the funniest Disney
offerings, with Prince John especially delivering some of the biggest laughs on
any Disney rouge. While this film has never been regarded as one of Disney’s
best, it’s still personally one of my favorite animated pictures from the
studio, and will always be one of my most treasured Robin Hood offerings. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b>Robin
Hood: Prince of Thieves</b>” (1991) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KY6F7yjuy8yrVr6Wki92GdQiFS0g6nQ3HaTxaOS5kHCyKsNL9w_EzrsxR5y3dG1999ejNX96OzMAyTCVUy6SVOfd3d_PikgEvbixB_F9O45kKNYdA1c0FJm044XAkOX6ssPqGui5-3mk-NEmKkZLAYcE3lrqh0CTnWQzKohCgdotfjYlBh234qKuZ24/s1920/ewsxrdct.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KY6F7yjuy8yrVr6Wki92GdQiFS0g6nQ3HaTxaOS5kHCyKsNL9w_EzrsxR5y3dG1999ejNX96OzMAyTCVUy6SVOfd3d_PikgEvbixB_F9O45kKNYdA1c0FJm044XAkOX6ssPqGui5-3mk-NEmKkZLAYcE3lrqh0CTnWQzKohCgdotfjYlBh234qKuZ24/w263-h148/ewsxrdct.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzYH0qZPnFqlioNVjBTnp29fRz_25EqQO1P_nuimLxAY0sS4sqCm8hn6vg9foPr2WE-_UOyjOSzHkvCpyhNveKCdPOqKGtmIlGUDGAZ8xnRrezltqRQzHcC3t5x4TA0p3t2aaH0VB_3F50FvM0bevxKAkWNbsTlpSUIds0-bEDO0JcpYxAysisTw3Oaw/s1200/yukjhy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzYH0qZPnFqlioNVjBTnp29fRz_25EqQO1P_nuimLxAY0sS4sqCm8hn6vg9foPr2WE-_UOyjOSzHkvCpyhNveKCdPOqKGtmIlGUDGAZ8xnRrezltqRQzHcC3t5x4TA0p3t2aaH0VB_3F50FvM0bevxKAkWNbsTlpSUIds0-bEDO0JcpYxAysisTw3Oaw/w250-h149/yukjhy.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After my initial introduction to Robin
Hood through the animated Disney movie, 1991’s “<b>Prince of Thieves</b>”
followed shortly after, marking my first live-action Robin Hood adventure, one
of the very first PG-13 movies I ever saw in my life time, and one of my
early introductions to swashbuckling adventure cinema. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCX6Yse-aKEy8AZii7N3QstR1E64wnd9MMCq6EgOZiRT0ZT1WFSTC5OQRLhrWJXLwAKuo49R90PB1lMqz0nXp8D8BSTFG4dO6anqG_x0De0DRkPNLTFDbOn4WVjHq7mlaXVuIooRusVLJmVwOznORhVuoEqu2bQ23Pu4dSi5_ut_QvdmxaghuHMyp5z8I/s755/poioi.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCX6Yse-aKEy8AZii7N3QstR1E64wnd9MMCq6EgOZiRT0ZT1WFSTC5OQRLhrWJXLwAKuo49R90PB1lMqz0nXp8D8BSTFG4dO6anqG_x0De0DRkPNLTFDbOn4WVjHq7mlaXVuIooRusVLJmVwOznORhVuoEqu2bQ23Pu4dSi5_ut_QvdmxaghuHMyp5z8I/w269-h400/poioi.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Objectively, I can’t
make a compelling argument that this really is one of the great adventure
movies, let alone one of the best Robin Hood stories, but it’s always been my special
Robin Hood adventure, the one I’ve re-experienced the most, and the one I most
fondly look back on. While Kevin Costner is not the best Robin Hood portrayal …
not even close … he’s still surrounded by my favorite actors in these respected
roles. Morgan Freeman is excellent as Robins best friend <a name="_Hlk161175448">Azeem</a>,
Nick Brimble is a perfect Little John,</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is a fiery presence as Lady
Marian, and of course, it’s Alan Rickman who steals the whole show as the
villainous Sheriff of Nottingham. Honestly, this film makes my number one Robin
Hood picture just for Alan Rickman as the villain alone. Aside from that, the film
boasts one of my all-time favorite adventure scores, and features blazing
action sequences. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaz3mgFeqx0EijTPXI4L1vYpqwOaGgWVrDhzDCCHu5reQkIMEK3ny1LXBsIvApY-7kHKYM-qIlOEQ9cD47lZfNNZ3C7TN1x-XmkcjOL7TMjNMbmUJYP_05wo1yZFeBfyN_3PQl-er_0pDPx_qTas6HOcCZsQonokqDAN9a7vxEAPc65z1KDNdVmSKpUo/s590/youzxcsd.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="590" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaz3mgFeqx0EijTPXI4L1vYpqwOaGgWVrDhzDCCHu5reQkIMEK3ny1LXBsIvApY-7kHKYM-qIlOEQ9cD47lZfNNZ3C7TN1x-XmkcjOL7TMjNMbmUJYP_05wo1yZFeBfyN_3PQl-er_0pDPx_qTas6HOcCZsQonokqDAN9a7vxEAPc65z1KDNdVmSKpUo/s320/youzxcsd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While it lacks the bright colors of other films, it makes-up
for it by making Sherwood Forest feel more like a character than ever before,
with Robins freedom fighters utilizing their surroundings for stealth missions,
disappearing into their environment, and creating an awesome system of tree
houses that are all connected. Still to this day, I find “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Robin Hood: Prince
of Thieves</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” a fun experience, as well as a decade staple, a favorable
adventure movie, and it’s what always seems to come to my mind first when I
think Robin Hood ... maybe not the objective best … but my personal favorite Robin
Hood all the same.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSDLKfs4zKRZjefQh6iVeF84pD8SCHZ8PBODnY6YScpaicdZLzHdwguJzlAixV1b8HQHmDF1XoEDr85SE247ik-oc-PvbY7-K79MduoPI9bc81dRF0SYd73RJ4A-ttJc5yGt8w3hXg-sk2K65_y4Tht7mEE-ndAsbKOCip6NW459ZtEWS1j_TsQa1H8A/s1000/tfcyfvy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSDLKfs4zKRZjefQh6iVeF84pD8SCHZ8PBODnY6YScpaicdZLzHdwguJzlAixV1b8HQHmDF1XoEDr85SE247ik-oc-PvbY7-K79MduoPI9bc81dRF0SYd73RJ4A-ttJc5yGt8w3hXg-sk2K65_y4Tht7mEE-ndAsbKOCip6NW459ZtEWS1j_TsQa1H8A/w400-h225/tfcyfvy.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for reading my
countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-47838705287013838372024-03-06T22:39:00.000-08:002024-03-07T07:58:20.615-08:00Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) (Movie Review) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t_AVIKGTtEOmeFFKM9LiG2qOBV66kxXrD1aWT-1bSD5PTUa79yMTBFYROI6Q9zYZwoumNAKOrWgxrhy2CQghU_fbE8GnmuueL12n7em7Qc3ZIcGjexRYCBcm6swTndJlwqp8-UPMkLzCbz-bQjkqrt8r3mizTOKCuHFAUh2I3gQAOjM0ko75BerbmBw/s678/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="484" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t_AVIKGTtEOmeFFKM9LiG2qOBV66kxXrD1aWT-1bSD5PTUa79yMTBFYROI6Q9zYZwoumNAKOrWgxrhy2CQghU_fbE8GnmuueL12n7em7Qc3ZIcGjexRYCBcm6swTndJlwqp8-UPMkLzCbz-bQjkqrt8r3mizTOKCuHFAUh2I3gQAOjM0ko75BerbmBw/w285-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All right, let’s do this recap one-more time
… the year was 2019, “<b>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</b>” premiers and surpasses
expectations, was adored by fans a critics alike, won the Academy Award for
best animated picture, set a new high-mark for comic-book movies to aspire
from, and it was absolutely my favorite movie going experience of that year …
which raises even higher expectations for its sequel. In 2023, we got the long
awaited “<b>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</b>”, and thankfully … this
film managed a brave, bold, and ambitious leap even further into greatness! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugViX3CWtkz-oEjoRNqdyiKbU6lDOxjBqNcsCfvQFoWye9oWTkBNH_02EdBb4vn2Dd3SodsC67gJBNBHXLazsFVrDUZiPmmCr720d8x4AC4nCM_lJQnZUNJlEXfqddnEuMeTOpy54T8B4nPZCrKNFgw1kIiMWT985SXXJrt1lee-jVhO993ogUKuUzvs/s676/yujtyiuyikyuj.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="676" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugViX3CWtkz-oEjoRNqdyiKbU6lDOxjBqNcsCfvQFoWye9oWTkBNH_02EdBb4vn2Dd3SodsC67gJBNBHXLazsFVrDUZiPmmCr720d8x4AC4nCM_lJQnZUNJlEXfqddnEuMeTOpy54T8B4nPZCrKNFgw1kIiMWT985SXXJrt1lee-jVhO993ogUKuUzvs/s320/yujtyiuyikyuj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It was another smashing hit with both critics and audiences, is once again nominated for Best Animated Picture, and it's yet another one of my favorites. While many franchises in the turn of the 2020 decade have been hit or miss, I
feel very safe in saying that “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Spider-Man</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is the best theatrical
superhero movie franchise of the early 2020’s … not including all those Sony
spin-off films with secondary characters. I was honestly worried going-in that
this sequel would only hit the basic notes, and simply be an enjoyable watch,
with fun Easter Eggs, and cool new animated battles … but everyone from the
writers, to the animators, to the voice cast, to the composers and sound designers
all just put that extra effort into making the best possible sequel … and it
absolutely delivered!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXGGMrdU_UMVi-NoRRkOfT_MMOpM1i8hQlsc4R1nNYhalkOP0GbAqm3zlIdpTSG8j74ANJO36_Jm9o6reRHsrsA2DhqiPjuY-Ks0-30sqR2kJJT73MbJLEf1m0tSsPMUYMDLwiEoCpezo5DnoBnfdZufCGOqlpiKKDZtYSsb7u293W0aRLax2PTSz3jM/s780/yhtutyit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXGGMrdU_UMVi-NoRRkOfT_MMOpM1i8hQlsc4R1nNYhalkOP0GbAqm3zlIdpTSG8j74ANJO36_Jm9o6reRHsrsA2DhqiPjuY-Ks0-30sqR2kJJT73MbJLEf1m0tSsPMUYMDLwiEoCpezo5DnoBnfdZufCGOqlpiKKDZtYSsb7u293W0aRLax2PTSz3jM/w276-h163/yhtutyit.jpg" width="276" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp30K0VDcjk68rkXaswX0HgivpAMavJPKU_odAcZPYUwtY8HuSQ0PH94ag0MUU6RpdFIA13EsF82kTIbrIOU3tV6VPnEfgEdTtPemmaBesvJdtZXrGloTfX6Q30uX55qnzlhcIodwUnRXCdw9NZI5cBmk_rylYQQ6Hf0f_U6qTD7z2slWKUp7gDCguFbs/s900/gftujtruj.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp30K0VDcjk68rkXaswX0HgivpAMavJPKU_odAcZPYUwtY8HuSQ0PH94ag0MUU6RpdFIA13EsF82kTIbrIOU3tV6VPnEfgEdTtPemmaBesvJdtZXrGloTfX6Q30uX55qnzlhcIodwUnRXCdw9NZI5cBmk_rylYQQ6Hf0f_U6qTD7z2slWKUp7gDCguFbs/w244-h163/gftujtruj.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following
after the events of the last movie, Kingpin was defeated, his muti-universe
collider was destroyed, and all the different Spider-Men were sent back to
their respected home dimensions … leaving Miles Moralis the one and only
Spider-Man to protect New York city. While he excels in protecting the city, he
also struggles to keep his secret life from his parents, which causes frictions
between them. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJa6p8551wrKR7ARMhnn3bEC7n0nqlGUdbrRto0g9uqc88jbakXQy0_mb2STS4KOYSg028kx8E8mddVl_vBgHQpmCoL06ryoW0foi966JiuMO08Iqil_X6jBysbpbP1TX6qg8l7HKi0HV1e79oRHPEGXMhEyH-igE73D581NJid1mY9E1r02qivdnzxA/s1280/Picture3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJa6p8551wrKR7ARMhnn3bEC7n0nqlGUdbrRto0g9uqc88jbakXQy0_mb2STS4KOYSg028kx8E8mddVl_vBgHQpmCoL06ryoW0foi966JiuMO08Iqil_X6jBysbpbP1TX6qg8l7HKi0HV1e79oRHPEGXMhEyH-igE73D581NJid1mY9E1r02qivdnzxA/s320/Picture3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s also discovered that in the aftermath of the previous battle
with Kingpin, one of the scientists was transformed into a new villain called
the Spot, who now has the ability to create holes in space-time, and leap
through dimensions. This gets the attention of Miguel O’Hara, who’s the
Spider-Man of 2099, and has been gathering all other Spider-Men from other
worlds in an effort to contain and resolve any anomalies that could threaten
their universes. This gives Miles the chance to reunite with his old flame
Spider-Gwen, who’s on the trail of the spot, and together, they set-off on a
new adventure across further Spider-Man worlds, and meet new heroes along the way.
However, the more Miles discovers about his new Spider-allies, the more concerning
secrets get revealed, the stakes are raised, and even further conflicts ensue
regarding Miles and his place in the multi-Spider-verse. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Shameik Moore returns as the voice of Miles Moralis, and once again, he is an excellent character, with a great journey, and his relation with his parents really works. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDFmJkzfi5oR0VROR38Lnz5ez9mmBuQn-egBT4agDbRTvIOmvOGROV2Wz4oZR6_VVE2-ebyKGOTew3n9p-R2UhZ2fqVTh8RnpfGC-BM89LBU-kDLeycViF3GtFj93EeAist86LCwj5NH9vECQUwna5trL31GCP2YQA3acR9YHuEyHJY6zsFLATI0gorQ/s738/Picture9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="738" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDFmJkzfi5oR0VROR38Lnz5ez9mmBuQn-egBT4agDbRTvIOmvOGROV2Wz4oZR6_VVE2-ebyKGOTew3n9p-R2UhZ2fqVTh8RnpfGC-BM89LBU-kDLeycViF3GtFj93EeAist86LCwj5NH9vECQUwna5trL31GCP2YQA3acR9YHuEyHJY6zsFLATI0gorQ/w235-h162/Picture9.jpg" width="235" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkjQx_M_2JfD9OiinaMqcgcP2gX3WNW3RNgqZ_49mIXo-HiHwmmKukwp1JY6HQUDyj24Snm3yrNG6u0YuuD4GGEFzNjNJw1o_5NXkP9yoqYPNS79rtmlNWaqr9te_Tj-lM5DfRm53pj4lPoCujCeZ9x8S8b4ALmxrszcF9twVvRgHk5wVVixJQmTRgls/s1600/hgkuyit.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkjQx_M_2JfD9OiinaMqcgcP2gX3WNW3RNgqZ_49mIXo-HiHwmmKukwp1JY6HQUDyj24Snm3yrNG6u0YuuD4GGEFzNjNJw1o_5NXkP9yoqYPNS79rtmlNWaqr9te_Tj-lM5DfRm53pj4lPoCujCeZ9x8S8b4ALmxrszcF9twVvRgHk5wVVixJQmTRgls/w266-h161/hgkuyit.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Miles is unmistakably the main character
of the story, the narrative really belongs to my favorite Spider-Woman Gwen
Stacy, who’s voiced again by Hailee Steinfeld. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOFb_M966EibBYoPAifJj55uwdiqM1RTd1j0as-EgGyyLcxD4qMVklSef8Ip3opg-uqilXyaxORbx3igfW05ZEEX3zMGp75R2ZGKO069TJUeVWmkOMIUjrMnP31qgt5XLO1sqAS-H_TA2O5PA798Hen6Q67fuGmi6CJNjH6z56oWSVKdlHC81bGksqvA/s565/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="429" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOFb_M966EibBYoPAifJj55uwdiqM1RTd1j0as-EgGyyLcxD4qMVklSef8Ip3opg-uqilXyaxORbx3igfW05ZEEX3zMGp75R2ZGKO069TJUeVWmkOMIUjrMnP31qgt5XLO1sqAS-H_TA2O5PA798Hen6Q67fuGmi6CJNjH6z56oWSVKdlHC81bGksqvA/s320/Picture6.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">She was already my favorite character from the first movie, and this sequel dose an excellent job putting the spot-light on her, and making her the figurative POV character who book-ends the film. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The movie opens with a lengthy sequence dedicated to Gwen
in her home dimension, and much like Miles, she too is going through emotional
struggles and conflicts with her father. While the movie ends on a hard
cliff-hanger, it’s Gwen’s emotional journey that reaches finality, and it helps
give this film a satisfying conclusion, despite the unresolved ending. Gwen's relation with Miles Relation is also very sweet, and not only do the characters
have excellent chemistry, but they also share some of the best visually
romantic imagery sense the original 2002 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Spider-Man</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. Peter B. Parker
is also back, and is now a family man raising his own little Spider-Girl, which
is very sweet. The voice acting all around is sensational, as everyone
convincingly transitions from high-spirited, witty personalities, to intense
emotional weight. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5jLVCxlXjEczRJaNEJLWnK6fQP4xgbqKJ5zbLx3g5PXiPyFSZg2DMIInQyVLsYJgxAGC6stnUEBLnisO2SymhMUySWLuVTTGXDk0tNxG9sJWXr6OmS5__sBfk1TF0UbDuQ4jhKLyUPbLsBTeKbX9FkZPW8QWqTnSNpigYnYjsJDXwFBOshPYG_a-0jk/s1140/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1140" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5jLVCxlXjEczRJaNEJLWnK6fQP4xgbqKJ5zbLx3g5PXiPyFSZg2DMIInQyVLsYJgxAGC6stnUEBLnisO2SymhMUySWLuVTTGXDk0tNxG9sJWXr6OmS5__sBfk1TF0UbDuQ4jhKLyUPbLsBTeKbX9FkZPW8QWqTnSNpigYnYjsJDXwFBOshPYG_a-0jk/w263-h153/Picture7.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCHRnuni2WBHrpv61Z1AOpaqzzD602tXcL8t2rQvocL6zUOYRs-1I2wtsezQU2HpKztvixOy8jzlxLjgQ1Fzd-x3TZ0NP4mnhfL3524OhJwOjvgDd39SVVfRvCuALT_SasgqeDMRMSeLwYpyogKFoujs0NUi67JLex05JXnzV8lu_5VLjuWLrXeORs6c/s697/Picture10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="697" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCHRnuni2WBHrpv61Z1AOpaqzzD602tXcL8t2rQvocL6zUOYRs-1I2wtsezQU2HpKztvixOy8jzlxLjgQ1Fzd-x3TZ0NP4mnhfL3524OhJwOjvgDd39SVVfRvCuALT_SasgqeDMRMSeLwYpyogKFoujs0NUi67JLex05JXnzV8lu_5VLjuWLrXeORs6c/w248-h152/Picture10.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One very minor reservation with this film is
that I would have liked to see more of the secondary Spider-Men characters from
the first film, like Peni Parker, Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Ham. They were
some of my favorite characters, and while they make walk-in cameo’s, I would
have just liked more of them. However, the film makes-up for it with some
excellent new Spider-Man characters. We now have Spider-Man India, Spider-Punk,
and pregnant Spider-Woman. She too has web powers, but can’t go swinging, as it would
affect the baby, so she gets around on a motorcycle instead … which is awesome! Oscar Issac shines as the Spider-Man of 2099, who’s a
vampire-ninja, and has the coolest character theme music of anyone. He’s also a
suitably complex character who tries to do good, but is always forced to act
aggressively, which makes his conflicts with Miles one of the biggest strengths
of the film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxGNuPLjNaG1xvTzRT7V-gd7rXQgMgH7w4j-zEP_jvBuVP3gO8MtptIdENh7Y6kcf9dFevbNtVSDmtUjrWLFv6cF86k7b4o3JgUrfky1xsHGWmsp8M8GwXuMptUSBdtTAPmqHlBcWwThkosF5iXgBi4NNo25cLtFzLFCC9_qaZya4170LdXntOkiEmWU/s2500/uyiyuiy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="2500" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxGNuPLjNaG1xvTzRT7V-gd7rXQgMgH7w4j-zEP_jvBuVP3gO8MtptIdENh7Y6kcf9dFevbNtVSDmtUjrWLFv6cF86k7b4o3JgUrfky1xsHGWmsp8M8GwXuMptUSBdtTAPmqHlBcWwThkosF5iXgBi4NNo25cLtFzLFCC9_qaZya4170LdXntOkiEmWU/w255-h148/uyiyuiy.jpg" width="255" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQ0zztOskk4vVj2ErObg-TZfxwUNy1aGCvv4UAQD2gI-tN9La05tHmLYhBdaPQcMEjDlw7ZSe30hoqkE9Nc-rsMMHq8fXNoBRKhgu52_tU79wONL5t23hjVmlLBJNmj30k2kdN1_5tgvB8k1p23uo2Bd-I2vpYPOQoRrtFBVhqNvGojdSLhg6SeOn9j0/s1200/vyfhjy.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQ0zztOskk4vVj2ErObg-TZfxwUNy1aGCvv4UAQD2gI-tN9La05tHmLYhBdaPQcMEjDlw7ZSe30hoqkE9Nc-rsMMHq8fXNoBRKhgu52_tU79wONL5t23hjVmlLBJNmj30k2kdN1_5tgvB8k1p23uo2Bd-I2vpYPOQoRrtFBVhqNvGojdSLhg6SeOn9j0/w258-h148/vyfhjy.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, no Spider-Man movie is complete without a good villain … and this film
has one of the best in the form of The Spot, voiced by Jason Schwartzman. At
first glance, he looks like the run-of-the-mill, villain of the week, or maybe
even looser of the week, and everyone else see’s him the same way … big
mistake. The Spots driving goal through the duration of the film is to simply
be seen as more then a disposable villain of the week, and he pushes himself to
be the ultimate threat to the Spider-Verse, and bring a personal level of pain
and loss to Miles, to make him his nemesis. It’s a great arc for a new villain,
and it’s also great to see one of the more obscure foes leave a memorable
impression in a movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4pS9hMWrU2u7Irfy32UfBTGeG4vih39n0W1uXuTiEq2HSNPU5ou7I8NIFQTQyNUJdDxHB2ghKuCUn4xeo-HsAj9ee4sf_3wVUIGIyPUD0xnHgtKz3jZJ_mMxBGXTCLUJR1c_VFftroWm1VPHkmv25Bt1CSOA86Z0PJe0G5vu6owoNRKLGSVO1q9QI3Q/s1280/uigui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4pS9hMWrU2u7Irfy32UfBTGeG4vih39n0W1uXuTiEq2HSNPU5ou7I8NIFQTQyNUJdDxHB2ghKuCUn4xeo-HsAj9ee4sf_3wVUIGIyPUD0xnHgtKz3jZJ_mMxBGXTCLUJR1c_VFftroWm1VPHkmv25Bt1CSOA86Z0PJe0G5vu6owoNRKLGSVO1q9QI3Q/w244-h151/uigui.jpg" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaoXBVZaFLnt6ppT5zPVs6UTcwHvVeHkSnYmm_g-xwMwQ5ILG1zeLAn4q318TvQJGadvCgkJ6eNeG3nwbe6B9m2hU8g39aTdeTjmjziAEYhSDof6rDYiXgzIQufF7l1L3WOh7pwGKal6IdQ2Z8s3dfqZ01CmiVXuPRXcuUj-aFCn2QKRKqNMq61g4t-A/s1048/Picture14.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1048" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaoXBVZaFLnt6ppT5zPVs6UTcwHvVeHkSnYmm_g-xwMwQ5ILG1zeLAn4q318TvQJGadvCgkJ6eNeG3nwbe6B9m2hU8g39aTdeTjmjziAEYhSDof6rDYiXgzIQufF7l1L3WOh7pwGKal6IdQ2Z8s3dfqZ01CmiVXuPRXcuUj-aFCn2QKRKqNMq61g4t-A/w254-h152/Picture14.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I commented on the 2099 Spider-Man having a first rate music theme, but in general, the music score composed by Daniel Pemberton is absolutely sensational. While it's easy to get distracted by the animation on display ... more on that in a moment ... I hope more people take notice of just how great the music is in this film. One </span>common criticism with franchise movies
these days is an overabundance of Easter-Eggs, references and call-backs to
other tie-in material, and this film occasionally threatens to fall victim to
the same problem. Fortunately, it does all the important work of putting
characters and story first, so that when all the fun references to other
Spider-Man movies, TV shows, comics, and Video games comes around, it’s very
appealing. Seeing “<b>Spectacular Spider-Man</b>” in a theatrical movie is a
big plus for me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzueOZjv1aoNuSStijkoiQpo05osnqZ8vWZlXIfNfaAE2hDFI1D1sL9L4A6cGhzmCYo0qbybHrGSAqkmjjyHXE0qrVTbfuXpxzZegnFF0k3cjj4TJhaG8KVSRQcsWnpxtLbJYaKL5WvbXtoF6wbfKQnqgavRWRXIhGdPDhnb-IeI_m71TaLK8xSzd89M/s1045/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1045" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzueOZjv1aoNuSStijkoiQpo05osnqZ8vWZlXIfNfaAE2hDFI1D1sL9L4A6cGhzmCYo0qbybHrGSAqkmjjyHXE0qrVTbfuXpxzZegnFF0k3cjj4TJhaG8KVSRQcsWnpxtLbJYaKL5WvbXtoF6wbfKQnqgavRWRXIhGdPDhnb-IeI_m71TaLK8xSzd89M/w272-h139/Picture5.jpg" width="272" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2ASxVyqAg-2vqrFsY0dP7ouYsz05MCbdeRJ-oR0OpDcNNnwybEXSbyv9ZJ80ZmAGAuy97zoWO57A9fPRZiz7WBo1HMsOWHRSpvAJhEgIrz66Y3ZdBqzqcMf4ZPfyZug5HHAi5MOshIF3E3EkoCL3qvlBTzGK4Szlv0k1T5ni38BwJvAXKfTchfyehFI/s846/Picture4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="846" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2ASxVyqAg-2vqrFsY0dP7ouYsz05MCbdeRJ-oR0OpDcNNnwybEXSbyv9ZJ80ZmAGAuy97zoWO57A9fPRZiz7WBo1HMsOWHRSpvAJhEgIrz66Y3ZdBqzqcMf4ZPfyZug5HHAi5MOshIF3E3EkoCL3qvlBTzGK4Szlv0k1T5ni38BwJvAXKfTchfyehFI/w215-h139/Picture4.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It goes
without saying that the film is a visual marvel to behold, but with so much
artistic style and detail in just about every frame. I could literally watch
this film fifty-times and discover a new detail on each viewing experience.
Aside from the sheer spectacle, the animation brings something new to the table
that I’ve never experienced in a Western animated picture … the art design is
frequently used as a means to compliment the emotions the characters. The most
direct in this regard is Spider-Gwen’s reality, which is like a melting
painting, and how much the colors flow or stabilize depends on either the
turmoil or emotional weight the individuals are going through. It’s so
beautiful both in imagery and in subtext, and I can’t think of any other
Superhero movie that gave me an experience like this.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1byVTKXwWDwzUUmt0V_FLpIA0O9F6hfTLDVc3xQ1SSZl996Q63WWBXwQV6HUDNatrrPRNnlD98AwS-C9Fe7yNP6-m3J_SNoPJl0RSWkudhHB2dMXWBKu4Cps113z6OtKSKlV_4sbdJT5g5dfoqqrQugP9oOQgsKIXFSf-nLR1bFbAQ8R3Qhd9eOyAr0/s1200/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="1200" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1byVTKXwWDwzUUmt0V_FLpIA0O9F6hfTLDVc3xQ1SSZl996Q63WWBXwQV6HUDNatrrPRNnlD98AwS-C9Fe7yNP6-m3J_SNoPJl0RSWkudhHB2dMXWBKu4Cps113z6OtKSKlV_4sbdJT5g5dfoqqrQugP9oOQgsKIXFSf-nLR1bFbAQ8R3Qhd9eOyAr0/w292-h158/Picture8.jpg" width="292" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFii_dabVN40jQhsv7D0brn6RtUtAWd6JJrKTAbQ1K9CmIt1gVlf53QtHVYGkvhicEXsV1xPouxxCCsOXSjiGuJymh604GJIfyAz8Cr7oZjv4-MzbVs5YkhlkIdYsG_mFh-it1tk-bj0QMcEaDIVnj1BIBjKAJSviRrD-wUqqfBsZf8CjdutTalLffTIU/s429/Picture11.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="429" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFii_dabVN40jQhsv7D0brn6RtUtAWd6JJrKTAbQ1K9CmIt1gVlf53QtHVYGkvhicEXsV1xPouxxCCsOXSjiGuJymh604GJIfyAz8Cr7oZjv4-MzbVs5YkhlkIdYsG_mFh-it1tk-bj0QMcEaDIVnj1BIBjKAJSviRrD-wUqqfBsZf8CjdutTalLffTIU/w177-h158/Picture11.jpg" width="177" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, the action thrills, and there’s no
shortage of imaginative set-pieces. The opening battle featuring Gwen and the new team against The Vulture is sensational, and it's only the beginning. My favorite sequence is a chase through
Spider-Indian’s universe of India, which not only has a brilliant layout, but
it also features exceptionally fun character banter amidst all excitement. On
that note, the comedy for the most part really works … not only hilarious, but
it really compliments the characters and their respected personalities. A fair
word of warning, both the animation and action on display is relentless, and
might be to much for some viewers to take in all at once. So, if your sensitive
to non-stop flashy effects, you might want to pass on this film. If none of
that bothers you, then don’t miss this sensational visual marvel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCcX40alQD24tigqgLmo6KIxNBsb9nIftiY66jbuc3C2BIllbputFcFWzc8jr5kYLdXJa9HEQ-OPyXC9udXEmNEBKxC_WHELEPijnE2r2vWGECvC010Te7sEbCAHlTwU5zETsZ-gubxIdzwMpYu_fsxdi6_NurQWIKxedLLaVfgmSWvEqQ2TpgKj5Xm0/s1200/yuhgvn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCcX40alQD24tigqgLmo6KIxNBsb9nIftiY66jbuc3C2BIllbputFcFWzc8jr5kYLdXJa9HEQ-OPyXC9udXEmNEBKxC_WHELEPijnE2r2vWGECvC010Te7sEbCAHlTwU5zETsZ-gubxIdzwMpYu_fsxdi6_NurQWIKxedLLaVfgmSWvEqQ2TpgKj5Xm0/w254-h169/yuhgvn.jpg" width="254" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmhRJJT97aw00HXRUjRBtE2w6CcTda3KzbkV-ivF5G0uGWxYYDvU9S324CvdppSWdqSxyj21UAR-uBEJvWgSY1i0rg9A3atvGDhMt5cy0DEW6pIIGMiUE-V-YPm1fWpNt58Pn_OE7TxLPBQo1mFiw8GX3rS0ai12A39V3C2NRXI20EThj_w-n-iosXOY/s800/Picture13.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmhRJJT97aw00HXRUjRBtE2w6CcTda3KzbkV-ivF5G0uGWxYYDvU9S324CvdppSWdqSxyj21UAR-uBEJvWgSY1i0rg9A3atvGDhMt5cy0DEW6pIIGMiUE-V-YPm1fWpNt58Pn_OE7TxLPBQo1mFiw8GX3rS0ai12A39V3C2NRXI20EThj_w-n-iosXOY/w262-h169/Picture13.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lastly, as alluded to earlier, the film ends
on a very tense and sudden cliff-hanger. Miles Moralis breaks away from the
other Spider-Men, and is accidently trapped on Earth 42, where his mutated
Spider was brought from, and as a result, it’s the one reality that has no
Spider-Man to protect the people. Almost like a nightmare version of his New
York, Miles discovers that his father is dead, his crooked uncle is alive, and
he comes face to face with himself, except as a villain called the Prowler.
This is one of the rare times a theatrical superhero picture didn’t end with a
big action sequence … in fact there’s no fighting during this climax at all.
Under most circumstances, I’d be put-off by this … if “<b>The Two Towers</b>”
went to black before the battle of Helms Deep, I would have certainly been
disappointed … but for some reason, I’m perfectly content with this ending.
It’s actually quiet refreshing for once to have a big Superhero film without
the same formulaic climax. After-all, the film already delivered on its action,
so no need to overdo it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKiNP9Y-18A8MQ-BzyyYPeL0_Qa9J9qgcoemIyz9t9-eJKLIKQrcY3hqjtGVWh0C6chqcIMUJvzPldT1jhMLfyZfSKwdtbV9Si0Wr4KY_4VefP0rN-N8DNqSNlDQqDJ5mS4NM9-Ysg010ouV92rVDRPe-B2btQpT1F7WqG3Zud45VN-mtxYh7xAU9pA0/s510/uiojkbn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="510" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKiNP9Y-18A8MQ-BzyyYPeL0_Qa9J9qgcoemIyz9t9-eJKLIKQrcY3hqjtGVWh0C6chqcIMUJvzPldT1jhMLfyZfSKwdtbV9Si0Wr4KY_4VefP0rN-N8DNqSNlDQqDJ5mS4NM9-Ysg010ouV92rVDRPe-B2btQpT1F7WqG3Zud45VN-mtxYh7xAU9pA0/w182-h182/uiojkbn.jpg" width="182" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxLJUJ80bjrqtYd7HnBTyIU0YoMUWlIIn9nFcwXn0rZQtVw3RWOgOnBL6AYTbY0xLGSUUT8AOeD_ZLxlBEm6hMWwcc_7yoqu7gBbz1mpTVEk4Rg2YMmpYbHkvG4_LsFz52JlA7OfbTjLDHY9i94kY-icOAuah5HDfACVdSipxu9bK0vRxsnf_q1DSUUQ/s1141/Picture15.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="1141" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxLJUJ80bjrqtYd7HnBTyIU0YoMUWlIIn9nFcwXn0rZQtVw3RWOgOnBL6AYTbY0xLGSUUT8AOeD_ZLxlBEm6hMWwcc_7yoqu7gBbz1mpTVEk4Rg2YMmpYbHkvG4_LsFz52JlA7OfbTjLDHY9i94kY-icOAuah5HDfACVdSipxu9bK0vRxsnf_q1DSUUQ/w311-h181/Picture15.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All around, it’s another solid Spider-Man
outing, and one of the heroes best in a long line of winning films. It’s a
visual marvel, not just in spectacle, but also in transcending emotions, and
presenting something distinctly unique from other animated films. The action
and thrills are all there … but like all the best superhero movies, it
remembers to put complex themes, character emotions, and that extra touch of a
human journey to go along with the insane adventure, outlandish comedy, and
all-out imagination on display. While I like the first “<b>Spider-Man: Into the
Spider-Verse</b>” a little more for its tight three-act structure, this is
still a top-tier middle instalment of what could well be one of cinemas new
great movie trilogies.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpXNJ0H58otp-5dC7-CiTMGhGq51-Ps3YZ-n3q-1jKLLlEadoTo0gx2_DphHP3n0dBT8SBBAyhz4DYA_6OQ98PLDMHRqPHzS6qVulhBYJkOiO6m3TJqMNFPl6b5ZeWbuDml_2u7XO3Ax6lbBSrl9Nyjl2nXrEXFsDr1va4zIHdUlX6bWnEHeRvKILJ6A/s992/gfhfgj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="992" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpXNJ0H58otp-5dC7-CiTMGhGq51-Ps3YZ-n3q-1jKLLlEadoTo0gx2_DphHP3n0dBT8SBBAyhz4DYA_6OQ98PLDMHRqPHzS6qVulhBYJkOiO6m3TJqMNFPl6b5ZeWbuDml_2u7XO3Ax6lbBSrl9Nyjl2nXrEXFsDr1va4zIHdUlX6bWnEHeRvKILJ6A/w400-h225/gfhfgj.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of “<b>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</b>” … and
continue to enjoy the movies you Love! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-23879224027528125582024-02-12T09:30:00.000-08:002024-02-12T10:30:22.009-08:00Moulin Rouge! (2001) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-iFCP4SLFHZuGDwinu_m6ZbeSxvksr0VUAlsS69UYOlhw0XKoxx_WQFfltMJhRGndTunJkplAFdUbgic8UBClEpkfaj5YcKIWAEuOnqUeNLgRYswK62KH6lziBL4LXf6hAI73wY3qjHxkG3rQwCIGFAtwkQq98OyxLZiQ9gElbMpk_JAqfJ1qARmsz8/s450/iopjlknm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="305" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-iFCP4SLFHZuGDwinu_m6ZbeSxvksr0VUAlsS69UYOlhw0XKoxx_WQFfltMJhRGndTunJkplAFdUbgic8UBClEpkfaj5YcKIWAEuOnqUeNLgRYswK62KH6lziBL4LXf6hAI73wY3qjHxkG3rQwCIGFAtwkQq98OyxLZiQ9gElbMpk_JAqfJ1qARmsz8/w271-h400/iopjlknm.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When it comes to different categories or a genera
of film, whether it be Sci-Fi, action, comedy, horror, and so forth … there’s
always that one special film that stands out in my mind as the experience when
I first fell in love with the genera. For the movie category of “Musical” … the
most special and meaningful to me is the 2001 picture “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Moulin Rouge!</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-bmKXEBNMkVBWv6BHqGSXja5TDBAH3pb82S3T_seQL_9pJBU5qafzZT2UHPeVPr4y8fsDmRCxad_Eqlm7f7RRjbbd9HZNNk2KoR5K3294Q7i3T1jWotjEIpR-gzvbdKMJjHnz_GAfoAG_i691oJMPDbjgduerEeFuZ5JPkdKOL1WM9_6tUK63djBlTs/s500/ghvb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="500" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-bmKXEBNMkVBWv6BHqGSXja5TDBAH3pb82S3T_seQL_9pJBU5qafzZT2UHPeVPr4y8fsDmRCxad_Eqlm7f7RRjbbd9HZNNk2KoR5K3294Q7i3T1jWotjEIpR-gzvbdKMJjHnz_GAfoAG_i691oJMPDbjgduerEeFuZ5JPkdKOL1WM9_6tUK63djBlTs/s320/ghvb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before I saw this movie, I was very dismissive of Musicals, and never gave them
much attention or interest. Somehow … it was the right time … I was the right
young age … I first viewed “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Moulin Rouge!</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and it was like a gateway
opening before me, as I was suddenly captivated by musicals, and sought out
both newer and older films of the genera after the experience. Aside from my
own personal ties to the film, movie musicals in general were kind of a dormant
genera for over a decade, with 1987’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dirty Dancing</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” being one of the
last really big ones. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Moulin Rouge!</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was the wake-up call that movie
musicals needed at the time, was a rousing success, gained a devoted fan base,
achieved all kinds of acolytes, including a nomination for Best Picture, and
got the ball rolling for contemporary musicals to take inspiration from in the
decades to follow. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHESLdePMVT41Mrbe_FJf7iKS3PBHTCr6FHYXGyVJRwLBsv0c9wlGKYaWQ_WvjQH7oiIxyU4id0S4AlsYpy2Vo-gNOPcDyX1jx2TvWY3ev1D8PheokNN-UCilzGZrSAAViB6SKEp5yJiFU8ww5XDANgDwHMwzWU7U-NlI9ONruZl1AmLIfzQeizRvP6Y/s998/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="998" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUHESLdePMVT41Mrbe_FJf7iKS3PBHTCr6FHYXGyVJRwLBsv0c9wlGKYaWQ_WvjQH7oiIxyU4id0S4AlsYpy2Vo-gNOPcDyX1jx2TvWY3ev1D8PheokNN-UCilzGZrSAAViB6SKEp5yJiFU8ww5XDANgDwHMwzWU7U-NlI9ONruZl1AmLIfzQeizRvP6Y/w282-h153/Picture3.jpg" width="282" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRsh-NasM7qKdE8LKP9sxQ4iHOxSGF8zi8SIH-xc5TisPms0SlFDb3YH2QfIS28AmEwZ-KMYA8_Z70jLA79HJ_UNzl9sGHufEt1E7LQJ2mPuOsH5Sab8D7lXp9GrETkLCO8hsL1FGlmHoTPRX4V9R6ASaeCfPcE8-4OKcygC4pevZB0VqF1J73R92RfA/s1500/tyiuyoyuio.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRsh-NasM7qKdE8LKP9sxQ4iHOxSGF8zi8SIH-xc5TisPms0SlFDb3YH2QfIS28AmEwZ-KMYA8_Z70jLA79HJ_UNzl9sGHufEt1E7LQJ2mPuOsH5Sab8D7lXp9GrETkLCO8hsL1FGlmHoTPRX4V9R6ASaeCfPcE8-4OKcygC4pevZB0VqF1J73R92RfA/w203-h154/tyiuyoyuio.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The film memorably </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">opens with the 20th Century Fox Logo presented behind stage </span>curtains, and while common place now days for studio logos to be creatively inserted into the film, I remember it feeling so fresh and cool at the time. <span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s the dawn of a new century, the 1900's
are about to role in, and at this time, an inspired young writer named
Christian has moved to Paris to take part in the Bohemian life of truth,
beauty, freedom and love. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkdTDS8kRak-xr9Vy0SkSEzyUbuhDPWrVVU7FRGK5GmWyOYudc7w3xYBJtt8KVKT_NUqMEVqyIkgtnTOS8Kyo_k4S8s2vfrxCoBuARuproUz2EnEr2GAWzNJEiWGASiHEdKWwROVH7VraMtGq4FBaBeD4CzZBt-q-J_Oxf48GrTA3PzWmoJaby82gxqw/s768/sdfvc.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="768" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkdTDS8kRak-xr9Vy0SkSEzyUbuhDPWrVVU7FRGK5GmWyOYudc7w3xYBJtt8KVKT_NUqMEVqyIkgtnTOS8Kyo_k4S8s2vfrxCoBuARuproUz2EnEr2GAWzNJEiWGASiHEdKWwROVH7VraMtGq4FBaBeD4CzZBt-q-J_Oxf48GrTA3PzWmoJaby82gxqw/s320/sdfvc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While there, Harold Zidler, the owner of the famed
dance hall of the Moulin Rouge, is eager to transform their setting into a real
theater … and the shows female lead courtesan named Satine dreams of being a
real actress. Worlds collide when Christian and Satine meet through a
misunderstanding, and sparks a romance of the forbidden nature. Originally, she
was supposed to join with the villainous Duke of Worcester, who would fund
their theater transition, but now this new romance throws a hurdle into those
plans. Thus, Christian proposes to construct a theater production that will
honor the Bohemian ideals, and secretly, the story will reflect the romance
that’s taking shape behind the curtain. The Duke eventually catches wind of
this, and aims to sabotage the narrative to his own liking. Unfortunately, as
the two men fight for the hand of Satine, a dark, tragic, and inescapable
future looms on the horizon.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_ayYoxKkYwUmFlxYviC1G-PZ5y-w7a7ug2fKyRS4vFQ-t8bUSphtQgjGUeReA_RegTDHqSY9ZC_KhDs5LZqjbq3NaRrjLQ2fSX83QgWkhzs1xAuamovzzrf0zmWA6PR2F0QTMlSfFz-E4qBIAoAnZep4aK9W-U5sPiNINje8lCH2ar7Ao7Tr4zgw8jU/s1280/Picture11.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1280" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_ayYoxKkYwUmFlxYviC1G-PZ5y-w7a7ug2fKyRS4vFQ-t8bUSphtQgjGUeReA_RegTDHqSY9ZC_KhDs5LZqjbq3NaRrjLQ2fSX83QgWkhzs1xAuamovzzrf0zmWA6PR2F0QTMlSfFz-E4qBIAoAnZep4aK9W-U5sPiNINje8lCH2ar7Ao7Tr4zgw8jU/w278-h156/Picture11.jpg" width="278" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKUFz7FACqDEeVXQATrIL46TOys3iksvmaBRUl4ff914eauMkCvf5-4_XMQIz5tctfGjvu688e3q3LqqLzK-GNUvHzUigrY2rkJ8UEqOUKXmuf0LN871rANq1QyIi6Q_i1GLsIZ9fxF1jFzFBlJ7UcXGQ-t5Qee7VNUB-sDMYv2Lp13zqMjLOQlhQ35Y/s1159/Picture19.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="1159" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKUFz7FACqDEeVXQATrIL46TOys3iksvmaBRUl4ff914eauMkCvf5-4_XMQIz5tctfGjvu688e3q3LqqLzK-GNUvHzUigrY2rkJ8UEqOUKXmuf0LN871rANq1QyIi6Q_i1GLsIZ9fxF1jFzFBlJ7UcXGQ-t5Qee7VNUB-sDMYv2Lp13zqMjLOQlhQ35Y/w227-h156/Picture19.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right off the bat, it’s important to note
that this is a movie for viewers with acquired tastes, as this isn’t a subtle
movie experience at all. “<b>Moulin Rouge!</b>” is all show and style, with
rapid fire editing, constant camera work, massive set-designs, bombastic music,
and performances that are just as giant and theatrical as all the technical
aspects on display. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWBJphF6ZduM0cwXnIGDdrkp81P9FZfwyVVqWuAaAyKHciGIL-fwTy44v6aMTsalfSv9v6u9c1jDB2LecXPRdsotFnciIRGtH-Jo7akp49aXbS2mDxi_OVzZLjvYu3SX4_1qovU1njn-REm9UUlCL72Tl0twyRAY5z1PSr2O2skajsqQDPn3feuXFeTw/s1920/erdrt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWBJphF6ZduM0cwXnIGDdrkp81P9FZfwyVVqWuAaAyKHciGIL-fwTy44v6aMTsalfSv9v6u9c1jDB2LecXPRdsotFnciIRGtH-Jo7akp49aXbS2mDxi_OVzZLjvYu3SX4_1qovU1njn-REm9UUlCL72Tl0twyRAY5z1PSr2O2skajsqQDPn3feuXFeTw/s320/erdrt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For me, while there are positive merits to say about the
characters and narrative, it’s undeniably the films style and presentation that
first drew me into this film when I saw it at a young age. In all honesty, I
just love looking at this movie, as there’s so much color, so much detail, so
much atmosphere, and every time I watch this movie, I notice something new. Honestly,
this is a great movie to watch around Valentines Day, not just for the romance
in the center, but for all the decorations and imagery on display. If you’re
someone like me, who loves holidays, and love watching either movies or
specials that get you in the holiday mood … “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Moulin Rouge!</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” has always
been one of my biggest to get me in the Valentines Day spirit.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AVwNz1LlRp38zvlx-BfyKEWoS3qG_zYGL0Xfd6xkw3cwG-VHUm-nVc94X_4voubOnPUUrDFp5boEpS4RH1Cg_8-fUr_uo8z4316-XjDsIUvr3JnQSbxj0RG6hC8dr6wPVRHb0HmEMW1JkErYInICNYm9i2fMhWTeVwHZtuf9Sd5F7C7qZhx7mRPQRM8/s1000/Picture12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1000" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AVwNz1LlRp38zvlx-BfyKEWoS3qG_zYGL0Xfd6xkw3cwG-VHUm-nVc94X_4voubOnPUUrDFp5boEpS4RH1Cg_8-fUr_uo8z4316-XjDsIUvr3JnQSbxj0RG6hC8dr6wPVRHb0HmEMW1JkErYInICNYm9i2fMhWTeVwHZtuf9Sd5F7C7qZhx7mRPQRM8/w207-h148/Picture12.jpg" width="207" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial8PFG-eG0ZWcQo922XXtC0W2BMOSV2W3qvyqIzNH2UjiRUnrPmJ10ewQHuLlvjkyLbaolPv1xPhXblYQ0SaoqccKgaoYiZvBn09Miq_TIH5asysGxsz7pHYPIAEzopKct6EuGb8zd_wl5UhQOZN1Fqa-69gHWSl_v7Jm6f12v_kc0t938FsSNmFaXR0/s720/trders.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="720" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial8PFG-eG0ZWcQo922XXtC0W2BMOSV2W3qvyqIzNH2UjiRUnrPmJ10ewQHuLlvjkyLbaolPv1xPhXblYQ0SaoqccKgaoYiZvBn09Miq_TIH5asysGxsz7pHYPIAEzopKct6EuGb8zd_wl5UhQOZN1Fqa-69gHWSl_v7Jm6f12v_kc0t938FsSNmFaXR0/w281-h149/trders.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the historic setting and time period,
the whole movie is framed as a real-world that’s parallel with a fantasy world,
and at the time, I’d never experienced anything quite like that, certainly not
in musicals. Before this movie, the template I perceived for musicals was …
characters and narratives play-out like any other movie set in the real world,
until a musical number happens, when things get big and theatrical, but then
things calm back down to the real-world setting, until the next big number. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs4XSCQdhDa6VbnYLtZ2l6UYOOfUiyxfCk64rErjz0cBaCTqo8P37ucAhFZY2spQbAP6lC_Pf0lTC7fR3k4XdMvHV6m7ofHXb55pwFop1zdhkTuPy7AdOdj7EeDT85KwR517rH-bVv-0-lzKe2AcJcXVLGXdXHZXdfvkW6jpF56WXBcAPPtrLujKKNuY/s780/pioghcvb.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs4XSCQdhDa6VbnYLtZ2l6UYOOfUiyxfCk64rErjz0cBaCTqo8P37ucAhFZY2spQbAP6lC_Pf0lTC7fR3k4XdMvHV6m7ofHXb55pwFop1zdhkTuPy7AdOdj7EeDT85KwR517rH-bVv-0-lzKe2AcJcXVLGXdXHZXdfvkW6jpF56WXBcAPPtrLujKKNuY/s320/pioghcvb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In
the case of “<b>Moulin Rouge!</b>”, it’s consistently one big show-stopper,
even when it’s not a musical number, and gave this film a unique energy and
excitement. Again, it’s not for everyone, and even for me, I feel there are
moments when it threatens to buckle under its bombastic presentation. However,
what keeps it from going off the rales is how it paces and transitions its
tones, depending on what character is taking center stage, or what part of its
romantic formula is being utilized in the moment. Writer and director Baz
Luhrmann crafted this film as one big love letter to huge theater productions,
show-stopping numbers, and</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Bollywood musicals … it knows it’s over the top … it knows it’s cliched …
and it just has a blast going all-out with its presentation. Even the
characters are self-aware of their own clichés, and through the stage play, try
to manipulate their own respected arc-types. Once again, it’s a concept I’d
never seen before, and it just gave this film a unique voice.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QiPm9JvvcFyrRucjR7tZsP812onwUj-Mdt3SzwZHwoL3t1SWrzfkVY2vZkFls65Ku5YFJqKzQ9Eg8jdNGL7hyyu9Hoc_Q4ler8E0NOsLbj6_Z9bDTkI0rw-Y4pDMBioYJS_KkDQcLCEm3iLHAESp1cTQmzVO-OxArxpXz34XM9wWrqaPCZUP8RFrwGo/s700/rtfy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="700" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QiPm9JvvcFyrRucjR7tZsP812onwUj-Mdt3SzwZHwoL3t1SWrzfkVY2vZkFls65Ku5YFJqKzQ9Eg8jdNGL7hyyu9Hoc_Q4ler8E0NOsLbj6_Z9bDTkI0rw-Y4pDMBioYJS_KkDQcLCEm3iLHAESp1cTQmzVO-OxArxpXz34XM9wWrqaPCZUP8RFrwGo/w216-h136/rtfy.jpg" width="216" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQmwIL-9-BKovp47Zf5gApSZnGIPDYXVlgcgKXZskzlkjyGhVsgeZUtg9rBpi5y-htkt6_-nT_LAAHyFB0JuywgnGO30ZNh1dEf22EelawtUhnEhh3snI2JEKw3MkliyxIcxRbq9zTAJ9uLjt5TrT5_KtVXTEk0sbS6qT8PJOzYEHiZU7mjKdNraty5g/s540/ewsxrdt.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="540" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQmwIL-9-BKovp47Zf5gApSZnGIPDYXVlgcgKXZskzlkjyGhVsgeZUtg9rBpi5y-htkt6_-nT_LAAHyFB0JuywgnGO30ZNh1dEf22EelawtUhnEhh3snI2JEKw3MkliyxIcxRbq9zTAJ9uLjt5TrT5_KtVXTEk0sbS6qT8PJOzYEHiZU7mjKdNraty5g/w300-h136/ewsxrdt.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Baz Luhrmann doesn’t bring anything too
original to the films story, he certainly takes the familiar formula of “love
at first sight”, tilts it on its side, and crafts something that’s wildly
original in both presentation and structure. Aside from the technical details on
display, the next big strength to this film that won me over was how the films
romantic story is presented from three different perspectives. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SHR4Is7gPOopLOAwYoNNICFUfNb8zk6QJsleKXBtFIIDqLB_mFw2fFezJvsxf6qryiP-VktZ7m_06-Ajjl2lngpX0alibOzpCOp3EpVLc0ZP9opZowYg5yKR4CfgQzQ25lhu5z31ujLbYFlDou6XwxIm5p6k0RFVObKQEITzcS7lIq-2EyqdorHL6bo/s599/Picture7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="599" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SHR4Is7gPOopLOAwYoNNICFUfNb8zk6QJsleKXBtFIIDqLB_mFw2fFezJvsxf6qryiP-VktZ7m_06-Ajjl2lngpX0alibOzpCOp3EpVLc0ZP9opZowYg5yKR4CfgQzQ25lhu5z31ujLbYFlDou6XwxIm5p6k0RFVObKQEITzcS7lIq-2EyqdorHL6bo/s320/Picture7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first is the
main story, which mixes the elements of fantasy and reality together. The second
are the events being recapped from a grim and tragic future, where the reality
has taken its towel, and there’s no more magic. The third is the stage
production itself, in which fantasy is real, and a happy ending can last
forever, even after curtain call. Representing the two elements are our two
lovers … with the boy Christiane living in a fantasy, while the lady Satine is
trapped in the real world … yet longs to be set-free into a world of fantasy.
As such, the movie cleverly shifts in both tone and style between the
perspectives of our two leads. When it’s the perspective of our female lead
by-herself, the movie is calm, restrained and more serious. When it’s the
perspective of our boy lead, the movie is hyperactive, rapidly edited and goes
for fun.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXeBWeroMbbacsmyC0G4fIUyesziiSACB6wnhcDpq4OjED5kXM9VzbRINJPz0HxlEPEAa5dRm7iaGXoTqs9Tqjffg5Ysh7Jtc1gaQAHQ3E4QfLGu9jDodr5LxdgaM-68JxIzSFMe7Ps9avwVG_tmtN8TAbiPSBasEu1vHuuyYCzygWmNABnHssh4Hbt4/s400/opixcvd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXeBWeroMbbacsmyC0G4fIUyesziiSACB6wnhcDpq4OjED5kXM9VzbRINJPz0HxlEPEAa5dRm7iaGXoTqs9Tqjffg5Ysh7Jtc1gaQAHQ3E4QfLGu9jDodr5LxdgaM-68JxIzSFMe7Ps9avwVG_tmtN8TAbiPSBasEu1vHuuyYCzygWmNABnHssh4Hbt4/w233-h145/opixcvd.jpg" width="233" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkGGp3Hncs57K_tJ0_s5v1-Ok9EUB0TE8mt5q5Nyn6_QkeTSJ7oj27UuAeEDsU3StbsRO4dw_3H9NY834MsG57b4fQxBsjlpssob_laekT_QnWcMNNOna8ic5qwN7MjbqdVpgqprfvfKp95jFAMuT2nyJySzRNMVTMT_oMjx88gJ45Kt7C0cGQXUYLJE/s1228/Picture8.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="1228" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkGGp3Hncs57K_tJ0_s5v1-Ok9EUB0TE8mt5q5Nyn6_QkeTSJ7oj27UuAeEDsU3StbsRO4dw_3H9NY834MsG57b4fQxBsjlpssob_laekT_QnWcMNNOna8ic5qwN7MjbqdVpgqprfvfKp95jFAMuT2nyJySzRNMVTMT_oMjx88gJ45Kt7C0cGQXUYLJE/w278-h145/Picture8.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another strength to this film is the cast,
who are all familiar, yet make these roles some of their finest. I’ll always
remember Jim Broadbent best for his charismatic portrayal of Harold Zidler, and
John Leguizamo is a welcome presence as Christians best friend Toulouse.
Richard Roxburgh chews-up all the scenery as the evil Duke, and while a bit
much to stomach at times, he still fits within the highly animated world the
film creates. While I’ll always remember Ewan McGregor best as Obi-Wan Kenobi,
he still leaves an equally memorable impression as the young writer Christine,
who’s all heart and spirit, but needs be ready to grow-up and face the real
world after the fantasy ends.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm53UaVPqVPRRKElKaXI66mNxCL4R57_S1ihnveqMqFVYWvvCjvqSdtf_BvPhemTJ07uBTkzJW5Z4V9gxF5Jyb40yj8boXRxml8fK0NnHqkny4UyPbgxqeSQW7tpNtlqGCr2rVctEhAjyZbJEWrjAkNc80XaiYU4HDfXDv9mq48TODd7c0u_2ZQX7dc0s/s1173/Picture13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1173" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm53UaVPqVPRRKElKaXI66mNxCL4R57_S1ihnveqMqFVYWvvCjvqSdtf_BvPhemTJ07uBTkzJW5Z4V9gxF5Jyb40yj8boXRxml8fK0NnHqkny4UyPbgxqeSQW7tpNtlqGCr2rVctEhAjyZbJEWrjAkNc80XaiYU4HDfXDv9mq48TODd7c0u_2ZQX7dc0s/w219-h136/Picture13.jpg" width="219" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0oNmDxg2MfK6zio_lQnyFK-HI1EhZJyij5m5Y_Owh3s3_rKnw6N7pWm2HvMrnA1-dOjRCohfv4xbPUOf-57Tdb-lKS6Q4Yw3DOB4Gzyq5JS9STiT5VUqZBvWca4danvNH-4Y5kZfW7oHqedN3fA5b364EpagIUWW4eurmToN3dW-CiZF9DvzZdC7JVY/s1535/edrtf.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1535" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0oNmDxg2MfK6zio_lQnyFK-HI1EhZJyij5m5Y_Owh3s3_rKnw6N7pWm2HvMrnA1-dOjRCohfv4xbPUOf-57Tdb-lKS6Q4Yw3DOB4Gzyq5JS9STiT5VUqZBvWca4danvNH-4Y5kZfW7oHqedN3fA5b364EpagIUWW4eurmToN3dW-CiZF9DvzZdC7JVY/w280-h136/edrtf.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANTVcgRnvh5zoJqtkMqJ3w3fAf4hshx3TTMlv6R3E2LvcyP8IRDOHpLBcSwpdMOnXiX9QRyUpooMcFs3fH9_jb3Y20Qc_VE14VayPCJZoSuQX2QVyhwwkfBmvZiVkAqCX7oGb5HNehdwDUxJroY5-QE8aIK2JOlFkAspUYvy659APDl1zKjaDgZq4nsQ/s513/rygfhv.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="410" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANTVcgRnvh5zoJqtkMqJ3w3fAf4hshx3TTMlv6R3E2LvcyP8IRDOHpLBcSwpdMOnXiX9QRyUpooMcFs3fH9_jb3Y20Qc_VE14VayPCJZoSuQX2QVyhwwkfBmvZiVkAqCX7oGb5HNehdwDUxJroY5-QE8aIK2JOlFkAspUYvy659APDl1zKjaDgZq4nsQ/s320/rygfhv.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> However, the star who steals the whole show,
and gives this film is substance is Nicole Kidman in her Oscar nominated role
as Satine. She is so passionate in this portrayal, and runs the whole gambit of
different theatrics and emotions. It’s a role that required different levels of
acting, as when the character is in the presence of others, she’s already
putting on a performance, and needs to be as theatrical as her surroundings …
yet, when it’s time for her to step-out of the spot-light, we see the real person
who’s been through the ringer and wants to move on, but is incapable of
escaping. I’ve admired Nicole Kidman as a very talented actress, and this is
the role that proved she could do it all. It’s a performance that’s everything
whimsical, tragic, fiery, childish, adult, and she just shines on the screen.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNX7nVbuQhA2DupKwfZeGZqUdRiwnszvb1RQZh0b5F6kYgdd3vPNzTjW4grlNxSLNUUDi3VgAqIjeyqtMOZF8ldHCOkh5RZdySlufbI5YiEbtoEIC_MxxPvuCmd-kAiw0cKc-GTtn6fa0M4Fs3H2ssCduGJBsObTGcPE_qwhiv6fIGXeI0uRaigzjt6GA/s645/Picture9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="645" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNX7nVbuQhA2DupKwfZeGZqUdRiwnszvb1RQZh0b5F6kYgdd3vPNzTjW4grlNxSLNUUDi3VgAqIjeyqtMOZF8ldHCOkh5RZdySlufbI5YiEbtoEIC_MxxPvuCmd-kAiw0cKc-GTtn6fa0M4Fs3H2ssCduGJBsObTGcPE_qwhiv6fIGXeI0uRaigzjt6GA/w228-h146/Picture9.jpg" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidO-uIThnLrxGTvG0dMFZjjCYipXn0ZavuSeRKceyAdgXQxqYSmxkNQ96G7oZHw7Ki90-oxcklh12bdtKV7A2Pv6rsPS8Ofwm59LPI0_eQuYycmMzf_fhje4piVPA-FnkbjLTkhlSegNLDTcUTe0iiZHHUZ0ypLWJvAeJH8MAELwCKRDwlfBP5PBHUgHI/s476/Picture6.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="476" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidO-uIThnLrxGTvG0dMFZjjCYipXn0ZavuSeRKceyAdgXQxqYSmxkNQ96G7oZHw7Ki90-oxcklh12bdtKV7A2Pv6rsPS8Ofwm59LPI0_eQuYycmMzf_fhje4piVPA-FnkbjLTkhlSegNLDTcUTe0iiZHHUZ0ypLWJvAeJH8MAELwCKRDwlfBP5PBHUgHI/w283-h145/Picture6.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for
the romance, one could argue it’s built on conventions, and maybe even a little
unhealthy … however, there’s still a lot of positive material here. There is
chemistry between the two, and it’s something the movie cleverly makes us savor
while we can. It’s made very clear from the start that Satine is dying of Tuberculosis,
which unfortunately means she’ll never be able to escape, follow her dreams or
make a life for herself … but she can have this romance here in the moment, and
the benefit of someone loving her for who she is, and not what she is. Because
of this, it makes me savor the time these two have together while she’s alive, and
she in turn makes the most of the moment. In the end, both their love and the
stage production become one entity, and we get a brilliant duel ending with the
romance on stage getting a happily ever after, while back stage, reality takes
its tragic turn.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfZZCfCVFWGzjna2bbYOA1yIKUJQtMFHRCAerr6SpFdAJDKwRgxOHh5OptOOloPpUcCfAIwjSCuOtjpKROp6_bD8-hbkfSuHGm7Wf8iEobhpv3pXwyF1MtbY8YAcdgdLs4ncpNxPPtwUmZhz-pETA16BGJ_ZfGMfAwhlVe_MY29zx0MiUbo7kkl-RIKk/s1000/rdtf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1000" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfZZCfCVFWGzjna2bbYOA1yIKUJQtMFHRCAerr6SpFdAJDKwRgxOHh5OptOOloPpUcCfAIwjSCuOtjpKROp6_bD8-hbkfSuHGm7Wf8iEobhpv3pXwyF1MtbY8YAcdgdLs4ncpNxPPtwUmZhz-pETA16BGJ_ZfGMfAwhlVe_MY29zx0MiUbo7kkl-RIKk/w210-h154/rdtf.jpg" width="210" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIiE9home-QNYurHEJKthl1rjX_esrBWw3Sarg6G94CxUCg3kDDs17kqMOxQv_ttNQiJJiLWkgTHwtTQEx1d8_gcbJIfJE44sUgbOe2PONXxn9UQxDcaTSh9dOzmR2DHhngCBXoV37UDya81UrI_kaFqevdH6C8vV9fM3IQc8znWMQp6BcEBvlg1lGy8/s1200/Picture5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIiE9home-QNYurHEJKthl1rjX_esrBWw3Sarg6G94CxUCg3kDDs17kqMOxQv_ttNQiJJiLWkgTHwtTQEx1d8_gcbJIfJE44sUgbOe2PONXxn9UQxDcaTSh9dOzmR2DHhngCBXoV37UDya81UrI_kaFqevdH6C8vV9fM3IQc8znWMQp6BcEBvlg1lGy8/w305-h153/Picture5.jpg" width="305" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The movie also makes a brilliant decision to
utilize contemporary songs that we all recognize, despite being set in a time
period when these songs didn’t exist yet. As such, all these characters treat
these tunes as something new … and subsequently … it makes these songs feel
fresh all over again. It’s a decision that echo’s back to how “<b>Singin’ in
the Rain</b>” utilized songs that had been around for decades, and gave them a
fresh voice. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWJ98zruEsmB8qm7BNBExm3oNL0SFff6yvAkmUrCT8vVo2lGphFWrNMcXF5W9WJfiX0oKzpWoQKF0bOo90b4VRPlsidAQEDPKtEuKfx-5rzs2Wn3Fa7LMnPo0YYDKzf73knafgBo_w7_S7PZZHAzLklLDjoFf8-wOTKq6-BmkwOCS5C5KLVdigJprdQM/s650/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWJ98zruEsmB8qm7BNBExm3oNL0SFff6yvAkmUrCT8vVo2lGphFWrNMcXF5W9WJfiX0oKzpWoQKF0bOo90b4VRPlsidAQEDPKtEuKfx-5rzs2Wn3Fa7LMnPo0YYDKzf73knafgBo_w7_S7PZZHAzLklLDjoFf8-wOTKq6-BmkwOCS5C5KLVdigJprdQM/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Needless to say, it’s one of my favorite song selections of any
musical, and it’s cool to hear so many recognizable tunes get a theatrical
makeover. One of the first big show-stoppers is Elton John’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Your Song</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which is depicted as a fantasy in
the clouds, complete with a singing moon. It’s another special moment where the
film instantly won me over in style, presentation and choice of music. Other
reimagined song numbers for the film include Nirvana’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Smells like Teen Spirit</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, The Beatles “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">All you Need is Love</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, Madonna’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Like a Virgin</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, Randy Crawford’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">One Day I'll Fly Away</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and the film
especially makes brilliant use of Arizona Zervas “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Roxanne</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.
This song-number alone is a perfect example of intense choreography and insane
editing all coming together to create a piece of musical art. There are still
some original songs … mostly from our two lovers … including one of my favorite
romantic numbers called “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Come What May</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiHEGk11DH_y8WnWP1V5nwIIo8lSpQu-pSFkr7wtGJvZzd5emUvVFQvI0q5qNT9z3IDybVCOfEoxN-q5APJFwxRheBn-01Y5JiskI4U7RtG_oCYnnVtn6NMq4reSPslpBKXdvmWKs3eEoJCtZSdsd0izN4ROB-DiWTmxv-DXNWQ8Kdihwxqq4eXFyayY/s341/Picture15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="341" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiHEGk11DH_y8WnWP1V5nwIIo8lSpQu-pSFkr7wtGJvZzd5emUvVFQvI0q5qNT9z3IDybVCOfEoxN-q5APJFwxRheBn-01Y5JiskI4U7RtG_oCYnnVtn6NMq4reSPslpBKXdvmWKs3eEoJCtZSdsd0izN4ROB-DiWTmxv-DXNWQ8Kdihwxqq4eXFyayY/w196-h135/Picture15.jpg" width="196" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGMtaMCJeol26cXcVl7BMBeFwjpXHDA6pLCTERhgt7FjPbFLutA25xIZNp53ApfSyGL0oib25pMbHgldpuTPrTmmnwBwYD4ixoljWZ5TlIb2Sbkb6tfFyVH-ZGIje97IOIGZM3QJYOeJvGy_efiN1V9aX5hVo6q0AdOj0tMYTPY1UW5VvMBzDNT-YSgY/s1361/redtfy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1361" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGMtaMCJeol26cXcVl7BMBeFwjpXHDA6pLCTERhgt7FjPbFLutA25xIZNp53ApfSyGL0oib25pMbHgldpuTPrTmmnwBwYD4ixoljWZ5TlIb2Sbkb6tfFyVH-ZGIje97IOIGZM3QJYOeJvGy_efiN1V9aX5hVo6q0AdOj0tMYTPY1UW5VvMBzDNT-YSgY/w305-h136/redtfy.jpg" width="305" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At last, my favorite song number by far is
this films rendition of Queens “<b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">The Show must Go
On</span></b>” ... like, I’ve loved Queen for years, and this song was already
a solid piece of work … but this movie takes a good song and transcends it into
something extraordinary. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIcEg-Gi1Y1kU4IvtKyWdc_dcDbCDDTTbO4A9qKaLjLazuQwqorlSxer9MKiuNUQve2zhlfteekXs66ddSp1IIaM4pkVJ6qnguj9_Y8tAO2SkodIpxFS_pSPclYKz00ITsYLXZMMszIBhzbYoBPxNUrrcQeRVepQVpTaDng4xitbwtld0zTzbdlv1E9I/s753/Picture17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="753" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIcEg-Gi1Y1kU4IvtKyWdc_dcDbCDDTTbO4A9qKaLjLazuQwqorlSxer9MKiuNUQve2zhlfteekXs66ddSp1IIaM4pkVJ6qnguj9_Y8tAO2SkodIpxFS_pSPclYKz00ITsYLXZMMszIBhzbYoBPxNUrrcQeRVepQVpTaDng4xitbwtld0zTzbdlv1E9I/s320/Picture17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Obviously, it’s another big spectacle that’s
beautifully shot, beautifully edited, and sung wonderfully, but there’s just
enough substance at the center of this song that thrills me. At this moment in
the musical, the female lead is forced to make a very difficult decision that
will hurt someone she loves, but it needs to be done in order to prevent
something even worse from happening. There’s something about the struggle of
moving forward, and facing difficult situations that’s captured fairly well in
this song, which is actually kind of inspiring. Also, I just love the way the
music builds, and builds in this song. It actually starts on a very somber note, and
while it accelerates in melody, it still keeps that same tone hovering
overhead. It’s powerful, it’s beautiful, it’s a visual marvel, and it’s
personally one of my favorite song numbers I ever seen in a movie.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YcnU-dg4oKYkSoZbzAscaxs9qrFugpcZDk-T18Tvjlxa_LeWjMwswyynXutbeFcAW2vWVAn5CQtOyTYt76AOUx1zElHlGHjTHWO1QR76JX3hyilSyJg4wC7tPJy87QxjUxhEttgxcE6llDUrvXAbS6vHkrUEU0etUhlQ2-niUUsoHXfmK7yaXGRedso/s1080/Picture18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="1080" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YcnU-dg4oKYkSoZbzAscaxs9qrFugpcZDk-T18Tvjlxa_LeWjMwswyynXutbeFcAW2vWVAn5CQtOyTYt76AOUx1zElHlGHjTHWO1QR76JX3hyilSyJg4wC7tPJy87QxjUxhEttgxcE6llDUrvXAbS6vHkrUEU0etUhlQ2-niUUsoHXfmK7yaXGRedso/w272-h132/Picture18.jpg" width="272" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOsGw3DV9RatdQPXQ4T00w-Qr37HdyPZl93cfJZhGwX_fIw3_dnxj5_4US8sJ1NvRnIw1W0pdnbFXw_ykuergBBpSmJiYFArwxp9oipXc6zcGDExc2Y3dhP7A02tIHUDTomZwSSK1CiVUQXaXRCzqATwJ2OKcBqvhFKarod0JPg15xpW_AZnoivODi9g/s320/gfhyru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOsGw3DV9RatdQPXQ4T00w-Qr37HdyPZl93cfJZhGwX_fIw3_dnxj5_4US8sJ1NvRnIw1W0pdnbFXw_ykuergBBpSmJiYFArwxp9oipXc6zcGDExc2Y3dhP7A02tIHUDTomZwSSK1CiVUQXaXRCzqATwJ2OKcBqvhFKarod0JPg15xpW_AZnoivODi9g/w235-h132/gfhyru.jpg" width="235" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This marked the finale of what’s known as Baz
Luhrmann’s “Curtain Trilogy”, with 1992’s “<b>Strictly Ballroom</b>” and 1996’s
“<b>Romeo + Juliet</b>” proceeding it. Both splendid films, and in general, I
always look forward to a new picture from Baz Luhrmann. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvg1NvgXxxjNIhKqaaH2-f_yZMTB3AAhLFZy0XjO3OvcukCOkcYncnJQFZvTmzY64nZJDjVVvVFhfo67f6PY5PH-sWh28y7lYRRQtulguzayRiVNEtzxBHheHzeSQ1E37OjBvkuzz4qAEtCUqdBNfGlIeFNsCXD8dmbWlJaIu7Bxns8UPbjrziddeU_8/s420/Picture4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="420" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvg1NvgXxxjNIhKqaaH2-f_yZMTB3AAhLFZy0XjO3OvcukCOkcYncnJQFZvTmzY64nZJDjVVvVFhfo67f6PY5PH-sWh28y7lYRRQtulguzayRiVNEtzxBHheHzeSQ1E37OjBvkuzz4qAEtCUqdBNfGlIeFNsCXD8dmbWlJaIu7Bxns8UPbjrziddeU_8/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Moulin
Rouge!</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" lost its Best Picture trophy to “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A Beautiful Mind</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, it
still came out strong with eight nominations all-together, also including Best
Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Make-up, Best Sound, and it rightfully won
two awards for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. In a nut-shell, "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Moulin
Rouge!</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" is simply one of the biggest, most entertaining musical
spectacles I’ve ever seen … celebrating the art of theatrical musicals, with
big song numbers, big cinematography, big emotions, big costumes, big set
designs, and features some of my favorite song numbers from any musical. I
loved this movie when I first saw it as a young teenager, I love it more every
time I watch it, and it’s the movie experience that got me to fall in love with
musicals in general.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5giA9Ogeodyje_UDMEt6cKa7eHMh5lurBGWIAvi7RnC9QR0InPeojOp6o1BITrzwIJT3u7KhF6cm6fDSYSiPLYc9AQ2ynpmf1ZKWxuiaEbVeFp-vsbCwbSa_YIqohuY4MAz_c4-ZgA0igfy3rmkiN8b2Wq_HsKU97XtkAL5Pwc_t1h9Kgny7ytML0ac/s1280/u6tut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5giA9Ogeodyje_UDMEt6cKa7eHMh5lurBGWIAvi7RnC9QR0InPeojOp6o1BITrzwIJT3u7KhF6cm6fDSYSiPLYc9AQ2ynpmf1ZKWxuiaEbVeFp-vsbCwbSa_YIqohuY4MAz_c4-ZgA0igfy3rmkiN8b2Wq_HsKU97XtkAL5Pwc_t1h9Kgny7ytML0ac/w400-h225/u6tut.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 2001 Musical Classic “<b>Moulin Rouge!</b>” … and
continue to enjoy the movies you Love! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-204212948207865952024-01-22T08:22:00.000-08:002024-01-22T09:50:32.823-08:00Wolverine and the X-Men (2009) (Series Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAirqgGL0Rw47hG-X074qqv-6KFuHRI1Ma0s_m8f921XAzXJMcpk3n2tQB3SGVlhcbV4_y6r-SM-5DkiEHIEErhVgcABxbI5pEkrog2sSGAwzdZ6NbAd2PI-yjpHtvwpAzoLELUTGz58oltUWt6lhfHHeGPVWA1wgSZ3TAZH08MFT2jBzMleg0llDrwY/s606/Picture42.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="501" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAirqgGL0Rw47hG-X074qqv-6KFuHRI1Ma0s_m8f921XAzXJMcpk3n2tQB3SGVlhcbV4_y6r-SM-5DkiEHIEErhVgcABxbI5pEkrog2sSGAwzdZ6NbAd2PI-yjpHtvwpAzoLELUTGz58oltUWt6lhfHHeGPVWA1wgSZ3TAZH08MFT2jBzMleg0llDrwY/w331-h400/Picture42.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to my fandoms in the vein of
comic-books or superhero’s … the “<b>X-Men</b>” have always been my absolute
favorite. It’s also the franchise I consume the most content of when it comes
to either movies or TV shows. One of my most fond entries in the long running
saga is a short, one season long animated series that aired in 2009 called “<b>Wolverine
and the X-Men</b>”. This was the third outing for the X-Men in animated
Television form, excluding cameos in other Marvel shows and the failed piolet
in 1989 titled “<b>Pryde of the X-Men</b>”. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUoer8umI4KesbqRPE9kbyZKL87hLr32xaSg4jyZMon7bcXLvym1I_VwCMlaunEOG1FR9BsAdhwOyQu7Ns3EGkJ49Wn734vtY2Sl3DvqKdwiJVxqJAwDG8cvESVsN5QVtH9wqkUNPSoJhCUQAwSIjAYOhXRSqUjS7O2hRGe0xYa5HFO7xBwOZb0Tget0/s442/Picture36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="442" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUoer8umI4KesbqRPE9kbyZKL87hLr32xaSg4jyZMon7bcXLvym1I_VwCMlaunEOG1FR9BsAdhwOyQu7Ns3EGkJ49Wn734vtY2Sl3DvqKdwiJVxqJAwDG8cvESVsN5QVtH9wqkUNPSoJhCUQAwSIjAYOhXRSqUjS7O2hRGe0xYa5HFO7xBwOZb0Tget0/w258-h234/Picture36.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Unlike the previous “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men: The
Animated Series</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” of the 90’s or “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men: Evolution</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” of the early
2000’s, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Wolverine and the X-Men</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was the first series aimed at
established fans of the franchise, treating it’s viewers like they already knew
the established characters and world setting, without any major introductions
for new comers. Also, unlike its predecessors, this “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” series was
less episodic in structure, and more serialized, like one big story broken-up
into twenty-six chapters. While there were select stand-alone outings, most of
them all tied into one flowing narrative, culminating into a big season climax
that tied-up most of the plot-lines, with select details left unresolved after
the show didn’t get renewed for a second season. Regardless, I’m a fan of what
I got in this one season alone, and I wanted to put a spot-light on what this
series brought to my favorite comic-book characters. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynUf_hw7GLEUfSsxhYDBbnMM-xMFUEehtSNEev5cDk1mM8A-hMSevHnrmd85fzAXh2cFpXxcSV7YAp3YOl8MeLB7JwmOWFSg1g9aYrX-EqR-OR7rGFhWIeVx0YVMTvCDmNR4vjBDqBQsfUEcaRNtjfew1vfiJ3sIOGynyhL8O_gGGx33VovOjDdFSF_k/s400/gy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynUf_hw7GLEUfSsxhYDBbnMM-xMFUEehtSNEev5cDk1mM8A-hMSevHnrmd85fzAXh2cFpXxcSV7YAp3YOl8MeLB7JwmOWFSg1g9aYrX-EqR-OR7rGFhWIeVx0YVMTvCDmNR4vjBDqBQsfUEcaRNtjfew1vfiJ3sIOGynyhL8O_gGGx33VovOjDdFSF_k/w280-h157/gy.jpg" width="280" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1DRMNf7too_uIRSkrFZpX8WbTPXNM623jxpIkrbcOZ5wfXbezgg3hy1LT-QWd7zK5XtaM89MlIoKFngphg8Vkwu_b-JPgsTXExVNLplAG35Sg1BjsCGm789bjIDJCMgbZXge1jsDaCfykSLr-Z7kedvBU6kxy2arqXEWwY6gyBC1ZQg6XgDVSNMn7NM/s640/Picture7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1DRMNf7too_uIRSkrFZpX8WbTPXNM623jxpIkrbcOZ5wfXbezgg3hy1LT-QWd7zK5XtaM89MlIoKFngphg8Vkwu_b-JPgsTXExVNLplAG35Sg1BjsCGm789bjIDJCMgbZXge1jsDaCfykSLr-Z7kedvBU6kxy2arqXEWwY6gyBC1ZQg6XgDVSNMn7NM/w203-h157/Picture7.jpg" width="203" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I said, this show doesn’t bother
introducing any of the main characters for new viewers, and opens with a
glimpse of the simple life-and-times of our principal heroes at Professor X’s
school for mutants. Things get exciting fast, as the school is hit by a
mysterious explosion, forcing the Professor into a twenty-year long coma. Team
member Jean Grey likewise goes missing in the aftermath, and all the other
members go their separate ways. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2UHdm9X_MlBLi3R2_5NnLRui2HBUkTpAUEWqtm4D_BItv1_tpS4MMXIJww80Gg0YGBRo4EILTPK5gk45oIzZtF4kD3gRc4BNHvzuGOsbTtPVP9khFJiZUYk4yi_YMfCfyczJ2IqhTjvjOsjW5QbdqPbOsPrpNSwtYiNikA5knKYx8JgueK7vWvQ4QuU/s250/Picture3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="250" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2UHdm9X_MlBLi3R2_5NnLRui2HBUkTpAUEWqtm4D_BItv1_tpS4MMXIJww80Gg0YGBRo4EILTPK5gk45oIzZtF4kD3gRc4BNHvzuGOsbTtPVP9khFJiZUYk4yi_YMfCfyczJ2IqhTjvjOsjW5QbdqPbOsPrpNSwtYiNikA5knKYx8JgueK7vWvQ4QuU/s1600/Picture3.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One year after the attack, a new task force
called the Mutant Registration Division, or MRD for short, is putting the smack
down on all mutants, and have transformed the nation into an oppressive
militarized zone. Wolverine see's first hand how out of control
the division has become, and believes that now more then ever … the world needs
the X-Men to fight back against their oppressors. With former team leader
Cyclops emotionally grief-stricken, and the other leaders unaccounted for,
Wolverine reluctantly takes on the role of the new team leader. Once the X-Men
are re-assembled, they begin receiving telepathic messages from Professor X in
the far-off future, who’s awoken in a world where the X-Men are dead,
civilization has collapsed, and all human and mutant kind has been taken over
by malevolent robots called the Sentinels. Thus, as the driving narrative of
the series, Professor X frequently contacts the X-Men in the past with
different missions that could potentially undo the horrible future that awaits
them, as well as solve the mystery of who attacked the mansion in the
beginning.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mSBsuCQzTiKUBu5QuOEDxx0Y-FG77PwOV1y13ZgFPqUS4YV4fjpwnxtHo5Nr6awhP1k7t3HtIzR7S7b7fl2k1Ab3Nl8Gv-Fn8dXfqoTWMYkQ7qHHaGVpA6JjUJX2yyDVFUs0wD_pG7CGgmn-m5YU6e8_Z-94fmrlGNPz4FvcY9j2GPmgJRV7hLlfzBo/s320/Picture38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mSBsuCQzTiKUBu5QuOEDxx0Y-FG77PwOV1y13ZgFPqUS4YV4fjpwnxtHo5Nr6awhP1k7t3HtIzR7S7b7fl2k1Ab3Nl8Gv-Fn8dXfqoTWMYkQ7qHHaGVpA6JjUJX2yyDVFUs0wD_pG7CGgmn-m5YU6e8_Z-94fmrlGNPz4FvcY9j2GPmgJRV7hLlfzBo/w261-h151/Picture38.jpg" width="261" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgttotCS5rZnox68xPMfU_QEUe7k2Jk8GgNv-0WpKNg39YrDOKbqgxSIVcOAFkXO6DzYSW61sUCgcGh8wJRyakRkAv2vKOldmmnjsAtQsDS48f7OQAIxK7delp9XyudBv2SpzQgOsZVXYQ8yUMy51wEtzI7W_DFHqoXSwCNyshAEdDiGC2fJthy6M-X7Y/s250/Picture8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="250" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgttotCS5rZnox68xPMfU_QEUe7k2Jk8GgNv-0WpKNg39YrDOKbqgxSIVcOAFkXO6DzYSW61sUCgcGh8wJRyakRkAv2vKOldmmnjsAtQsDS48f7OQAIxK7delp9XyudBv2SpzQgOsZVXYQ8yUMy51wEtzI7W_DFHqoXSwCNyshAEdDiGC2fJthy6M-X7Y/w250-h151/Picture8.jpg" width="250" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, the big make or break deal of this show
is how comfortable you feel seeing Wolverine as the leader of the X-Men. Similar
to Batman, Wolverine is one of those fan favorite Comic-Book characters, who’s
also gotten a fair amount of backlash, due to the amount of attention they’ve
gotten. In general, I respect fans and even general viewers wanting to see
other characters explored, and I’d even encourage studios to give other, less
popular characters a shot. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP72fyTeRzinTPzNnjvFfuJZTRVUK_3y1E1sCPF3NXZV6rL3g6UXTANet4jssv7u3PX6nY4kJ04FWuc89SnSsY6V3bZW87fcU3Gt4eHTElLQcgfh3gsv3S8T4q7J2dP5XWJMqxXuqNFZWmOvZy0q-ssYWloSQf_rWVTkzMk5D9wl2VP2CW_N-DCxZzQ9A/s580/tfhtfgj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="580" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP72fyTeRzinTPzNnjvFfuJZTRVUK_3y1E1sCPF3NXZV6rL3g6UXTANet4jssv7u3PX6nY4kJ04FWuc89SnSsY6V3bZW87fcU3Gt4eHTElLQcgfh3gsv3S8T4q7J2dP5XWJMqxXuqNFZWmOvZy0q-ssYWloSQf_rWVTkzMk5D9wl2VP2CW_N-DCxZzQ9A/s320/tfhtfgj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, while I can’t control the amount of content
that comes out, I’m not going to let it change the fact that both Batman and
Wolverine are two of my all-time favorite characters, and a series focused on
Wolverine is easily going to fit in my wheelhouse. While I certainly wouldn’t
want this to be a permanent change, I do still find a novelty in seeing
Wolverine as a team leader for a self-contained, one and done animated series
event. Following after both the 90’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men: The Animated Series</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men:
Evolution</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, I feel I’ve had two perfect shows that generally kept to the
status quo, and I’d want any future X-Men shows to change things up. The
possibilities are open now, and I’d honestly be down for a series where maybe Storm
is the team leader, or perhaps even one where Nightcrawler is the leader of his
own team. As for this series, Wolverine as team leader gives the show it’s
identify apart from the others, and works as a one-off event.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAuCK2xq0IdexhYlQBPHsKIlhJBuZSVDsgj1fLBwQCP0K0IF7EIQw5z_9RgxvRAUl6oq7xGcD_4j92RGR69VSqltuBGyBsmUiKgwjs_gPEz9DjzHVT152eXEFkteTpZIjv28Z_kL5_8-IHHTgKlJfMH8LA_Oann57x29bX09Ofi52q7q1vn_gx6h_T3I/s720/grhtryj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAuCK2xq0IdexhYlQBPHsKIlhJBuZSVDsgj1fLBwQCP0K0IF7EIQw5z_9RgxvRAUl6oq7xGcD_4j92RGR69VSqltuBGyBsmUiKgwjs_gPEz9DjzHVT152eXEFkteTpZIjv28Z_kL5_8-IHHTgKlJfMH8LA_Oann57x29bX09Ofi52q7q1vn_gx6h_T3I/w281-h159/grhtryj.jpg" width="281" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOA-oKTR84Y4KXsp9Wa5h7An3qXIqXU84_xqUIGtqXuyiUobNexK6wvoyey0WpmJzAGh9iGv6ekbj3Rx8n6cq5K1A5EIjLGvq3wZ1h2BOJLRmZSB8V6KnrtS2vyS9wCFkn1qako8TVeBP_AVoHr7Mh3XCypz8lOEX2ki6Ak88P_rdlkRJcrC_DPZFduDA/s495/Picture30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="495" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOA-oKTR84Y4KXsp9Wa5h7An3qXIqXU84_xqUIGtqXuyiUobNexK6wvoyey0WpmJzAGh9iGv6ekbj3Rx8n6cq5K1A5EIjLGvq3wZ1h2BOJLRmZSB8V6KnrtS2vyS9wCFkn1qako8TVeBP_AVoHr7Mh3XCypz8lOEX2ki6Ak88P_rdlkRJcrC_DPZFduDA/w196-h159/Picture30.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The show is at least self-aware that
Wolverine isn’t an ideal leader, and we see the X-Men characters even have a
hard time excepting him commanding the team. Even Wolverine himself doubts his
capabilities as a team leader, and it’s interesting to see him struggle with his
new position when he’s always been a loner. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipThC8w0-EtFt17OAUKkvHaPqP5dDNan5eGjdavWlRxR-VG-InxsnqQYUjA1MNq1gV_NHf9m-6-QeNROuZS5G64Txbqu1Lbe_NnqkuSwSNcybJRsSqQJyqQ0IurZhr_lEH6P24sMBNbJ6mgLUkWnAIY-xr5E1faXIGSCCAseMNTUKlRZwNCSt-hfKy53M/s960/Picture35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipThC8w0-EtFt17OAUKkvHaPqP5dDNan5eGjdavWlRxR-VG-InxsnqQYUjA1MNq1gV_NHf9m-6-QeNROuZS5G64Txbqu1Lbe_NnqkuSwSNcybJRsSqQJyqQ0IurZhr_lEH6P24sMBNbJ6mgLUkWnAIY-xr5E1faXIGSCCAseMNTUKlRZwNCSt-hfKy53M/s320/Picture35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">They do a terrific job fleshing out his personal journey, and voice actor Steven Blum is outstanding in the role … in fact, he might be my personal favorite vocal talent as Wolverine. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With all
that said, the one thing keeping this series underneath it’s two predecessors
is that, while it’s a solid Wolverine series, it’s only an okay X-Men show. Most
of the team members like Beast, Shadow Cat, Storm, Angel and Iceman are
present, and are very likable when on screen, but they do feel like part of an
ensemble, and don’t leave an impression like they did in other X-Men related
material. Some characters like Nightcrawler, Cyclops and Rogue do at least have
their personal character arcs, as well as solid standalone episodes. Other fan
favorites like Gambit, Colossus and Psylocke are reduced to either guest
appearances or cameos, and while there done well enough, I feel like I could
have used more. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344s0Gk8vVsK2RePBJNS9oa74LlLUL42535q91qwSVrHvA8k2r8KN11fpuBYz9IhDtQaTCthYRCriAxmv2JSr3uio1A-yUZftbC6e2JB3IHZEhklS6L-AtjHPUGlFHgV4u4vMjrqUGtBtaWf0UdU61CF687ENankANiSrqVdd3cNEBzi8QHNGY4eLTGk/s467/Picture5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="467" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344s0Gk8vVsK2RePBJNS9oa74LlLUL42535q91qwSVrHvA8k2r8KN11fpuBYz9IhDtQaTCthYRCriAxmv2JSr3uio1A-yUZftbC6e2JB3IHZEhklS6L-AtjHPUGlFHgV4u4vMjrqUGtBtaWf0UdU61CF687ENankANiSrqVdd3cNEBzi8QHNGY4eLTGk/w234-h180/Picture5.jpg" width="234" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bohQIfUo_qTPeQyPjVge3H4UR8s3kQFTOTbZDIpSitb0jUAR5u2rOEpWyGAo1_ncOB3DP4Og5HgdEJgCR6BHBqf8Hr0Cc4ApVcDRGu9NS5rI0Q-JeLiohcupG21WzFO2jZrjrZXo2U0r6hC6A1rQ2UOiJY8N3cRTGkWLXm-vNa03Yn8fuKn96a1kvvY/s1000/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bohQIfUo_qTPeQyPjVge3H4UR8s3kQFTOTbZDIpSitb0jUAR5u2rOEpWyGAo1_ncOB3DP4Og5HgdEJgCR6BHBqf8Hr0Cc4ApVcDRGu9NS5rI0Q-JeLiohcupG21WzFO2jZrjrZXo2U0r6hC6A1rQ2UOiJY8N3cRTGkWLXm-vNa03Yn8fuKn96a1kvvY/w252-h180/Picture1.jpg" width="252" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will
all that said, every animated X-Men show has had its stand-out individual
character who connects with me as my new personal favorite, and the one who
makes the experience worthwhile. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAGu0hA5OVwQilvHY3mkI38bCrJ5605bE8r-yXNlUXP_EDg7n_k5ONH7Evq78c1gMe5_mk171gsdgCTKRq4upYMtNDmrqEHMdkzyB4DWmcTiFnBMTb9Xdif_OIEceWY5spT66h8KgnN0JAAp-FRPm_wh4skYPNinPEvNHOOQ59YUCEvnnTX5_HdWWsds/s625/Picture9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAGu0hA5OVwQilvHY3mkI38bCrJ5605bE8r-yXNlUXP_EDg7n_k5ONH7Evq78c1gMe5_mk171gsdgCTKRq4upYMtNDmrqEHMdkzyB4DWmcTiFnBMTb9Xdif_OIEceWY5spT66h8KgnN0JAAp-FRPm_wh4skYPNinPEvNHOOQ59YUCEvnnTX5_HdWWsds/s320/Picture9.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">For the 90’s series it was Wolverine, for “</span><b style="font-size: 16px;">X-Men: Evolution</b><span style="font-size: 16px;">” it was Rogue, and for this show … my favorite character came in the form of Emma Frost. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">In the comics, she was primarily an antagonist known as The White Queen, and was a high-ranking member of the villainous Hellfire Club. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In this show, with the absence of Jean Grey, Emma Frost steps in as the team’s
new telepath, and has the added bonus of diamond skin. While Jean is more
important to the team, Emma Frost is far more interesting, as she’s constantly
flipping between fierce loyalty to the team, while also working for her own
ends, and it made her tricky to trust, but I was always rooting for her to find
a home with the X-Men. She had a fantastic design, an amazing voice, and a lot
of personality. Whether you like Wolverine as a team leader or not, this show
is absolutely worth watching just for Emma Frost, as she is the key ingredient
that made this show a welcomed entry to the X-Men saga. This was such a cool
dynamic for the team that she’s carried over into other shows like the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men
Anime</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” in 2011.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lD2OG1H89aaMOXxdG4CKqCzgGOtXSUNpHr3jdiPLcmr3506714oxL6_mipf4I5j3skBG3VG2uAkuawbrtkBvW-tzNUZIvd8gPWSCCW0MQpRz_7s95x7FH-LkeH-fYhFw80wVNO1xRryjvxp0qNzslxQh-iGP-ioTeuRe8h8Akq__TtJuko0uZx_gzyg/s322/Picture12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="322" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lD2OG1H89aaMOXxdG4CKqCzgGOtXSUNpHr3jdiPLcmr3506714oxL6_mipf4I5j3skBG3VG2uAkuawbrtkBvW-tzNUZIvd8gPWSCCW0MQpRz_7s95x7FH-LkeH-fYhFw80wVNO1xRryjvxp0qNzslxQh-iGP-ioTeuRe8h8Akq__TtJuko0uZx_gzyg/w244-h173/Picture12.jpg" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpTAMlNVoZju6wGCqbVTeKJgd3E28FLuwFPBjKzNj_lMvxBzeLkyI03WBkpMNSCYNO1Av-shuKhDBwSGKWoFPiBP435NfKLntErpmT6X1gF9pxqc2P19VDccINf5kKvOCnPLWi3t-Y9kT9NyTBPhV2skuWbzICBMMXJIGUi3MKvVSZeZ9UMX_9NsQSvs/s960/Picture14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpTAMlNVoZju6wGCqbVTeKJgd3E28FLuwFPBjKzNj_lMvxBzeLkyI03WBkpMNSCYNO1Av-shuKhDBwSGKWoFPiBP435NfKLntErpmT6X1gF9pxqc2P19VDccINf5kKvOCnPLWi3t-Y9kT9NyTBPhV2skuWbzICBMMXJIGUi3MKvVSZeZ9UMX_9NsQSvs/w231-h173/Picture14.jpg" width="231" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The villains in general worked, with Magneto
once again being their main adversary. This time around, he really plays-up the
nice-guy persona, which makes his aggressive actions all the more devious. Both
the MRD and Sentinel robots likewise make for thrilling obstacles for our
heroes to face. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKZcNeDOQQX98qahM5qcbpMmmu1fF8OCWTTl0z7gDDnK94QW41p254b1lcB3Kn-XQTXH__XJFqH1oA-JO6JJXkGs8P7NuZYxTHbnv81e8rbj2sDKmdT4A6rm79BW2g-US2zJRSGIGSdAi4SVWA7jqg4CuS_zamkMgywryewdUXlK4pTle3HYIUTNvKBs/s720/fgjyhj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKZcNeDOQQX98qahM5qcbpMmmu1fF8OCWTTl0z7gDDnK94QW41p254b1lcB3Kn-XQTXH__XJFqH1oA-JO6JJXkGs8P7NuZYxTHbnv81e8rbj2sDKmdT4A6rm79BW2g-US2zJRSGIGSdAi4SVWA7jqg4CuS_zamkMgywryewdUXlK4pTle3HYIUTNvKBs/s320/fgjyhj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All the other famous villains like Mystique, Sabretooth,
Juggernaut and the Brotherhood are also present, and satisfy when they appear.
This show also highlighted some lesser-known foes who didn’t get spotlighted in
the previous “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men: Evolution</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” series, including Sinister, The Shadow
King, Mojo, Colonel Moss, The Silver Samuri, and eventually even the Hellfire
Club. I’d say that more than any previous X-Men show, this one felt the most
like a war, with our heroes acting as soldiers, protecting people and going on
missions to eliminate their growing threats. Lines are constantly drawn in the
sand, the stakes are higher than ever before, and the action is downright
thrilling.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YmsFlAjEJNcqIuVAui2yTnXcP1zwvTKjMzMBe3MvZqxhSnZ3KKXZ3vcNWjS-vnJ9AZdNdqT6SYjmMq2FX9e8dWEtpRyuylW-fJujHDH2rt6IwgdwrwXihY_WCuUUc4VTNpjp8uijmehalVJhHx6wBWCUMYDiRNNA9RsTVW_N7tfP4nFm78c15IpYzSk/s500/iopjf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YmsFlAjEJNcqIuVAui2yTnXcP1zwvTKjMzMBe3MvZqxhSnZ3KKXZ3vcNWjS-vnJ9AZdNdqT6SYjmMq2FX9e8dWEtpRyuylW-fJujHDH2rt6IwgdwrwXihY_WCuUUc4VTNpjp8uijmehalVJhHx6wBWCUMYDiRNNA9RsTVW_N7tfP4nFm78c15IpYzSk/w221-h166/iopjf.jpg" width="221" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIZQ4fieNUIT9vUn1kxTsevZx246DAbYb9BiIzcSsJ4XkaHId08xVOylMSULoDoIZ6rJSIv8UkfmYvG_T-R8ZbDFqvJJX1gT5U5ks5Y_IVYzrW2PYABViU8PiWXD2ufWJ_cg-41QR3TfWaZozSWN4BhiHaPDYAoh1fKFScdWtaulpaEfOAbMzq8D_1CE/s320/iuobnm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIZQ4fieNUIT9vUn1kxTsevZx246DAbYb9BiIzcSsJ4XkaHId08xVOylMSULoDoIZ6rJSIv8UkfmYvG_T-R8ZbDFqvJJX1gT5U5ks5Y_IVYzrW2PYABViU8PiWXD2ufWJ_cg-41QR3TfWaZozSWN4BhiHaPDYAoh1fKFScdWtaulpaEfOAbMzq8D_1CE/w263-h166/iuobnm.jpg" width="263" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the design of the show is kind of
basic, the animation on display is of consistent high quality, and really pops
with each episode. Even if this isn’t a perfect show, you can tell both the
writers and animators are putting their all into the project. The story in
general is quiet engaging, with every episode leaving me wanting to see more. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2M_mNMq2h3qRt_1-yY_xX9Mg4l5tkWeHytnD5IV5Kg4s6vCBulQDiQaU2qyTHEDqJSXfsxs6JacTfGjT12HJizvxId19hCpTDsFnqmpydWIWuHzkg4Vp57HBx0PVdWKZ3mNEux-Uo6woLLEvbseG6qmWB91P0PFHWmjyzDotnJVKxRbLDRm_0-lVP8t0/s470/yfuy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="470" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2M_mNMq2h3qRt_1-yY_xX9Mg4l5tkWeHytnD5IV5Kg4s6vCBulQDiQaU2qyTHEDqJSXfsxs6JacTfGjT12HJizvxId19hCpTDsFnqmpydWIWuHzkg4Vp57HBx0PVdWKZ3mNEux-Uo6woLLEvbseG6qmWB91P0PFHWmjyzDotnJVKxRbLDRm_0-lVP8t0/s320/yfuy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The musical score is simple, but effective, and gets me excited whenever the
action goes down. The opening is like a throwback to the classic 90’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Batman</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
series, in that it’s a short action snippet of our heroes doing what they do
best, and it’s great. That covers the basics of the show, so from here, I’ll
keep it simple by ranking my own personal Top 10 favorite episodes of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Wolverine
and the X-Men</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 “<b>Hindsight</b>”
(3-Part Primer) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZa56ZhNgCmBy43xEvG99dlsMq4f9PFist8DvCCHLcZzntQF5PpXx3RthqfdAOP5fYAo2tLbSBdMamOrBtNT0FusnVeoXfkd1tkgaSjsfFskR1uPc8rw8JYCfEyLVPJS_U6MbwENHOkCc37zLj4SmADwZ8Jlweve5nevrimsr7woec_IMywmBsAJLTbA/s250/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="250" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZa56ZhNgCmBy43xEvG99dlsMq4f9PFist8DvCCHLcZzntQF5PpXx3RthqfdAOP5fYAo2tLbSBdMamOrBtNT0FusnVeoXfkd1tkgaSjsfFskR1uPc8rw8JYCfEyLVPJS_U6MbwENHOkCc37zLj4SmADwZ8Jlweve5nevrimsr7woec_IMywmBsAJLTbA/w250-h160/Picture2.jpg" width="250" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpb8xnPd96RAYbAgG3D7_YLqAxVJ9knKH5u99f7Sc-XbObcuWiW1-2Tk3swcPPUtuWFnpVqJNpkaGfrESjfbqh2AUvDHC5L3ZyVhP9LBYuLlS4lZehpeJVUs3qTu08cBoRqJBk0HLP-d9uATPUbQ5P9K0zyvaifRtroweMD_l2JtWHsduno397pioK4U8/s400/Picture6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpb8xnPd96RAYbAgG3D7_YLqAxVJ9knKH5u99f7Sc-XbObcuWiW1-2Tk3swcPPUtuWFnpVqJNpkaGfrESjfbqh2AUvDHC5L3ZyVhP9LBYuLlS4lZehpeJVUs3qTu08cBoRqJBk0HLP-d9uATPUbQ5P9K0zyvaifRtroweMD_l2JtWHsduno397pioK4U8/w213-h160/Picture6.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Kicking-off my ten personal favorite episodes is the
three-part primer that set the series in motion. While I mentioned the initial
set-up, there’s more that goes on during this opening story arc, including a
sub-plot in which long-time team member Rogue betrays her team, and aids the
Brother Hood of evil Mutants to frame the X-Men as the nations most wanted
criminals. It’s an exciting turn of events, leaving you wondering if this will
be a permanent shake-up, or if there’s still hope that Rogue can be saved from
her new allies. We also have Emma Frost lead the X-Men on their first
engagement with Magneto, in an effort to rescue the comatose Professor X. It’s
a solid premier arc, and suitably sets the stage for more excitement to
come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#9 “<b>Breakdown</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjgctlPRLNwX9gSKRglM9XrHGYN7GsrF8OtJXVyhmqzOaGGXGjk3hM014bl5JeUYG9Iw4yNVD8yPTihgoZyNw7I1L2AyRPY1ehkNf5tUKESneuW8Sd-rUsGcIJmRWAVUZgUEn31xjho8jEZaMzdUc8t9F0HsRL59Ely4Jt3I8TjlcEngH_iUGIJIvAqU/s780/ghkt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjgctlPRLNwX9gSKRglM9XrHGYN7GsrF8OtJXVyhmqzOaGGXGjk3hM014bl5JeUYG9Iw4yNVD8yPTihgoZyNw7I1L2AyRPY1ehkNf5tUKESneuW8Sd-rUsGcIJmRWAVUZgUEn31xjho8jEZaMzdUc8t9F0HsRL59Ely4Jt3I8TjlcEngH_iUGIJIvAqU/w252-h141/ghkt.jpg" width="252" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrX8hElYmEcpLUE31I2XYn-i2JI_1ANqaGvnK4wfMUgjtlhNYooio31MQQXTJxglinltQOqHTsH8itttY1oBVdOFWFkzbTIdYr6ntmfg13wXOkbPd_wrTYu92ZOJHw1ueyIZMSEkkhZmrk8bG1Bqaa4u9SEi0e8UCusef8lmfIv5KGWK27gsqPvlJSU4/s720/uyguyg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrX8hElYmEcpLUE31I2XYn-i2JI_1ANqaGvnK4wfMUgjtlhNYooio31MQQXTJxglinltQOqHTsH8itttY1oBVdOFWFkzbTIdYr6ntmfg13wXOkbPd_wrTYu92ZOJHw1ueyIZMSEkkhZmrk8bG1Bqaa4u9SEi0e8UCusef8lmfIv5KGWK27gsqPvlJSU4/w237-h142/uyguyg.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When it comes to my feelings on Cyclops, I always felt he did his job as the
proper team leader, but I just never found him that engaging a character to
watch. Still, he has all kids of potential to shine if given more attention,
and while obviously in Wolverine’s shadow for this series, he at least gets one
episode to really flex his capabilities. After getting distracted by his
feelings for Jean during a battle with Juggernaut, Cyclops debates weather or
not he should have all his memories of her erased. Thus, with the help of Emma
Frost, they go on a psychedelic trip down memory lane, covering Cyclopes
origins, how he first discovered his powers, first joined the team, and when
his feelings for Jean first manifested. It’s a solid origin story for both
characters, and once again highlights all kinds of potential for Cyclops as a
leading character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#8 “<b>Overflow</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHy3W2EVIbsKcKjPL80AO569LFdD6DllStT4C7p70zbVj9VgK5qtv86pFxCVY8eHt0bTkzZZ-vF45rUuQylJUBQyY0fdsdgBQT5S4vpbg6in2gW3YhvI-ocuw80TZJspNWQTTMDCnVsyh99ilZvuJ4V4zHE8O29KCW-_c3knaxdfkDXMugvbPgUfztuzw/s400/Picture17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHy3W2EVIbsKcKjPL80AO569LFdD6DllStT4C7p70zbVj9VgK5qtv86pFxCVY8eHt0bTkzZZ-vF45rUuQylJUBQyY0fdsdgBQT5S4vpbg6in2gW3YhvI-ocuw80TZJspNWQTTMDCnVsyh99ilZvuJ4V4zHE8O29KCW-_c3knaxdfkDXMugvbPgUfztuzw/w259-h195/Picture17.jpg" width="259" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiy_0aT8o6MIxxJpuBhnM5J-TRN1_-FJ-kmtYYbfm1zY-e89170HVcLiIsCg60CDqloDcpo2qz_rYyeKA7DuqeNAjtol887dA8JO2t73qB55V3PejUgXxW8Pvc09sVE2Fka5DtMh2dVwnwS9uORxRYx-2EkgeR1apdMv7R5DrK2-CReA2duKqw-xreFa4/s225/uiog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiy_0aT8o6MIxxJpuBhnM5J-TRN1_-FJ-kmtYYbfm1zY-e89170HVcLiIsCg60CDqloDcpo2qz_rYyeKA7DuqeNAjtol887dA8JO2t73qB55V3PejUgXxW8Pvc09sVE2Fka5DtMh2dVwnwS9uORxRYx-2EkgeR1apdMv7R5DrK2-CReA2duKqw-xreFa4/w179-h194/uiog.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When it comes to the iconic X-Men members, I always felt that Storm earned
equal status along with Wolverine and Cyclops as one of the all-time greats.
Unfortunately, ever sense the early 2000’s, I feel she’s been ridiculously
underutilized … and this show sadly is no different. Storm is present with the
team, but once again hardly got any attention … but at least she got one good
episode to really shine. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzErzlFTtZlTp0rJQkHqu9PgJbzixempoe_yx7L9Y2q-Ypw0uGy0D1q4Kdb8o6o1KsRJcKZoWkdswzU4c8NeXLiZGJKmHb8c2TOAu_0nHC2Kyt4P1PoLkU-e0WjjeVOnhDniHKgvYZwTwKczgg6fIdWOvVJDWG0AgiIlbkf7-xfGW59rkiB5Ke5Tg68ds/s400/Picture20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzErzlFTtZlTp0rJQkHqu9PgJbzixempoe_yx7L9Y2q-Ypw0uGy0D1q4Kdb8o6o1KsRJcKZoWkdswzU4c8NeXLiZGJKmHb8c2TOAu_0nHC2Kyt4P1PoLkU-e0WjjeVOnhDniHKgvYZwTwKczgg6fIdWOvVJDWG0AgiIlbkf7-xfGW59rkiB5Ke5Tg68ds/s320/Picture20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After the initial attack on the mansion, Storm went
back home to Africa, to be the watchful guardian of a secluded village.
However, quiet literally lurking in the shadows is Storms greatest enemy … the
evil Shadow King, a supernatural entity who takes over her body, and forces her
to unleash her powers against Africa. Thus, the X-Men find themselves battling
the elements, while Emma Frost proves a valuable team member to fight the
Shadow King on the astro-plane. This is a rock-solid episode, with dark and
stunning animation on display, and it really highlights all the characters as
they work as a team against one of their most malevolent adversaries. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 “<b>Wolverine
vs The Hulk</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDBkzdAO_gHg5HumEgh8jSMgNPydEaYgd9dSVEJt0nkw_k0APIyxD30MQT6NSmAeJoySatwUAlcbmIAwDIC5RqBCd6drIBDU_lTV5rxGEmdWTF5BSERRitSAkKBIL7p5kfKTg9fDBmPJm4nVeQjjnaYv41-kE2AG95-4gtVyL8CGulYgJzZn9WZCssSk/s894/ytfvyt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="894" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDBkzdAO_gHg5HumEgh8jSMgNPydEaYgd9dSVEJt0nkw_k0APIyxD30MQT6NSmAeJoySatwUAlcbmIAwDIC5RqBCd6drIBDU_lTV5rxGEmdWTF5BSERRitSAkKBIL7p5kfKTg9fDBmPJm4nVeQjjnaYv41-kE2AG95-4gtVyL8CGulYgJzZn9WZCssSk/w289-h163/ytfvyt.jpg" width="289" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecGxazm6-WYHt3i6b_5gnIP7_D3B5KSNpbi9uwsUc2U80iZx1aiKt04epvSJtnqjzxTDWffXzUDO8tr9_7BGzNoDpL0OWBd99e0lGHjoNd3O1T7La5G8ikWLGmTe-fkBmyotNirCUzSVGfLkNmv1pT2kYyj1LCGMkmnEeEwpP8hZO4kVd2GVASTFYIow/s720/iopmn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecGxazm6-WYHt3i6b_5gnIP7_D3B5KSNpbi9uwsUc2U80iZx1aiKt04epvSJtnqjzxTDWffXzUDO8tr9_7BGzNoDpL0OWBd99e0lGHjoNd3O1T7La5G8ikWLGmTe-fkBmyotNirCUzSVGfLkNmv1pT2kYyj1LCGMkmnEeEwpP8hZO4kVd2GVASTFYIow/w220-h163/iopmn.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Despite what you may think, Wolverine wasn’t originally
introduced through the X-Men comics … his actual first appearance was in The
Incredible Hulk, issue 181, in which he got caught in a battle between The Hulk
and another monster called the Wendigo. Fittingly for an animated series focused on Wolverine, we get an
episode directly paying tribute to this first issue appearance. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJY89inAK-2R6xnTaG0AsfqU4bmOa2mMjORp816MFGWGlUDl9yJaWZmvMIaiCHicKu3U3OBj3HGD0vwSXSdDWCzSl4oQ-dhIZpK3PzAifR9arzT327QAbEk7qQeFMFykG47jgbU7t1JPPNhysCQVDpBsMkV0eA310gFp8agjOEaHecM5aOL0MljPqRMOk/s702/Picture21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="702" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJY89inAK-2R6xnTaG0AsfqU4bmOa2mMjORp816MFGWGlUDl9yJaWZmvMIaiCHicKu3U3OBj3HGD0vwSXSdDWCzSl4oQ-dhIZpK3PzAifR9arzT327QAbEk7qQeFMFykG47jgbU7t1JPPNhysCQVDpBsMkV0eA310gFp8agjOEaHecM5aOL0MljPqRMOk/w215-h199/Picture21.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">This time around, Wolverine is recruited by Nick Furry, to bring in The Hulk, after he apparently attacked locals in Canada. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Upon further investigation, Wolverine discovers that
the real threat is none other then the Wendigo itself, who in true werewolf
fashion is transforming people into monsters. Thus, after once again sparing
with The Hulk, the two put differences aside to put-down the Wendigo once and
for all. This is the only crossover episode in the series with other Marvel
established characters, and aside from being a thrilling action adventure, it’s
just a loving tribute to the original source material.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b>Shades
of Grey</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBr7m_TIYAqu0laUwlfExsHQq1FDtPRxAb5Z5NUpiO5c4e7kVMZjDKlokdSCQp3MPEcuSuNTl8l3BGuohwHALAjqhsrONk82el1VyHzSdxojyTyL2aweQxCiJhUt9EputmOe6RxwcomZHBfKAEsGrlWcU8NAleCfFo6Y8gvwi964Zq4ubAZfQqeBCmoyM/s1280/fghdfh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBr7m_TIYAqu0laUwlfExsHQq1FDtPRxAb5Z5NUpiO5c4e7kVMZjDKlokdSCQp3MPEcuSuNTl8l3BGuohwHALAjqhsrONk82el1VyHzSdxojyTyL2aweQxCiJhUt9EputmOe6RxwcomZHBfKAEsGrlWcU8NAleCfFo6Y8gvwi964Zq4ubAZfQqeBCmoyM/w261-h146/fghdfh.jpg" width="261" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-QbSCcoCUc7QlsqEj6ZwGK0eeTcB1yz1lP4sxcCeLyYSBkEyyuQrrT8v6etU1KJ-4i7dNrUMXfXSHFCIRbbVD6eGka9S6HY20ZwKF8UxCT3zttDN_si4GGkK92HCscSYB1zytCZBQ7llCY2AirMDXvB4GSd3fLx3rXWoEcWGC6nHQmovR3GGOZ_Hbj0/s347/Picture22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="347" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-QbSCcoCUc7QlsqEj6ZwGK0eeTcB1yz1lP4sxcCeLyYSBkEyyuQrrT8v6etU1KJ-4i7dNrUMXfXSHFCIRbbVD6eGka9S6HY20ZwKF8UxCT3zttDN_si4GGkK92HCscSYB1zytCZBQ7llCY2AirMDXvB4GSd3fLx3rXWoEcWGC6nHQmovR3GGOZ_Hbj0/w199-h146/Picture22.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After being absent for most of the series, Jean Grey has finally
emerged, and her powers are once again very unpredictable. After regaining
continence in a hospital, Jean accidentally puts an entire town to sleep with a
psychic blast. Boy-friend Cyclopes is quick to respond, and he sets out with
Emma Frost to retrieve her before the military arrest her. To make matters
worse, this also gets the attention of Jean and Cyclopes greatest enemy called
Sinister, who dispatches his winged avenger to capture them both for his
malevolent plans. Sinister has always been a fan favorite villain, and it was
great to see him return in this show … especially with the vocal talents of
Clancy Brown behind the character. All around, this is a very intense and
suspenseful episode, with one twist after the next, and an ending the perfectly
segues us into the series finale. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 <b>The
Nightcrawler Trilogy</b> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>X-Calibre</b>”, "<b>Greetings from Genosha</b>"
and "<b>Hunting Grounds</b>" </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_npk_YUIUH2abFpXLKmtx019wva_Z9SpY4wYaQ78WGCZNK-TN6ENONR0mo1GqV1Y91dPReGL_JvYfSrlpRuLQ0mz5lweIN5OqiOvZmGzHrk3quV0xarz1l_EWn4OhFg2cwnuR64BI7-VVZu2iPPrCLH0kOc6bAAfeBQFQijLdDBrYAmaeKIzhTivSCk/s450/Picture23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="450" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_npk_YUIUH2abFpXLKmtx019wva_Z9SpY4wYaQ78WGCZNK-TN6ENONR0mo1GqV1Y91dPReGL_JvYfSrlpRuLQ0mz5lweIN5OqiOvZmGzHrk3quV0xarz1l_EWn4OhFg2cwnuR64BI7-VVZu2iPPrCLH0kOc6bAAfeBQFQijLdDBrYAmaeKIzhTivSCk/w243-h166/Picture23.jpg" width="243" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKrET3LokMRQQgVPfehuKh3Sri-xjnw7lEDGuw4kLlQJwYa5gU9ANFPBY25Id-8k6l26Q4BZfKrGX__yDUPJ_Kgaw5TOLbPzShAT1KHDmQMgvTMel_QEUT4Od8VylzmJtFtqgBQCBkG82Dkwv5IbilEsze79n-PWWlny2Bf9wyCbYf0n8e2VasIe9cF8/s720/Picture27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="652" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKrET3LokMRQQgVPfehuKh3Sri-xjnw7lEDGuw4kLlQJwYa5gU9ANFPBY25Id-8k6l26Q4BZfKrGX__yDUPJ_Kgaw5TOLbPzShAT1KHDmQMgvTMel_QEUT4Od8VylzmJtFtqgBQCBkG82Dkwv5IbilEsze79n-PWWlny2Bf9wyCbYf0n8e2VasIe9cF8/w149-h166/Picture27.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Nightcrawler in general has always
been one of my favorite X-Men characters, and I feel he had the best string of
solo episodes in the whole show. In his first venture titled “<b>X-Calibre</b>”,
Nightcrawler has to protect a boat fool of mutants, who are under attack from
mutant pirates, aiming to use other mutants as gladiators in their lethal
combat show, hoisted by none other than the wicked monster known as Mojo. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRdS8F6QLYr5V-TuGkdPTNt6NU6vSi2ZBjAgWq2v9Lze2RR8Hs73pw1b5UXin5e6pRBxMRxgh7yW2LvdzrRTnhc7jx5Wd8tDvRfq6-DOoth2Z3Whbbuwk5l4JaLYmty73TQLr2nHLfHpqQNI5wH1YMGNewwXrxeJEzjUkc-3kb1qQAd923rOgA7bEW3E/s402/Picture25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="402" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRdS8F6QLYr5V-TuGkdPTNt6NU6vSi2ZBjAgWq2v9Lze2RR8Hs73pw1b5UXin5e6pRBxMRxgh7yW2LvdzrRTnhc7jx5Wd8tDvRfq6-DOoth2Z3Whbbuwk5l4JaLYmty73TQLr2nHLfHpqQNI5wH1YMGNewwXrxeJEzjUkc-3kb1qQAd923rOgA7bEW3E/w180-h179/Picture25.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In
the follow-up episode titled “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Greetings from Genosha</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, the boat makes it
to a safe haven island for mutants, but the catch is that it’s overseen by the
X-Men’s longest standing enemy Magneto. At first, he seems true to his word, as
his island is an ideal paradise, and Nightcrawler even finds himself falling
for Magneto’s daughter, The Scarlet Witch. However, every paradise has its dark
secrets, and the more Nightcrawler discovers, the more he’s treated like a
prisoner. In the final episode titled “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Hunting Grounds</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, Mojo
resurfaces, captures both Nightcrawler and the Scarlet Witch, and forces them into
a deadly survival program for his own twisted amusement. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9Edrk3mNIVKHGSYKmSXr5iQZ1DQmnm5Co7yFt2KlXuQ2oHwjx0ifQOu3UoWjlg5qU7Oiz2c3nEwpYU8QKQxQYg2SR9NBk66rCUoHa8x4DenlaWCD0o4Fm9IAhPqOCbqYjc0VHg0LTxFuUSU7iu9gEvuf8meVEE3awLiZI372g2WyYOaELP5ZA3Kk8Ek/s400/Picture26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9Edrk3mNIVKHGSYKmSXr5iQZ1DQmnm5Co7yFt2KlXuQ2oHwjx0ifQOu3UoWjlg5qU7Oiz2c3nEwpYU8QKQxQYg2SR9NBk66rCUoHa8x4DenlaWCD0o4Fm9IAhPqOCbqYjc0VHg0LTxFuUSU7iu9gEvuf8meVEE3awLiZI372g2WyYOaELP5ZA3Kk8Ek/s320/Picture26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Not only do Nightcrawler and the Scarlet Witch work together to stay alive, but it's the turning point to see how much loyalty she has to her father, versus her genuine feelings toured her new friend. All around, it’s a
solid trilogy of episodes, and really got me wanting a Nightcrawler centered
series. In fact, I’m a fan of the spin-off “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Excalibur</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” comics, and I
think an animated series with Nightcrawler has the lead could have great
potential.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b>Battle
Lines</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkmWxTAWAy_dQGzyaPp3ZFvaA3ZieFc2jDBXurQOlWA6Ej2ospeSPxzDsqvBtGbWEwdStEFp656GxUAuzfz86HfGHvRqc0WiI2iNqDIJK4Q1YcCWMjxI16W1cWbXXtOX2x1b_BlMSRm457aUvG9mEEYlwH2_6F1kI3jaH9oh5IYYl-tafGp0OfnEv7l4/s518/Picture29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="518" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkmWxTAWAy_dQGzyaPp3ZFvaA3ZieFc2jDBXurQOlWA6Ej2ospeSPxzDsqvBtGbWEwdStEFp656GxUAuzfz86HfGHvRqc0WiI2iNqDIJK4Q1YcCWMjxI16W1cWbXXtOX2x1b_BlMSRm457aUvG9mEEYlwH2_6F1kI3jaH9oh5IYYl-tafGp0OfnEv7l4/w242-h176/Picture29.jpg" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovD6my_ugfcqJYwKLNfQ_gu8KaZH2V8_ZC4NjLYr2fv3ykgqD7sPH3Ec0f23AvCbWPZaPA-TXupLXtL38F5kpgARC0JWQG3URvjb7wKduHkFv4h-RIlll3rjvhMEslcMr7J8Tez3XyraENZJBpUFvY1kWLSLXgtZFt3AzmDF0dXQjccBvL3O3gHG1fjc/s1280/Picture28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovD6my_ugfcqJYwKLNfQ_gu8KaZH2V8_ZC4NjLYr2fv3ykgqD7sPH3Ec0f23AvCbWPZaPA-TXupLXtL38F5kpgARC0JWQG3URvjb7wKduHkFv4h-RIlll3rjvhMEslcMr7J8Tez3XyraENZJBpUFvY1kWLSLXgtZFt3AzmDF0dXQjccBvL3O3gHG1fjc/w282-h175/Picture28.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As Magneto and Senator Kelly rally followers for a massive
confrontation of mutants versus military forces, the X-Men find themselves
right on the edge of the battle lines, and the one person capable of pushing
them over that line is none other than their former team member Rogue. After
betraying the X-Men in the premier, this is the turning point where Rogue shows
her true colors, and finds her home. Not only a satisfying turn for her
character, but one of the best action driven episodes, where the stakes build,
and the story progresses. It made for a great mid-season event, and things were
only going to escalate from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b>Code
of Conduct</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRaEGXAmIfeeZDM8977s7ByxQmZEtZ0jasDGpTyRW03OxJlLGn3XCkT3hk8NfwRGE8St2aeS3alouZCsGEd79gQtTZhSWIoAs_eBwk3d22HbEV7B2VDGrISZZz2D2mUR-_yxAiHBL6FRgrC0wsLvoXatmSbK2Z5FnNi2bPIXfocWnCtFJAktIOIghsx8/s506/Picture32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="506" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRaEGXAmIfeeZDM8977s7ByxQmZEtZ0jasDGpTyRW03OxJlLGn3XCkT3hk8NfwRGE8St2aeS3alouZCsGEd79gQtTZhSWIoAs_eBwk3d22HbEV7B2VDGrISZZz2D2mUR-_yxAiHBL6FRgrC0wsLvoXatmSbK2Z5FnNi2bPIXfocWnCtFJAktIOIghsx8/w253-h176/Picture32.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4A1NQnXrCbrVx3oQVKF2dfRS0GIOn_PGZoGhi7fc7nZiW9Ievb6SV_N9wfK_y4-517dEgsVnMBtw0W5Whg8xQH9ZWaJSw37guxqDynPtCbI4uc8eYxmtTbvVlQXyq1ZIgpU6kwDOm18R1nBcbIIbcULc-Q8RVKcCPCmMjGik0qE0M8KVN_p3c-XUHIrg/s640/poiu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4A1NQnXrCbrVx3oQVKF2dfRS0GIOn_PGZoGhi7fc7nZiW9Ievb6SV_N9wfK_y4-517dEgsVnMBtw0W5Whg8xQH9ZWaJSw37guxqDynPtCbI4uc8eYxmtTbvVlQXyq1ZIgpU6kwDOm18R1nBcbIIbcULc-Q8RVKcCPCmMjGik0qE0M8KVN_p3c-XUHIrg/w235-h177/poiu.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When it comes to Wolverine centered stories … I’ve always
loved the Japanese and Samuri themed tales the most. It’s hard to explain, but
weather it be the comics, animation or the movies, I’ve always felt that
Japanese centered stories bring out the best in one of my favorite X-Men
characters. For this outing, The Silver Samuri arrives on the scene, and he’s
out for blood against Wolverine, who disgraced him in combat years earlier.
Things are put in motion when the Silver Samuri captures the X-Men, and uses
them as a means to bait Wolverine into one final duel to the death. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdjBWr50yT7s88YDJZA2DHa30kOiFLIrz6RQPxcJP06DBE3P_i6JLCaGJvX-SPE-tvctPOunRMWzpBUOTuVkGsnftHCuwbvgRMpCFw26tvEWlHF3xeNGJSUfgWnea1m3j8PGodyr32p71PU-F1gGyJ-OblyxMICDHYoHm4Cjv3412Pgdvh67ADskSJsc/s525/Picture31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="525" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdjBWr50yT7s88YDJZA2DHa30kOiFLIrz6RQPxcJP06DBE3P_i6JLCaGJvX-SPE-tvctPOunRMWzpBUOTuVkGsnftHCuwbvgRMpCFw26tvEWlHF3xeNGJSUfgWnea1m3j8PGodyr32p71PU-F1gGyJ-OblyxMICDHYoHm4Cjv3412Pgdvh67ADskSJsc/s320/Picture31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After the
many years of fighting like a brawler, Wolverine goes on a journey to
re-discover the Samuri way of fighting with honor. Again, it’s tricky to put
into words, but there’s just something about the tone and feel of these particular stories
that highlight Wolverines character, and in ways that I just never felt were as
strong with his more famous Weapon X related material. Aside from that, the
action is this episode is my favorite of the whole show … including a stand-out
battle in a storage house. For as great as action scenes with mutant powers are
… there’s just no beating the novelty of clashing swords.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b>Rover</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8x4i8jDMpa2gMBL7em3R-nCRY0DArWvqvHXC2GxpRenOqr17b4NsNwHYacHdcz9JXVHZXSO-WY_loo4nP4eIo64pxRrZ50Wy5E1GYDbI7BFBKrzkIBRVnV_z47WbotVFQLOguE4oyPvCAIc1E0aRAQIF-dgqC8OgfBOtWPH2uL-PYGscvDxQp9qthEY/s1280/Picture15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8x4i8jDMpa2gMBL7em3R-nCRY0DArWvqvHXC2GxpRenOqr17b4NsNwHYacHdcz9JXVHZXSO-WY_loo4nP4eIo64pxRrZ50Wy5E1GYDbI7BFBKrzkIBRVnV_z47WbotVFQLOguE4oyPvCAIc1E0aRAQIF-dgqC8OgfBOtWPH2uL-PYGscvDxQp9qthEY/w276-h156/Picture15.jpg" width="276" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22LxMVdEku6CGVClBqbO0oFyJJl71zmEn4FpnPvGkODKp6PwquwtQp65_Q4w9n3K4gog4sCugxF18B0k_yaNFFPmlzjDTrkVLFKwC-fNGHHrAzCZcB-BnHz_zGJ5ee8mIpHNVRzK0PX65Wax2GhVvVla39Rj13MfecIjvxrfpvNZ-Z9ufqrnx0ffc058/s720/uiyuoy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22LxMVdEku6CGVClBqbO0oFyJJl71zmEn4FpnPvGkODKp6PwquwtQp65_Q4w9n3K4gog4sCugxF18B0k_yaNFFPmlzjDTrkVLFKwC-fNGHHrAzCZcB-BnHz_zGJ5ee8mIpHNVRzK0PX65Wax2GhVvVla39Rj13MfecIjvxrfpvNZ-Z9ufqrnx0ffc058/w244-h156/uiyuoy.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As tension escalates for our heroes, Professor X is facing his own battles in
the future, with his own special team of new mutants, who are constantly
weathering attacks against the lethal Sentinel robots. The one ace up their
sleave is a damaged robot Sentinel nicknamed Rover, who’s been reprogramed to
aid our heroes in their fight for the future. Sense he’s damaged, he can only
speak one word … “DESTROY” … and yet, in the same vein as Hodor and Groot,
Rover manages to convey a range of character, emotion and personality through
this one statement. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXLw4e4bPBdB2ZORSCr5CynjHumRIbTDtPq59MBk6e-znpAyoVwVNzBO2Cim7e-693hKs8ia3Bo6vKO-VyroaN8vzBH8apheSVi9sVQnXfiyqjYNlZmalYWZtNiDh_86ZhwyI5u6zRIeAEJOxUTeiH0cnJSFrmHdC7SyZ2m0iuEe_l_c24sSeDgTHdYk/s320/Picture33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXLw4e4bPBdB2ZORSCr5CynjHumRIbTDtPq59MBk6e-znpAyoVwVNzBO2Cim7e-693hKs8ia3Bo6vKO-VyroaN8vzBH8apheSVi9sVQnXfiyqjYNlZmalYWZtNiDh_86ZhwyI5u6zRIeAEJOxUTeiH0cnJSFrmHdC7SyZ2m0iuEe_l_c24sSeDgTHdYk/w268-h151/Picture33.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">He also makes a strong connection with the young mutant
Marrow, who also feels like a broken outcast. In the end, Rover proves to be
more then a scrap of metal, and makes the big sacrifice like any superhero
would. What can I say, I’m a sucker for these “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Iron Giant</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” stories, and
it surprisingly made for one of the most memorable offerings in this whole
show.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I
reveal my Number One favorite episode, here are some quick Honorable Mentions …
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"<b>Aces and Eights</b>"</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrDsKwzDIJv0sHy9aN_oc1hZOPBDfZDiluLgCfmKqlWa9PlzuF2f2x9jyZ6qYrBQPqdn7eRaHaWBilq5AnnI-nLocwBSaJanTdeQwc2an_GzLDpY1KqyGXne5ARftcghqgVhE7_LdRlK6xX2qZaw9nnZiUqlzYfbaW4Lqu8-x4iIDQyQCtceBN0GWB6s/s895/Picture18.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="895" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrDsKwzDIJv0sHy9aN_oc1hZOPBDfZDiluLgCfmKqlWa9PlzuF2f2x9jyZ6qYrBQPqdn7eRaHaWBilq5AnnI-nLocwBSaJanTdeQwc2an_GzLDpY1KqyGXne5ARftcghqgVhE7_LdRlK6xX2qZaw9nnZiUqlzYfbaW4Lqu8-x4iIDQyQCtceBN0GWB6s/s320/Picture18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Time
Bomb</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"<b>Stolen
Lives</b>"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"<b>Guardian
Angel</b>"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"<b>Backlash</b>"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b>Foresight</b>”
(3-Part series finale) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXw8ajxbXa4rx_8FFvDw_Kg2Vbcs51KvahcKYSQuUTOGoYtULArl_VSOHTvPoqqEuV6dMjj2OtG35MLDlzRsC1MbxIb11sqi3ABcSfvDTR4auaf8dlEoG49Icaek5kZusrcSg3M1V14mtT0EOfDe9w8SRS0RLJApL6LDWWUcUEMV6u0z7YjvYgIscB5Ww/s720/oipjkl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="720" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXw8ajxbXa4rx_8FFvDw_Kg2Vbcs51KvahcKYSQuUTOGoYtULArl_VSOHTvPoqqEuV6dMjj2OtG35MLDlzRsC1MbxIb11sqi3ABcSfvDTR4auaf8dlEoG49Icaek5kZusrcSg3M1V14mtT0EOfDe9w8SRS0RLJApL6LDWWUcUEMV6u0z7YjvYgIscB5Ww/w279-h155/oipjkl.jpg" width="279" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFfwopoyCMLJJJ5aHmDS5QR0-EAg1u3YSo2CI3bZA13ZylwpXSR-VLygmnVkHovPCfLRBOVtcgsGiBIohv8DCmjyW3pHQZsR4GbQ0WWwgBXqijsE77IaJApp8Az2kUdAx0eMCEKZksPm-D4lXoabGrnBxfuLLvm05A59UF9AKFXLKUavvjYVAEzMDSWQ/s648/Picture40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="648" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFfwopoyCMLJJJ5aHmDS5QR0-EAg1u3YSo2CI3bZA13ZylwpXSR-VLygmnVkHovPCfLRBOVtcgsGiBIohv8DCmjyW3pHQZsR4GbQ0WWwgBXqijsE77IaJApp8Az2kUdAx0eMCEKZksPm-D4lXoabGrnBxfuLLvm05A59UF9AKFXLKUavvjYVAEzMDSWQ/w233-h154/Picture40.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Taking the top spot on my list is the shows three-part
series finale, and a near perfect send-off for this short lived, yet highly
engaging series. While the show was mostly Wolverine focused, this finale puts
him on the side-lines, and puts it’s focus on both Jean Grey and Emma Frost.
Following after the events of Jean’s return episode, she gets captured by the
Hellfire Club, who aim to take control of the Phoenix Force. This puts Emma
Frosts character to the ultimate test, to see where her loyalties and feelings
really belong too. Jean is also forced to face her inner demons as she goes on
a journey through the astro-world of her mind. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XuP7lpaYXYkiG1DmC6Vrz4SsdPPekSbIVPhOzZZq6Kw4IfP_g9heZC07rTEy6k7xvx00gZqrjEObXltifOWBFY-sW2bpa-XjlzpANBWiJMUBtDLg0MvHKkeZQu5cIVrP4aFR9ederBf6lldTg3K5fpp15rSZ1W909aMmrVaDu5vYjhfRSDCh2LJbGjI/s1280/Picture39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XuP7lpaYXYkiG1DmC6Vrz4SsdPPekSbIVPhOzZZq6Kw4IfP_g9heZC07rTEy6k7xvx00gZqrjEObXltifOWBFY-sW2bpa-XjlzpANBWiJMUBtDLg0MvHKkeZQu5cIVrP4aFR9ederBf6lldTg3K5fpp15rSZ1W909aMmrVaDu5vYjhfRSDCh2LJbGjI/s320/Picture39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Meanwhile, Magneto puts his
plans into motion, and reprograms the Sentinel robots to launch a full-scale
attack on the humans. I’m a longtime fan of the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Ultimate X-Men</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” comics,
and I loved seeing this story line pay tribute to the classic issue titled “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Tomorrow People</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. Lastly, in the future, Professor X and his team launch a
final offensive against the Sentinel robots that have taken over. All around,
this was about as epic as animated X-Men offerings get. While there is an
unresolved cliff-hanger revolving around the evil Apocalypse taking over in the
future, I can glance over that and view this finale as perfect closure to the
series in general. Personally, I’d say the whole show is worth watching, just
to get to this thrilling climax.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdpFFUUtCaSsXS5OFEMBKc_jhd3Qw8CgkA5LAMxkQVYer7tdEtXN-JHVvsaJwem8cim5Q2QB4P6h6h5AXZBgyaSDOQ0e2ZK-MD1paCi6gj2b-TDobwrQFBZ0h6qgiFJl3wP1-a5ztxaa5WEu2nY1WFODrt5ZB6-71FM0FCUrgBqtSdZYYJ387ZJpOBIo/s322/Picture11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="322" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdpFFUUtCaSsXS5OFEMBKc_jhd3Qw8CgkA5LAMxkQVYer7tdEtXN-JHVvsaJwem8cim5Q2QB4P6h6h5AXZBgyaSDOQ0e2ZK-MD1paCi6gj2b-TDobwrQFBZ0h6qgiFJl3wP1-a5ztxaa5WEu2nY1WFODrt5ZB6-71FM0FCUrgBqtSdZYYJ387ZJpOBIo/w233-h149/Picture11.jpg" width="233" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnC6LcSMVGTjMa9WApEiZGkNyKEnF3oC_ugVilIpZh4AMJSUgTN0sMYFwb6yMqBDQZozYqj6Pr-ThdwPAYy0Xpaep4f7Z_dItYcf9uL0Qs9IbfGIIMm1W7OhpH8CeO3cjR_PrEFzLYhR4iJoJlJ8YqpLvC5rJ8803SZO3WvxdNk0lmJYQL9Tu_PjWDi8/s600/Picture10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnC6LcSMVGTjMa9WApEiZGkNyKEnF3oC_ugVilIpZh4AMJSUgTN0sMYFwb6yMqBDQZozYqj6Pr-ThdwPAYy0Xpaep4f7Z_dItYcf9uL0Qs9IbfGIIMm1W7OhpH8CeO3cjR_PrEFzLYhR4iJoJlJ8YqpLvC5rJ8803SZO3WvxdNk0lmJYQL9Tu_PjWDi8/w267-h150/Picture10.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end, this was an excellent show, and a
worthy addition to the X-Men franchise. I’d say more than any previous series,
each episode of “<b>Wolverine and the X-Men</b>” left me excited to see what
would come next. Along with an engaging narrative, this show featured the
sharpest animation, and some of the most thrilling mutant action. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_suQFqGKWJf6PNbI1lF-GzpDD2TNYAySvMe0dMmRDA6ew9CU1g_OAUKnPeDDK50KHRdRhZiufrKvE3olqt5UWrTelHv4Kyzo_YQ-JSMMUWpmlbLv_DZqRzkGUCWeNpNYhukKLnh6VQi0j6IiWQCs6puWvNcMTo9RLRNr6bOr_NUWr7zq4_PNoRrrNdI/s362/Picture37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="362" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_suQFqGKWJf6PNbI1lF-GzpDD2TNYAySvMe0dMmRDA6ew9CU1g_OAUKnPeDDK50KHRdRhZiufrKvE3olqt5UWrTelHv4Kyzo_YQ-JSMMUWpmlbLv_DZqRzkGUCWeNpNYhukKLnh6VQi0j6IiWQCs6puWvNcMTo9RLRNr6bOr_NUWr7zq4_PNoRrrNdI/s320/Picture37.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Like I said
earlier, I wouldn’t put this series above either the classic 90’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men:
The Animated Series</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” or “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X-Men Evolution</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, as most of the team
members aren’t given proper attention, but the characters who do get focused on
are still great, especially with Emma Frost, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Rogue
being reliably strong characters in this series. While I wouldn’t call this show
required viewing for X-Men fans, I’d still say it’s encouraged viewing, with
enough solid material to appeal to comic book fans. Again, it all depends on
how you feel seeing Wolverine in the lead role … either you’ll be open to it,
or turned off by it. If you can accept it as a one-time outing to give this
show a different feel than its predecessors, I think you’ll get your fix of
mutant thrills and excitement.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxci93g1QsLSfOHGIU38kpVbP0RuSs8MyO15P2QclBC5GM15eJmbAvnIo5ZYXJJxH0LRUY7owbqws0dcqcWdfgEGivPVqDl_7Ur_ZR5KBVmtGUABk-6q2_1g7J747yDwO3QYZuBdMWfwCLIqqNaO-omQTR9qQ1jW1Vg4mlIO5cFm1t_DLdwgndkp7qMU/s1108/Picture41.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1108" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxci93g1QsLSfOHGIU38kpVbP0RuSs8MyO15P2QclBC5GM15eJmbAvnIo5ZYXJJxH0LRUY7owbqws0dcqcWdfgEGivPVqDl_7Ur_ZR5KBVmtGUABk-6q2_1g7J747yDwO3QYZuBdMWfwCLIqqNaO-omQTR9qQ1jW1Vg4mlIO5cFm1t_DLdwgndkp7qMU/w400-h260/Picture41.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 2009 animated comic-book series “<b>Wolverine and the
X-Men</b>” … and continue to enjoy the shows you love! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-66560845179485487962023-12-28T07:47:00.000-08:002023-12-28T09:44:51.878-08:002023 – My Theatrical Movie Experiences Ranked <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokPku45lOKNIJEdmcmXQ7DGt_i771ER1tLL_aCTtruHb4TUMTuwbvgYnJitn09JcY-nB4InLKG56pRwAhfXo-IdHNni7J7CWZOjgUgCN_vbHRPcQxRFiysk0HTDSUIrc_W6jwlMBGc0pvLW6h65cAPROvCP9SOuSViQa9HFOnaJGWc3r9RenrBA_8mzU/s7956/yuoiyuoy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4949" data-original-width="7956" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokPku45lOKNIJEdmcmXQ7DGt_i771ER1tLL_aCTtruHb4TUMTuwbvgYnJitn09JcY-nB4InLKG56pRwAhfXo-IdHNni7J7CWZOjgUgCN_vbHRPcQxRFiysk0HTDSUIrc_W6jwlMBGc0pvLW6h65cAPROvCP9SOuSViQa9HFOnaJGWc3r9RenrBA_8mzU/w400-h249/yuoiyuoy.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the growing success of
online-streaming, I still savor my experiences in the theater, as those are the
movie events I want to look back on. So, here’s my personal ranking of all the
2023 movies I saw in the theater this year, which means some other really good
(and bad) films from 2023 won’t make the countdown. Again, these are ranked by my
own personal feelings on them, they aren’t ranked by their objective quality,
but simply on how each left their impression on me. There are 13 movies in
total, and let’s just have some fun looking back at some of the films from 2023.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#13 “<b>Indiana
Jones and the Dial of Destiny</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z1Bp00FY8EjWnzXrhXtmkwM8Sv-9PN3HFwQtJaZNpqkoP2FoRaZ3mEazjZUbeKBFLC0IhCMlDMxPnM5u52cFf0ecLeMJQFIHM5LFewhux0NgvGlWt8YpR8M0b2I_UJIjb-hhN0inQj-ZJ2wjRglUtHaacxgF_Ayqfn-HMpTulc_JMnh3TuxAXOnUer8/s691/8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z1Bp00FY8EjWnzXrhXtmkwM8Sv-9PN3HFwQtJaZNpqkoP2FoRaZ3mEazjZUbeKBFLC0IhCMlDMxPnM5u52cFf0ecLeMJQFIHM5LFewhux0NgvGlWt8YpR8M0b2I_UJIjb-hhN0inQj-ZJ2wjRglUtHaacxgF_Ayqfn-HMpTulc_JMnh3TuxAXOnUer8/w278-h400/8.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When it comes to fictional characters in
movies, Indiana Jones remains one of my most treasured, and while I would never
expect a new film from decades after his prime to be on par with the original
classics, I just can’t dismiss how happy it made me feel to have one last
adventure with one of my all-time favorite characters. While this last outing is kind of </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">dismal</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> in it's depiction of the iconic lead, and could have benefited from a tighter screen-play, as well as tighter run-time,
solid performances all around, welcome new ideas, and director James Mangolds
exceptional vision keep this entry in the realm of … not perfect, but still
good enough, and a passive escape at the movies.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#12 “<b>Jesus
Revolution</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuX_JUhTcfdengOvG1zqBd3VhlhUqlDjTG9RMuLz8T8kQpplNv_P9qjveMG8oqcxFCNICwe9QKKxgs3YImIe1vsxx6rOLOAxReHRUUSszoITgum9wiexz1uLs9sn6ykNqTof1F7jF3BILQAwueSfq-rdPTj2dnZx6BBkaWOYDucrUNWwSWqlLOch6X3o/s1500/1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuX_JUhTcfdengOvG1zqBd3VhlhUqlDjTG9RMuLz8T8kQpplNv_P9qjveMG8oqcxFCNICwe9QKKxgs3YImIe1vsxx6rOLOAxReHRUUSszoITgum9wiexz1uLs9sn6ykNqTof1F7jF3BILQAwueSfq-rdPTj2dnZx6BBkaWOYDucrUNWwSWqlLOch6X3o/w266-h400/1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Inspired by a true movement in the early 1970’s, we
experience the journey of a young hippie, as he goes from drug attic, to
converted Christian, and finally helps lead a bold new crusade called the Jesus
Movement. The film walks a delicate tight rope of conveying a thoughtful
message without being overly preachy, as well as feature human struggles
without being too over dramatic, and while it’s not the most inspiring movie
ever made, it’s still plenty good for the heart, and will easily appeal to
anyone who’s been on their own path of religious conversion.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#11 “<b>The
Little Mermaid</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43-LT56S3PZWUYmuoHjoPsk1-h6bCTrNPDBSHsXQXPGg78y74_0h7SuKfYdq1AI72B5LDQUJmb8H_QOeNbyJNPHNgBMq09ydEFU1V4E0mjwZzWi0TbzHQapcjyqXOMuy07zpPcfd3d1Lp7THB1U10ffLVUneLHpdLce0NOb4g5pANQa8Rsk3SbWxhcz8/s663/6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="488" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43-LT56S3PZWUYmuoHjoPsk1-h6bCTrNPDBSHsXQXPGg78y74_0h7SuKfYdq1AI72B5LDQUJmb8H_QOeNbyJNPHNgBMq09ydEFU1V4E0mjwZzWi0TbzHQapcjyqXOMuy07zpPcfd3d1Lp7THB1U10ffLVUneLHpdLce0NOb4g5pANQa8Rsk3SbWxhcz8/w295-h400/6.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">While I didn’t ask for a remake of the animated Disney
classic, this did mark one of the rare occasions that I surprisingly found
myself happy to have a live-action version as an alternative. I dare even say
there were select elements that were superior to the original, including a
sweeter romance, and generally better developed human characters. Along with
some welcome new songs (excluding one really dumb wrap number), and an
exceptional star turn for Halle Bailey in the lead role (and her sensational
singing voice too) … this remake may not have been necessary … but it’s
honestly a welcome companion piece to the original.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 “<b>The
Journey</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4J1UVhQRDPpYCQ2z6mcJeGRqhxGkrOX5HE_R8kkd_UjHU2fypRFEDjJ2ck1dt-S4jsUD7LPipRuj6MghEKZFbkTYw1PUVtzVBhGA4nMglsoWYBlGuFjmoTUA-c2KT9Azx4NhuRxwjZyhjcLROKTIbNqahM5bCMU60-0L4wGp6Ki4F-FpVtpHg7uL7LPw/s720/3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4J1UVhQRDPpYCQ2z6mcJeGRqhxGkrOX5HE_R8kkd_UjHU2fypRFEDjJ2ck1dt-S4jsUD7LPipRuj6MghEKZFbkTYw1PUVtzVBhGA4nMglsoWYBlGuFjmoTUA-c2KT9Azx4NhuRxwjZyhjcLROKTIbNqahM5bCMU60-0L4wGp6Ki4F-FpVtpHg7uL7LPw/w266-h400/3.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Andrea Bocelli has been a musical presence in my family, ever
sense I was in the cradle, so I had to support this picture, and by extent his
winning collection of music. The premise is as simple as they get, with Andrea
traveling on horseback across Europe for twenty-three days, and at each
destination, he reunites with a special friend, they discuss their passions,
their faith, and the overall experience of their lives … culminating into one
of his songs. It was all very familiar to me, yet so peaceful, relaxing, and
even touching in its own humble way.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#9 “<b>Guardians
of the Galaxy Vol.3</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzuOgO3YQrey5eZA-wA6kiUlPr3nz4aAk8zi3_y287Az2DMEaji1C2r1yONMKi8AfNx8xIdU3BJMuHHfCQURpl6TJhieUCTZgx6AxzuUoqj-ZqnfJJ4BqnnnaoT8-ec5dxtkMGdMCGT8-o86jEQT3zWgxbM25wbwZWbCGDdyfPc2PfTt6eYOw9-5dp84/s615/5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="442" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzuOgO3YQrey5eZA-wA6kiUlPr3nz4aAk8zi3_y287Az2DMEaji1C2r1yONMKi8AfNx8xIdU3BJMuHHfCQURpl6TJhieUCTZgx6AxzuUoqj-ZqnfJJ4BqnnnaoT8-ec5dxtkMGdMCGT8-o86jEQT3zWgxbM25wbwZWbCGDdyfPc2PfTt6eYOw9-5dp84/w287-h400/5.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After nine years, writer and director James Gunn
brings finality to his “</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">Guardians of the Galaxy</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">” series, resulting in
their darkest, and most emotionally character driven volume yet … as well as
packing all the zany comedy, gorgeous imagery, witty character charms,
breathless action, and boundless creativity that have made these films such a
welcome inclusion to Sci-Fi cinema. I don’t know if I’d call this the best of
the series, but it certainly hit the landing as a send-off for these now iconic
characters, and it’s great how three film adaptions of a once lesser-known
comic-book source material turned out this strong.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#8 “<b>Haunted Mansion</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheapRRGGP8QzoD8qw8Ts2iPdVUSBdkHaWa22r9Zv4JdNnxgrmZEohiniFlntg2qGiuEIlVpAnuUhQyP2NL1KS4OIbK-LsfnLF_pXBF_Xr1jmNJD-zM66EOzjD_sC6nF3YFnI64e-Q4eIAtomY_43DPD9VvzKF4K3r5kQD_LvvfY2qWrSVxNzAfuDAltcU/s659/11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheapRRGGP8QzoD8qw8Ts2iPdVUSBdkHaWa22r9Zv4JdNnxgrmZEohiniFlntg2qGiuEIlVpAnuUhQyP2NL1KS4OIbK-LsfnLF_pXBF_Xr1jmNJD-zM66EOzjD_sC6nF3YFnI64e-Q4eIAtomY_43DPD9VvzKF4K3r5kQD_LvvfY2qWrSVxNzAfuDAltcU/w295-h400/11.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I’ve loved the
Disney-Land Haunted Mansion ride my whole life, it’s probably my favorite, and
by extent, I’ve always enjoyed the expanded universe of the rides setting … as
such, I’m always open for a new movie or special based around the attraction.
While this latest version was no “</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">Pirates of the Caribbean</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">”, I felt it put
in the extra effort to be a good movie, balancing it’s fun, goofy and spooky
nature with mature themes of facing loss, grief, and a lead performance that
was honestly better than this film deserved. Needless to say, all the
creatively fun haunts were there, the cast was great, and it may not be on the
same high-bar of the attraction … but this was still a fun ride in its own
right, and worth riding again when Halloween comes around.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 “<b>John
Wick: Chapter 4</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbN_gzlwYIxYG7n3Vh13WenqQeSA9-VKpz0tDOtIJNA4wqKHcsZFHbzFSDDdQDlnM1aIenkIyhNug2bQnAdHGrWFhysHYSrMBIMEmsJZVXDfiGY2d5FZy6AFQuMfI68qYeWitKwltkrPUUc5rW66gDDC25l5t0X27Mo9aIID1fhi1lQE-UptjLerISn0/s720/2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="504" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbN_gzlwYIxYG7n3Vh13WenqQeSA9-VKpz0tDOtIJNA4wqKHcsZFHbzFSDDdQDlnM1aIenkIyhNug2bQnAdHGrWFhysHYSrMBIMEmsJZVXDfiGY2d5FZy6AFQuMfI68qYeWitKwltkrPUUc5rW66gDDC25l5t0X27Mo9aIID1fhi1lQE-UptjLerISn0/w280-h400/2.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I've never called myself a hard-core John Wick fan, but I'm always thrilled to watch one of his movies in the theater. Impressively, at four movies in, this series continues
to one-up itself … and I think they might have finally hit the peak with “</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">John Wick: Chapter
4</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">” … as it featured my favorite ensemble of supporting characters thus far,
the most striking imagery, and set design … and of course, breathless action
stunts that shattered my senses. If the series chooses to end here, I’d call it
a perfect finale … if there’s more to come … they have a new high-bar to match.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">#6 “</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">The
Super Mario Bros. Movie</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnKBwCz8PQSxZ3VxO6vPjW-pO3lcy0I9XfgkwVEzgnFNxu7xVOnheQpBviU9veQatabNdYO7Nluc7He7yWHGAYd1rPQOKsvrbQj1o2_VHB6uXpQmjM2WGwPSNttvgm8Ml9MgdInlLzCkZZV7nzn_91nkDUwp-8Tajqp5ZtSGXTo4CEzWNHmn6_SpbfBU/s720/4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="474" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnKBwCz8PQSxZ3VxO6vPjW-pO3lcy0I9XfgkwVEzgnFNxu7xVOnheQpBviU9veQatabNdYO7Nluc7He7yWHGAYd1rPQOKsvrbQj1o2_VHB6uXpQmjM2WGwPSNttvgm8Ml9MgdInlLzCkZZV7nzn_91nkDUwp-8Tajqp5ZtSGXTo4CEzWNHmn6_SpbfBU/w264-h400/4.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Back when I was a little kid in the 90’s, the
Nintendo 64 entertainment system was my absolute favorite video game system,
and Mario was one of my biggest childhood hero’s. As far back as I can
remember, I imagined seeing an animated CGI Super Mario movie on the big screen
… now it’s finally here … and it matched my expectations perfectly. Despite
being a grown adult now, the eight-year-old deep within me was having the time
of his life. It looks great, it’s devoted to pleasing fans, the energy is high,
the characters are charming, and even with a bare-bone plot, I feel it executed
everything just the way a faithful and entertaining Mario movie should do ...
Wahoo!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b>Oppenheimer</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHGbGMonk3bZ5jLqjq6rdpD7-GfhXYk1TtxsvTW5cZEPZUrOfZG0aeYFs45U2PmStD1PW45Cc3z7x29IYe9MKc36E0wm-MFu3l_4Pu0J3I7r4CkZINfqi4tTSl8tYW3lNTci3ypDMC6kaunc3PuDrzyjD10dgMOvsPUaILdnmLLwH1aukevTPACEhJRc/s689/10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHGbGMonk3bZ5jLqjq6rdpD7-GfhXYk1TtxsvTW5cZEPZUrOfZG0aeYFs45U2PmStD1PW45Cc3z7x29IYe9MKc36E0wm-MFu3l_4Pu0J3I7r4CkZINfqi4tTSl8tYW3lNTci3ypDMC6kaunc3PuDrzyjD10dgMOvsPUaILdnmLLwH1aukevTPACEhJRc/w283-h400/10.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Christopher Nolan leads us on another extraordinary tour de force in top-tier
filmmaking, with brilliant editing, stunning visuals, and both the emotional
weight and suspense that the historical event and people deserve. Ever sense I
first learned of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project way back in my
school years, I found him a fascinating individual, and often pondered if it
was brilliance, madness, or maybe even misguided ambition that led to the
creation of the Atom Bomb, and this film effectively highlights a little bit of
everything. At the center of it all is a strong cast delivering A-list
performances, and Cillian Murphy’s portrayal in the title role could well be
his magnum opus.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b>The
Creator</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwco1WQ-uM5qpbQpUtsOAhK3OA23G7p3sclafnZMuJfl7vNhfaM6Jx4TqI09KrQEtEykXe-bhyphenhyphenGggFNo3ANuhbFaAU_00K8RWggsOYLXRfcCtvyz6GNkk0ovpzT7vEpMrdiMxPpKm-PSo_ucwlyP8eMQyqXz7xHWtL-FLED3vF8zp7dT8RnhouLjYlaFE/s673/12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwco1WQ-uM5qpbQpUtsOAhK3OA23G7p3sclafnZMuJfl7vNhfaM6Jx4TqI09KrQEtEykXe-bhyphenhyphenGggFNo3ANuhbFaAU_00K8RWggsOYLXRfcCtvyz6GNkk0ovpzT7vEpMrdiMxPpKm-PSo_ucwlyP8eMQyqXz7xHWtL-FLED3vF8zp7dT8RnhouLjYlaFE/w289-h400/12.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A valiant effort at creating an original, non-IP related, Sci-Fi
epic, with emotion rich action, an engaging future setting, imaginative
marvels, and Gareth Edwards signature vision of something grand, immersive, and
exciting on the big screen. While the final product wasn’t perfect, and
probably won’t be labeled as any new classic, I still felt the ambition,
creativity, and passion behind this film far more than the majority of big
franchise films that tend to come and go. While I obviously still enjoy my
franchise comfort-food, this is the kind of genera picture I’d like to see
Hollywood aim for.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b>Spider-Man:
Across the Spider-Verse</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAyfQRno9COMTG-85GIbM34Oh3XUufCF9hIF7fy5Nm9yagbWevjNoGJm-KP74-0Cx0-W1oK9Wobj91yFyTwHVxgHk8cNDwtGnrXpPUMQa6WGG1oiSU9ul5Men82Nd3aCSXkhFq-0Y2Fk3ZdElA8yVFC18BBcTbGAdY1Nr2b4KQWaDoIX3or4763H5tDQ/s678/7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAyfQRno9COMTG-85GIbM34Oh3XUufCF9hIF7fy5Nm9yagbWevjNoGJm-KP74-0Cx0-W1oK9Wobj91yFyTwHVxgHk8cNDwtGnrXpPUMQa6WGG1oiSU9ul5Men82Nd3aCSXkhFq-0Y2Fk3ZdElA8yVFC18BBcTbGAdY1Nr2b4KQWaDoIX3or4763H5tDQ/w286-h400/7.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">All right, let’s do this recap one-more time …
back in 2019, “</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">” surpasses
expectations, won the Academy Award for best animated picture, set a new
high-mark for comic-book movies to aspire from, and it was absolutely my
favorite movie going experience of that year … which raises even higher
expectations with its sequel. Thankfully, this film managed a brave, bold, and
ambitious leap even further into greatness, in which it’s a visual marvel, not
just in spectacle, but also in transcending emotions, and presenting something
distinctly unique from other animated films. The action and thrills are all
there … but like all the best superhero movies, it remembers to put complex
themes, character emotions, and that extra touch of a human journey to go along
with the insane adventure, outlandish comedy, and all-out imagination on
display. While I like the first a little more for its tight three-act
structure, this is still a top-tier middle instalment of what could well be one
of cinemas new great movie trilogies.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b>Godzilla:
Minus One</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9hFM6TlV8ckQXXHM1rZ8hTujd-ZTulxybAvBcF4XH1EGcxWzY6vZ-pX1gmsnUF4ah8ZeY0zvwiTro-bY-rxWCqPXBrgAfkNbhxJEGB8Rx2amgqSZW6CS7HyIk1BLRu5eCIxqWyvx3DQF8ALHsf79i9vW-xg1o0qh_i7RFl5JLl9vsW0TZI-BYWFtum4/s652/13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9hFM6TlV8ckQXXHM1rZ8hTujd-ZTulxybAvBcF4XH1EGcxWzY6vZ-pX1gmsnUF4ah8ZeY0zvwiTro-bY-rxWCqPXBrgAfkNbhxJEGB8Rx2amgqSZW6CS7HyIk1BLRu5eCIxqWyvx3DQF8ALHsf79i9vW-xg1o0qh_i7RFl5JLl9vsW0TZI-BYWFtum4/w295-h400/13.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When it comes to the “franchise movies” I’ve seen in 2023,
none surprised me more then this! I’ve loved Godzilla movies ever sense I was a
little kid, I’ve enjoyed all the recent monster-verse films as easy comfort
food … but after over thirty films, I feel the giant king of the monsters has
never stood taller than in this movie. Actually … the more appropriate thing to
say is that the human story anchoring Godzilla has never been stronger then in
this movie. Focusing on themes of living with regret after enduring horrible
consequences, rebuilding after a great loss, personal sacrifices, family ties,
and the strength of the human spirit … it makes this a genuinely great film in
its own right … and just happens to have a giant monster. While
blockbuster-franchises have their place as great entertainment at the movies,
it makes for a special event when one steps out of those barriers, and can
stand as a great movie on its own … and this unassuming Godzilla film did just
that.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b>Sound
of Freedom</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKVu6qeQKPTSQ8XqAMnXRO78KPUlHvgfz-UYJQPZfcGJuXpjN5y37jxOCbelImd0KH2USYlwDj-d8EETndopby2JvQuKX0yqmB085r4vKwLWMdgKrQXskJnkWOO3K-6vG0O2XFxeAO76nrulyfxlfQvTIMzTSS45WOh7wbq-I0A-2ZxqrOFPIlQuw19g/s663/9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKVu6qeQKPTSQ8XqAMnXRO78KPUlHvgfz-UYJQPZfcGJuXpjN5y37jxOCbelImd0KH2USYlwDj-d8EETndopby2JvQuKX0yqmB085r4vKwLWMdgKrQXskJnkWOO3K-6vG0O2XFxeAO76nrulyfxlfQvTIMzTSS45WOh7wbq-I0A-2ZxqrOFPIlQuw19g/w294-h400/9.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Jim Caviezel’s emotionally driven screen presence leads us
through the inspiring true story of Tim Ballard, a man committed to rescuing
abducted children from sex-trafficking, and by extent the movie asks for any
support in the efforts to end sex-trafficking around the world. Based on the
subject matter alone, this is one of the most emotionally potent movies I’ve
experienced in recent years, and is hard to watch, but very impactful, informative
without going too far in its execution, and very inspiring. Rarely dose a film
leave me feeling so inspired to take action, and provide whatever support I can
to a meaningful cause … and this film did it. While certainly not a pleasant
experience at the movies … “</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">Sound of Freedom</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">” still felt the most
meaningful and important to me, and for that, it comes in as my number one
movie going experience of 2023. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fhZ4ndULe1XZymDyuAe2roM73VCkFRejrFbJVeUOG2ztx12_bjL-O5nnoHgb_MF_DnYra-wFbn8HB4IqBdfRFzjpeGuGV2iSYSAzuF7xDG1I1XKEvIH7fHWqY2xbl1bEXY9g_sOnJA_oN9t5078GgJI0QKlYGEDqrmcTyTJjP62T6fKmImKz_XtSjW4/s1068/0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1068" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fhZ4ndULe1XZymDyuAe2roM73VCkFRejrFbJVeUOG2ztx12_bjL-O5nnoHgb_MF_DnYra-wFbn8HB4IqBdfRFzjpeGuGV2iSYSAzuF7xDG1I1XKEvIH7fHWqY2xbl1bEXY9g_sOnJA_oN9t5078GgJI0QKlYGEDqrmcTyTJjP62T6fKmImKz_XtSjW4/w400-h225/0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown, and may the thrill of the theater continue on next year! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-56283419404748463942023-12-24T21:14:00.000-08:002023-12-24T23:01:51.676-08:00My Top 10 Cartoon Christmas Shorts <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCejtG2am9laRNY3_W7WCn1CHzZ103eVqPU5Mmll0qFlXbp6B67Ni6U-19IdHpU1BD9F0VnArcRiAee2EyzqcHVOj-o2fgdo16TBs1Ib_5-3tRrCR0_CNc1eieIFIRRkoHuReUi0t8C32yZj0SOp0pvmndOanTY2V4U97csuxfIQb6AL0E9QhBeAhZH8/s640/ytutyit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="640" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCejtG2am9laRNY3_W7WCn1CHzZ103eVqPU5Mmll0qFlXbp6B67Ni6U-19IdHpU1BD9F0VnArcRiAee2EyzqcHVOj-o2fgdo16TBs1Ib_5-3tRrCR0_CNc1eieIFIRRkoHuReUi0t8C32yZj0SOp0pvmndOanTY2V4U97csuxfIQb6AL0E9QhBeAhZH8/w280-h212/ytutyit.jpg" width="280" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rwqHXtSXIwiTzNrba5VfWjBkXvj1nyH5eLwoJriK3hUuYvUid7yzi0jT8wKMxQhZP5oQMpLUEVPZsfbZDHUuytHkjcoH8cC-MOhJed8YVqj9R4rT1r94OT4lQgPTDr5f5hbDtuRxnL11HBPVMYvgJOzZJ29Gh7lAmuBiX_ryhNqcvNAM36d2QOs93NI/s720/Picture4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rwqHXtSXIwiTzNrba5VfWjBkXvj1nyH5eLwoJriK3hUuYvUid7yzi0jT8wKMxQhZP5oQMpLUEVPZsfbZDHUuytHkjcoH8cC-MOhJed8YVqj9R4rT1r94OT4lQgPTDr5f5hbDtuRxnL11HBPVMYvgJOzZJ29Gh7lAmuBiX_ryhNqcvNAM36d2QOs93NI/w213-h213/Picture4.jpg" width="213" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Way back
when I was just a little kid, it always excited me to combine two things I
loved into one offering, and for today’s topic it’s cartoon shorts with a decorative
Christmas make-over. While I certainly had my fill of the half-hour specials in
the vein of “<b>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</b>”, and “<b>A Charlie Brown
Christmas</b>”, it was also an accomplishment for a special to leave an
impression on my childhood within the span of only ten minutes. I’ve already
done a countdown of my favorite shorts featuring all the classic Disney
characters, so I felt I was due to countdown my other favorite Christmas shorts, including some
from MGM, and others from Disney, but excluding Mickey or any of his famous
co-stars. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 “<b>Prep
and Landing – Operation: Secret Santa</b>” (2010) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQR-K5hu-bzNKMlhD8kRgu7n0w3klCFATWjPMKBmYzwASTExGe-sY-20gZve5HixFojmFgCj2UTN5Dj_FCCzSmhcJfTvfexD962FP28dhg0GjkG1BBRqFccuEj7WMYdqVtKvkmcgqNlL2nxGdShuF-mFQy5iF_rTJHeEuc0Gj8raDME19tfgyxBDbYQjo/s640/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="640" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQR-K5hu-bzNKMlhD8kRgu7n0w3klCFATWjPMKBmYzwASTExGe-sY-20gZve5HixFojmFgCj2UTN5Dj_FCCzSmhcJfTvfexD962FP28dhg0GjkG1BBRqFccuEj7WMYdqVtKvkmcgqNlL2nxGdShuF-mFQy5iF_rTJHeEuc0Gj8raDME19tfgyxBDbYQjo/w253-h138/Picture2.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4ggepy0pbRsr8DQr5H0aDSGX-GkLtj-D5O_SQ6H1u59JG-6qdPq5-M2ZNXG2_KtuDPoB0aiaMzBs9JZ7nGmHSTVT66M134GOztl5HHOcR0RHAF_vpr_t25NArcPf7lzd17ASLFKbA2R4y_yrHO0iWMA1lhxKrd6gU83GjQH4BcDAoEqEiyb_cFG-ARg/s849/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="849" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4ggepy0pbRsr8DQr5H0aDSGX-GkLtj-D5O_SQ6H1u59JG-6qdPq5-M2ZNXG2_KtuDPoB0aiaMzBs9JZ7nGmHSTVT66M134GOztl5HHOcR0RHAF_vpr_t25NArcPf7lzd17ASLFKbA2R4y_yrHO0iWMA1lhxKrd6gU83GjQH4BcDAoEqEiyb_cFG-ARg/w230-h137/Picture1.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Most of the shorts on my
list are specials I watched when I was a little kid, but I figured, why not start my
countdown with one of the more current generation shorts. “<b>Operation: Secret
Santa</b>” is part of Disney’s “<b>Prep and Landing</b>” series. For this
adventure, two of Santa’s Elves seek a gift belonging to Mrs. Claus, and they face
many fun obstacles along the way to obtain it. While this short is nothing demanding, it's still an enjoyable
watch all the same. There’s plenty ingenuity and energy to the short to make
for a fun watch, and I generally prefer it over the half-hour specials of the “<b>Prep
and Landing</b>” series. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#9 “<b>Once
Upon a Wintertime</b>” (from Disney’s “<b>Melody Time</b>” - 1948) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFQGdMWeMjlFq6G3EM-3Y66RvaOtb_0H-O6_uMX18a2EuHg1JqN21P9Nb02gn83Cb5pizhN7nxYovsPxmYYvvgTsXANCfmQ7ipU_tGncNjVpAsk7Ap3yzVleyYqwCTT6j1vxlKaDXgP37nG-W5fB20a76EUTJ29BqvYXrdF9lGClcCAnZxbvPHJGlnwU/s350/ytiuit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="350" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFQGdMWeMjlFq6G3EM-3Y66RvaOtb_0H-O6_uMX18a2EuHg1JqN21P9Nb02gn83Cb5pizhN7nxYovsPxmYYvvgTsXANCfmQ7ipU_tGncNjVpAsk7Ap3yzVleyYqwCTT6j1vxlKaDXgP37nG-W5fB20a76EUTJ29BqvYXrdF9lGClcCAnZxbvPHJGlnwU/w264-h198/ytiuit.jpg" width="264" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrlHDfzZPxBnBC5ckSVIbWFTbApy92JWxFS8k7EpM0-ce_UyxKhzRxA8TB9swouCpIrXHBkh61Lu3g-rWslF99nQpN_abyiPr8m1kW6q4hTkr8_nIO7mArE19asgvvj-T3ap51UNU5Wa1H6MOM63hfzvde40WE27c3d9JJgslfkZtes9hwACpEJ8pyVmo/s225/yutyi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="225" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrlHDfzZPxBnBC5ckSVIbWFTbApy92JWxFS8k7EpM0-ce_UyxKhzRxA8TB9swouCpIrXHBkh61Lu3g-rWslF99nQpN_abyiPr8m1kW6q4hTkr8_nIO7mArE19asgvvj-T3ap51UNU5Wa1H6MOM63hfzvde40WE27c3d9JJgslfkZtes9hwACpEJ8pyVmo/w181-h198/yutyi.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In this
silent musical short, two romantic young lovers go out sleigh riding on a
beautiful December day. Their company soon involves various woodland animals,
including two rabbits that are likewise in love. The males try to show-off
while skiing, only to upset their respected dates. What follows is a
near-tragedy on the ice, and a timely rescue ensues. While the characters are
consistently silent, they still convey enough through the animation, and I love
the overall design of this short. The colors pop, and it almost resembles one
of those Christmas Hallmark cards, that is if one were to come alive in
animated form. More than anything, I just love the simplicity of the premise. It’s
just a little venture into the frosty country side, and it’s an experience full
of action and romance. The title song at the center of this short is nothing
great, but it does its job carrying the tone and feel of the short.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#8 MGM’s “<b>Alias
St. Nick</b>” (1935) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzVrI6H64iBhi20RKQ3_3qwECKOXi_FP1Bj0L3pofnjtrkl_h1gGRSQEfyOLt4_jztGhVQVrc89ra9V8yts7CIFBzXV1my0xkKpHyCAzQCgjZ_sQP3fR3pGE4WEjNqiFfeF88rDd8SmS9Z5SFGp9U1Hp0LqGSPAIjbauWyaLdf1YJuWSuwrzRayMPWGs/s320/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzVrI6H64iBhi20RKQ3_3qwECKOXi_FP1Bj0L3pofnjtrkl_h1gGRSQEfyOLt4_jztGhVQVrc89ra9V8yts7CIFBzXV1my0xkKpHyCAzQCgjZ_sQP3fR3pGE4WEjNqiFfeF88rDd8SmS9Z5SFGp9U1Hp0LqGSPAIjbauWyaLdf1YJuWSuwrzRayMPWGs/w252-h163/Picture5.jpg" width="252" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilefOEjf-AP9gTDJLHCZ1k2ZtMutF2ywLNGruZ8njHWMrdWa7T8B4rs47v5DhOUUn6hFywOVnDDJJdBrxfjBRDG2K7u0O47tGYLsnDhJPG-jg8r4U8gHRTX7J-qsvJaSFS7zWv2JH8GvbuFqFYQrmJA1Vf7NK6sooGX59oFLjyyyG7ZxB75wH4DWgvvA0/s620/nbiuoy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="620" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilefOEjf-AP9gTDJLHCZ1k2ZtMutF2ywLNGruZ8njHWMrdWa7T8B4rs47v5DhOUUn6hFywOVnDDJJdBrxfjBRDG2K7u0O47tGYLsnDhJPG-jg8r4U8gHRTX7J-qsvJaSFS7zWv2JH8GvbuFqFYQrmJA1Vf7NK6sooGX59oFLjyyyG7ZxB75wH4DWgvvA0/w216-h162/nbiuoy.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s Christmas Eve, and a family of mice are eagerly
awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus … that is with the exception of one loud
mouthed boy, who just doesn’t believe. Meanwhile, a nasty cat is outside, and
itching to make a meal out of this mouse family. Thus, he discuses himself as
Saint Nicholas, and gains access to the home by bringing the kids gifts. The
one doubtful child naturally can see through the charade, and leads his
siblings in a revolt against the invader, with their means of combat naturally
being all their new toys. It’s all around a fun and cute little short, with
kids using their plays toys as a means to fight-off a villain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 Disney’s
Silly Symphony: “<b>The Night Before Christmas</b>” (1933) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtKrDkWZ1KIn3ZWmTRNoG16UpgMQJJ76jAZ-kQjeuOFrmhrO-OK0eA-vm-1XOJ_rq1efQ4BrpVO_HTw9gMcY_xMrz5tulJLDSWitwNmdagahboFglih5cQEr2U3WKwHXsRrwEtzJszyOaNPDia9uA6cFrJ-xrIt9HnTMeh4n_6HexJzftcxjivZJjSyc/s720/uyiup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="720" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtKrDkWZ1KIn3ZWmTRNoG16UpgMQJJ76jAZ-kQjeuOFrmhrO-OK0eA-vm-1XOJ_rq1efQ4BrpVO_HTw9gMcY_xMrz5tulJLDSWitwNmdagahboFglih5cQEr2U3WKwHXsRrwEtzJszyOaNPDia9uA6cFrJ-xrIt9HnTMeh4n_6HexJzftcxjivZJjSyc/w244-h181/uyiup.jpg" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHoABAXSAXoqeXS34xOVm9oQenII8uykBM8p2369dsAtlACXFmx_gPq2np6d5vLyUj-lH_gEv8eC1I5fxgKVsCTLjeYvqKAzTQfs7sIXYpJQfSnDeV7LB9sv-KUOmtjTcUE5AexiHbS5z1zV1clnO6GKRKz8dUGkhnkI9ZPGVnGfYEDTgvBx5HZlkPsI/s1200/Picture6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHoABAXSAXoqeXS34xOVm9oQenII8uykBM8p2369dsAtlACXFmx_gPq2np6d5vLyUj-lH_gEv8eC1I5fxgKVsCTLjeYvqKAzTQfs7sIXYpJQfSnDeV7LB9sv-KUOmtjTcUE5AexiHbS5z1zV1clnO6GKRKz8dUGkhnkI9ZPGVnGfYEDTgvBx5HZlkPsI/w267-h180/Picture6.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Following after
the 1932 short “<b>Santa's Workshop</b>”, Disney followed-up with “<b>The Night
Before Christmas</b>” in 1933, and it’s my preferred choice of the two. In this short,
Santa doesn’t just leave toys for kids … he makes a party out of it, with all
the toys coming to life, dancing to music, and decorating the house for the
kids. It’s funny to think that during Santa’s busy work schedule, he has time
for these mini parties in each house … but it makes for a delightful little
watch. The animation is detailed, the music is upbeat, and even the backgrounds
are memorable highlights … the moon with the smiling face always lingered in
the back of my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b>The
Nutcracker Suite</b>”</span> and <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>The Steadfast Tin Soldier</b>” (from Disney’s “<b>Fantasia</b>” –
1940, and Disney’s “<b>Fantasia 2000</b>” - 1999)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_47qXB_anPiHZq2C2_KBvw7-Rr2GZGWvy0PR_WS292FzpbdV4ZD5FLhHq6FU3E-r_-CwcfXGgbUDiCfDM3o00Tf8fmQQDGQX87FgCjatk4tgQ2HieWT9AnGzNy2x7MpeVK0tZBwi-WY6mOm4lOln0Du2wvcUFV4sDQ__2m5zWgmkRnBle98Fwc1e-DHc/s640/ytud.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_47qXB_anPiHZq2C2_KBvw7-Rr2GZGWvy0PR_WS292FzpbdV4ZD5FLhHq6FU3E-r_-CwcfXGgbUDiCfDM3o00Tf8fmQQDGQX87FgCjatk4tgQ2HieWT9AnGzNy2x7MpeVK0tZBwi-WY6mOm4lOln0Du2wvcUFV4sDQ__2m5zWgmkRnBle98Fwc1e-DHc/w213-h163/ytud.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-dlIVeWMQEV2IVxJ24J5iujVmp7LN2G5-Em09-h5DdR0S0ZMRvXBjPW-omAt9wsDEmIqP73dn2iTcbaPdWLyT7ClaEhyphenhyphenBTjp2q5WfAO_gx0pyPr5gyDyZuSlHKK0SR_f02LoxOA92zfcZKhA5vRQY8RiqHQiu67HQhrSZ1HweeYqh4oRVJsEUKIBj-k/s584/gjygy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="584" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-dlIVeWMQEV2IVxJ24J5iujVmp7LN2G5-Em09-h5DdR0S0ZMRvXBjPW-omAt9wsDEmIqP73dn2iTcbaPdWLyT7ClaEhyphenhyphenBTjp2q5WfAO_gx0pyPr5gyDyZuSlHKK0SR_f02LoxOA92zfcZKhA5vRQY8RiqHQiu67HQhrSZ1HweeYqh4oRVJsEUKIBj-k/w276-h162/gjygy.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Even if
you’ve never seen the ballet, you’re probably still familiar with the music
from “<b>The Nutcracker</b>”, as that too has become a staple of the holiday
season. As for the music, I was initially introduced to these famous medleys
through Disney’s 1940 animated classic “<b>Fantasia</b>”. While the sequence of
<a name="_Hlk154161173">“<b>The Nutcracker Suite</b>” </a>doesn’t feature any
of the principal characters, it still captures the same spirit of the Ballet,
as it features fantastical creatures and elements that dance and move with the
same grace and spirit as Ballet dancers. The final scene with the fairies
skating on the ice always got me in the winter, holiday mood, despite the lack
of any Nutcracker on screen. Every now and then around Christmas, I like to
watch this segment, along with “<b>The Steadfast Tin Soldier</b>” sequence from
the 1999 sequel “<b>Fantasia 2000</b>”. While the Hans Christian Andersen
fairytale of “<b>The Steadfast Tin Soldier</b>” is a completely different
entity all together, it still has a similar look and feel to “<b>The Nutcracker</b>”,
and just has that same magic touch. Back-to-back, they make for a perfect
holiday package, and neither even had to mention Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 Fleischer’s
“<b>Rudolph the Red-Nosed-Reindeer</b>” (1948) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJ06PSYXlYLGt4fum3slaCqAG5Dg3B8t5FreTlHfiB7cQ9S3fG56GIMnSoIwwX8OWB8YLjXxdgyoOfVPtPkY2H78aNuMpNP1TISmhoeYrQuO2OnRJxR2VjTE_PdOvAicfnp45yfD9VD9LxHOJlTbFVLC00bHOpDXYCSE7T70OLS6RUSDjiFca3eVeM9c/s346/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="346" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJ06PSYXlYLGt4fum3slaCqAG5Dg3B8t5FreTlHfiB7cQ9S3fG56GIMnSoIwwX8OWB8YLjXxdgyoOfVPtPkY2H78aNuMpNP1TISmhoeYrQuO2OnRJxR2VjTE_PdOvAicfnp45yfD9VD9LxHOJlTbFVLC00bHOpDXYCSE7T70OLS6RUSDjiFca3eVeM9c/w240-h180/Picture3.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbv0G-pCFOl5QshnmspVm-lP7C3wNpR23HWuLYqb_LPs7-_kE7bf1xuGdvgt_s07Cklyl12qIh0hUFS-KVZnp2mXYFFsfvhs87VXTakJd6yjsOTCk7TPW1L3QRq4rD3yEDDVIrFG-6MkexzMM8TBVfB6NGs9yO6ezfhGNn5EpJunVOcQDlHS9NDEHnIA/s640/ouyklj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="640" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbv0G-pCFOl5QshnmspVm-lP7C3wNpR23HWuLYqb_LPs7-_kE7bf1xuGdvgt_s07Cklyl12qIh0hUFS-KVZnp2mXYFFsfvhs87VXTakJd6yjsOTCk7TPW1L3QRq4rD3yEDDVIrFG-6MkexzMM8TBVfB6NGs9yO6ezfhGNn5EpJunVOcQDlHS9NDEHnIA/w282-h179/ouyklj.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">While Rudolph’s modern-day
popularity ignited with the classic 1964 Rankin/Bass TV special, I just can’t
dismiss the original 1948 short that first made Rudolph one of the season’s
most marketable characters. For an eight-minute short, it delivers the
straightforward story of Rudolph in a tight and effective package. The iconography on
display can still impact young viewers to this day, and it’s just a warm little
classic on its own. If anything else … it made for a funny segment to spoof on 2010 “<b>RiffTrax Live: Christmas Special</b>”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 MGM’s “<b>A
Pup’s Christmas</b>” (1936) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnH0UpeTSO-onpj3YaB9kM7DvPY7CG6CY9i3wSAVvZYEEluZaAH9-Sjf4QkxWROPtpqUpEeJERhwypU0RfnTLTTsJyB3GbHhf8ojdK-1vWoz7k9PUxG9iIPdqPzTDbJKGkh8znoJfkUHXyMfcjPVDLXtIUcknoDeVIW1utxwgHWq9oExIoq-twrcKOCw/s756/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="756" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnH0UpeTSO-onpj3YaB9kM7DvPY7CG6CY9i3wSAVvZYEEluZaAH9-Sjf4QkxWROPtpqUpEeJERhwypU0RfnTLTTsJyB3GbHhf8ojdK-1vWoz7k9PUxG9iIPdqPzTDbJKGkh8znoJfkUHXyMfcjPVDLXtIUcknoDeVIW1utxwgHWq9oExIoq-twrcKOCw/w241-h172/Picture8.jpg" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QRsmHFTDUzVHEaOomwyMQzxvdj34MOy-wHzHVRNbVH5-c8tNkRRLbfEpTBJM6dfrwg7MUIB4mkemlyfQ4_6ozEoZ2Jd0eR7OuYowUviVDv55sopBqmUme2OSHA1Mt6ag2b1-gqQpzKNbE1HBD3s-sgaoLg-8iO1dfLB7bPmDkhaWGV7_B7gJ5590NI0/s794/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="794" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QRsmHFTDUzVHEaOomwyMQzxvdj34MOy-wHzHVRNbVH5-c8tNkRRLbfEpTBJM6dfrwg7MUIB4mkemlyfQ4_6ozEoZ2Jd0eR7OuYowUviVDv55sopBqmUme2OSHA1Mt6ag2b1-gqQpzKNbE1HBD3s-sgaoLg-8iO1dfLB7bPmDkhaWGV7_B7gJ5590NI0/w229-h171/Picture7.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s Christmas morning, and as a family open-up
gifts, two curious puppies go exploring, and find themselves going from one
goofy encounter to another, culminating in a battle with a rogue toy-tank, who
really should have been taken off the market. Both the premise and appeal of
this episode couldn’t be more simple, as it’s just these cute pup’s going on a
mini-adventure amidst all these Christmas decorations and toys. It’s cute,
lovable, and for me and my little sister, it was a real joy to watch at a young
age. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 Tom and
Jerry: “<b>Twas’ the Night Before Christmas</b>” (1941) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrYUEGL-FOlvZF7f47n9UfFQlFlrkp996yD75Yj0CTURbiTU1CfmSiN7KzbEGTV697LEbkQzzn8nmv3Ii0_-JnlAZ9dlIwz1mOS2tbZxjmIPUepDY9JdzTgd0Ls-t4JFU4MNtIo1ZM9oEEUwVgZ3Dqc06pJ2lkTtJHqouBQyhKpHaA7g6KfF1SwNAL3U/s960/nmui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrYUEGL-FOlvZF7f47n9UfFQlFlrkp996yD75Yj0CTURbiTU1CfmSiN7KzbEGTV697LEbkQzzn8nmv3Ii0_-JnlAZ9dlIwz1mOS2tbZxjmIPUepDY9JdzTgd0Ls-t4JFU4MNtIo1ZM9oEEUwVgZ3Dqc06pJ2lkTtJHqouBQyhKpHaA7g6KfF1SwNAL3U/w246-h184/nmui.jpg" width="246" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PHVmvKD6zl2tmLOi8pA_3WgyeyVxrXumpqIoHFBvwRvtI84PIKi5C1b5tV_JLHk60eX2jTAvrSXh37z6Yblft55z8a7t-zwbKiO-WAPgiZWXBXUt_kELTmVNmdxneHflxdk1B4tAMN-lYofGwCIoVBJ49jDsL2qIRPZizwJL6w8OEV1hH1k1ZZtnWg8/s1415/tryrturu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1415" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PHVmvKD6zl2tmLOi8pA_3WgyeyVxrXumpqIoHFBvwRvtI84PIKi5C1b5tV_JLHk60eX2jTAvrSXh37z6Yblft55z8a7t-zwbKiO-WAPgiZWXBXUt_kELTmVNmdxneHflxdk1B4tAMN-lYofGwCIoVBJ49jDsL2qIRPZizwJL6w8OEV1hH1k1ZZtnWg8/w235-h183/tryrturu.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I was only a passive
fan of the famous Cat and Mouse duo when I was a kid, but looking back as an
adult, I’ve come to admire Tom and Jerry as cartoon icons in their own right.
Among the limited shorts of theirs that I regularly watched as a kid, it was their 1941
Christmas short that I loved the most, which just happened to only be their third short ever
released. While the cartoon slap-stick is fairly simple compared to their later
outings, this one makes-up for it with a warm holiday atmosphere, gorgeous
backgrounds, and a very touching ending, in which Tom rescues Jerry from a snow
storm. There’s something touching about enemies looking out for one another,
and along with the quality animation on display, this was a winning sign that
MGM’s cat and mouse duo were sticking around for the long-run.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 MGM’s “<b>Peace
on Earth</b>” (1939) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUqw-D4kj4HbYHmr8jOVO8zSOcm49UwWlhv-yqQvDRxC3AstxMOHToIjL89Itrxf4a20Qn9A65qQynS464TNdBWkZbRNk1Sphs_S7HdFG2ASot-jIqEEUiuFg_D_jQ5vBF9T1eGHAiU1xkMoHVMVqnwQZdZL8tJuIGMF8OKt3fxMm6aHp58AugJcl0Os/s1920/hgjyu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUqw-D4kj4HbYHmr8jOVO8zSOcm49UwWlhv-yqQvDRxC3AstxMOHToIjL89Itrxf4a20Qn9A65qQynS464TNdBWkZbRNk1Sphs_S7HdFG2ASot-jIqEEUiuFg_D_jQ5vBF9T1eGHAiU1xkMoHVMVqnwQZdZL8tJuIGMF8OKt3fxMm6aHp58AugJcl0Os/w262-h154/hgjyu.jpg" width="262" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllPrdv8mQWgC3SPYFoJwkLsd4H7qC9HTFzDKWM7kRKELCNZ9k6qJkYhTGbSfIRbTikDzKwxdf1lAxmt2vmgS6S8aVtaER6HKgpuA8U3yVbxs_fzmaIq68GvFdV5zkA4-TZ6_kuDUiUWchJdhCWhfFimO3-MliESnaeTnaTpQLYbcB7QQtlYFs0OIxFMI/s675/uyiuipi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="675" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllPrdv8mQWgC3SPYFoJwkLsd4H7qC9HTFzDKWM7kRKELCNZ9k6qJkYhTGbSfIRbTikDzKwxdf1lAxmt2vmgS6S8aVtaER6HKgpuA8U3yVbxs_fzmaIq68GvFdV5zkA4-TZ6_kuDUiUWchJdhCWhfFimO3-MliESnaeTnaTpQLYbcB7QQtlYFs0OIxFMI/w231-h154/uyiuipi.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Set in a post-apocalyptic world, we see animals have
taken over the globe, after human kind destroyed itself during a savage war.
It’s Christmas Eve, and Grandpa Squirrel teaches his kids about humans, and
through his tale, we see a dark and horrific depiction of how “Man” lost
fighting each other. How’s that for a set-up, not too often a children’s short
begins with … “Merry Christmas! Mankind Didn’t Make It!” I was about five years
old when I first saw this short, and it terrified me, but also left a memorable
impression. While the message is direct, it still effectively gets it’s point
across that, if we’re not careful, we’ll doom ourselves. The imagery in this
short is unforgettable, disturbing, but also quite beautiful in its
presentation. This short was nominated at the Academy Awards, but lost to
Disney’s “<b>The Ugly Duckling</b>”. Personally, I feel this short deserves
more attention, and I highly encourage anyone to look it up this Christmas
season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I
reveal my Number one Favorite Christmas short, here are some quick Honorable
Mentions …</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>One
Ham’s Family</b>” (1943)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vK7au1ISOl03V84JZ7_pYbSllyDXV4g-Vqh1IBD82KzO9VXJ_iglb1g49qlezfnm1KDEtvaLAGLwJ3pJVhyphenhyphenC84-H1qE1AF_frT8HZznwdoXPPymjaWk4nOeae1KQKKHb21N7tUB_MqoveHkQnWmeYJxZJLRtUaspfTp4c-xJDJ3jAbVQoBhvPxuZIMI/s720/jhuikuh.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="720" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vK7au1ISOl03V84JZ7_pYbSllyDXV4g-Vqh1IBD82KzO9VXJ_iglb1g49qlezfnm1KDEtvaLAGLwJ3pJVhyphenhyphenC84-H1qE1AF_frT8HZznwdoXPPymjaWk4nOeae1KQKKHb21N7tUB_MqoveHkQnWmeYJxZJLRtUaspfTp4c-xJDJ3jAbVQoBhvPxuZIMI/s320/jhuikuh.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Santa's Workshop</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
(1932)</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>The
Captain’s Christmas</b>” (1938)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Cookie Carnival</b>”
(1935)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Christmas
Comes But Once a Year</b>” (1936)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 Disney’s
“<b>The Little Match Girl</b>” (2006) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yx3E0ZXaNjT3xXy9tVHgT7NKR8ds2C1X5HjLGVAiHmEOkJT96Vo_hMva71V7KoNOtgTD-rj6AJrULOfcqUFctEghC40acXspl9uE9PbnYIj2MbPuO0pGbIJsZdh0rRRL6EaQz5KeW7Tb-upcLzdCAoT0KYoMnmkLY_9as08bH2pQF-c9XL6ylFbiXHM/s1925/fhtrty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1925" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yx3E0ZXaNjT3xXy9tVHgT7NKR8ds2C1X5HjLGVAiHmEOkJT96Vo_hMva71V7KoNOtgTD-rj6AJrULOfcqUFctEghC40acXspl9uE9PbnYIj2MbPuO0pGbIJsZdh0rRRL6EaQz5KeW7Tb-upcLzdCAoT0KYoMnmkLY_9as08bH2pQF-c9XL6ylFbiXHM/w277-h158/fhtrty.jpg" width="277" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0z6WwwyBcizG8g9FbvxNpirVOlUT_LdAM8Kcq0715p6hSDkZ5syQWu1Df5RPrfjxcVngO25Tz2a89BvsoXOLpvvJZp3XJlqgFTtlO4DQKB3764DU0XOsaeMOad_AruW93NkdynQn5cb2e2MkQVVuuVbF6klVoS5lOKd6f8pUGj1U_jFwKIcjR3fy0xTA/s300/796896.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0z6WwwyBcizG8g9FbvxNpirVOlUT_LdAM8Kcq0715p6hSDkZ5syQWu1Df5RPrfjxcVngO25Tz2a89BvsoXOLpvvJZp3XJlqgFTtlO4DQKB3764DU0XOsaeMOad_AruW93NkdynQn5cb2e2MkQVVuuVbF6klVoS5lOKd6f8pUGj1U_jFwKIcjR3fy0xTA/w159-h159/796896.jpg" width="159" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In this seven-minute short adapted from
the Hans Christian Anderson novel of the same name, a homeless little girl sets
out into the cold winter streets to make money selling matches, but
unfortunately, no one is buying. With the weather baring down hard, she seeks
warmth from the vary matches she was trying to sell, and begins to imagine
herself sharing a Christmas day with her late grandmother. I won’t spoil the
ending, but’s it’s among one of the most powerful moments I’ve ever experienced
in the realms of animation. Once again, this is a short that’s not directly
aimed at Christmas, but it’s set during the holiday season, and its simply
Disney at its finest. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKKCq8UoBgrxiwZJcvri95Wn_dDKeEPgyATQLLGJEn4NTncd3_X9xllrxRy9_PyV4K-Kyt0_7ub7r_PYf6n2Z93F4sFOAEY-Gr6cxIu9BUXn7nq5gKg04iYhZJBxAC19hCLLaU4df84AGTvkqe49F-bE_UrrFIZG6aruS5hE-IMr8blmhRHM8HejF9Zg/s535/yuituops.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="535" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKKCq8UoBgrxiwZJcvri95Wn_dDKeEPgyATQLLGJEn4NTncd3_X9xllrxRy9_PyV4K-Kyt0_7ub7r_PYf6n2Z93F4sFOAEY-Gr6cxIu9BUXn7nq5gKg04iYhZJBxAC19hCLLaU4df84AGTvkqe49F-bE_UrrFIZG6aruS5hE-IMr8blmhRHM8HejF9Zg/s320/yuituops.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s got great animation, and lots of heartfelt drama, as
it mainly focuses on the fragile nature of human life. It's a truly
heartwarming story that highlights the importance of hope, dreams, and helping
the innocent. I watch this short every year, and I never have a dry eye at the
end ... it’s just that moving. This short was also nominated at the Academy
Awards for Best Short film, but lost to “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Danish Poet</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Little Match Girl</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” in general has always been one of my favorite Christmas
stories. It’s a tail that my own late grandparents read to me all the time as a
kid, and I always felt it deserved its own holiday special. Thankfully, in the
absence of a motion picture, we have this terrific little Disney short that
ranks among the finest the studio has ever produced, and it’s personally my
favorite Christmas short.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7uPmbPOC3zToC1A9YkeniZSR1pk0to23jm24njdO5ZRqjYbHbPC10x_QeONTwOBJLrNe1fIMBuTWyCGMLBb4-GrClR7h1fzdGgAHMAtbOQTglLeh9mj2tpJvwhIqsPYCRl4DB5-C_iu88iflohwce9UMt7EqSOcWWDiY4ycC4-kgwg36QqNoUZMhBZM/s470/ytuyopd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="470" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7uPmbPOC3zToC1A9YkeniZSR1pk0to23jm24njdO5ZRqjYbHbPC10x_QeONTwOBJLrNe1fIMBuTWyCGMLBb4-GrClR7h1fzdGgAHMAtbOQTglLeh9mj2tpJvwhIqsPYCRl4DB5-C_iu88iflohwce9UMt7EqSOcWWDiY4ycC4-kgwg36QqNoUZMhBZM/w400-h216/ytuyopd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the specials you love! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Have <span style="color: #01ffff;">a</span> <span style="color: red;">Merry</span> <span style="color: #04ff00;">Christmas</span>! </b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-28097428386531997152023-12-16T08:26:00.000-08:002023-12-18T22:00:20.661-08:00Miracle on 34th Street (1947) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpJygvJowFkDHnescZPA5BCUTT6cAjPl7bvMPwY4zEY9ADoD5wHP31oLcH-oLD4jYmVb-Cjuf23Pfmd4NlmYTilbe2yXm7x10BMNyoDcgb4mtMmYBwJsxblF2BP_MC5-4MFyT_FfO1lqZG3SJhCZ6kB1a-d60hPOPdhTZYgt9HxhGZyA8loeKsgpFZ7c/s2150/ygjgy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2150" data-original-width="1523" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpJygvJowFkDHnescZPA5BCUTT6cAjPl7bvMPwY4zEY9ADoD5wHP31oLcH-oLD4jYmVb-Cjuf23Pfmd4NlmYTilbe2yXm7x10BMNyoDcgb4mtMmYBwJsxblF2BP_MC5-4MFyT_FfO1lqZG3SJhCZ6kB1a-d60hPOPdhTZYgt9HxhGZyA8loeKsgpFZ7c/w284-h400/ygjgy.jpg" width="284" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> A common staple in Christmas specials is an
element of fantasy or magic, with stories or settings that embraces a sense of
wonder and imagination. While I certainly enjoy the more fantastical elements
associated with the season, I also feel that the sign of a truly great
Christmas movie is one that has no magical elements at all, and yet … still
feels like a magical experience. In this regard, the 1947 classic “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on 34</b><sup style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">th</sup><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” stands out as one of the all-time best, as
there’s no magical elements in the film at all, but the experience still feels
very wonderous and enchanting all the same. Like a fine wine, it’s one of those
old pictures that just seems to get better with age. For me, I actually find
myself forgetting I love this movie … until I sit-down and watch it again for
the holiday season, and I’m like … “Oh Yeah, this movie is still great.” There’s
definitely a reason it continues to appear on lists of the best Christmas
movies. While I might have one or two reservations with this film, I still feel
it holds-up as a classic. By extent, it has a place among my Christmas favorites too, and is well
worth revisiting and discussing.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eCr3bDLkNvTarApwWB5mbq6IlDcJTjpxALwvCpvAESxoDJ0mr__jlJcGwTk23skwrygSjw2BmqpLFTDk6C0xKOHm4V-sCHq7fQLRpoHQ14dZis64ve6dt0xA344d6mgKBLBmlZ3zKRchuSXOBEXi0SiJ_Q-1_Ry-I_xWsJFRdnAdo4y5X-WKDRov8wQ/s560/gfjgj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="560" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eCr3bDLkNvTarApwWB5mbq6IlDcJTjpxALwvCpvAESxoDJ0mr__jlJcGwTk23skwrygSjw2BmqpLFTDk6C0xKOHm4V-sCHq7fQLRpoHQ14dZis64ve6dt0xA344d6mgKBLBmlZ3zKRchuSXOBEXi0SiJ_Q-1_Ry-I_xWsJFRdnAdo4y5X-WKDRov8wQ/w269-h165/gfjgj.jpg" width="269" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5B4PWOd77enNaFUlpyZBdakH7ZRGnoikmwvZW7ftVYtoawhvSAvwq5wKN2xPOxGVDtAM6RmtnSJSE0CoxdkVpCb7p6t0L7YFRdJ98jTCTgmSJB9ROzrpXYgYe_V_KqgRn475SYS6O7qTDbxOM13v_tsk3zr5eDoiXhh7AZC3V0ktfGzr41RTRVmX8nA/s720/xcvret.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5B4PWOd77enNaFUlpyZBdakH7ZRGnoikmwvZW7ftVYtoawhvSAvwq5wKN2xPOxGVDtAM6RmtnSJSE0CoxdkVpCb7p6t0L7YFRdJ98jTCTgmSJB9ROzrpXYgYe_V_KqgRn475SYS6O7qTDbxOM13v_tsk3zr5eDoiXhh7AZC3V0ktfGzr41RTRVmX8nA/w214-h165/xcvret.jpg" width="214" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We open on Macy’s Annual Thanksgiving Day
Parade, and everyone is in the spirit for a new holiday season. However, before
the parade can get going, the leading Santa is caught drinking, and removed
from the event. At the last minute, the parades manager Mrs. Walker singles out
a kind old gentleman from the crowd to stand-in for the jolly one, and by
extent take a position as the Macy’s department store Santa Claus. Not only is
the guy a picture-perfect Kris Kringle, but his warmth, and persona is simply brimming
with the spirit of the holiday. Things get interesting when this kind old man
reveals himself to be the genuine article … the real Santa Claus. While he has
no real magical capabilities to back-up his claim, he still insists that the
people of New York just need to have faith in him. This comes much to the
irritation of Mrs. Walker, who only believes in practical things, and views fantasies
as harmful. Caught in the middle is Mrs. Walkers young daughter Susan, who wants
to see things her mother’s way, but is also very open to the kind words and
thoughtful ideas that Kris Kringle provides to her. However, the longer Kris
claims to be Santa, the more he turns some worried heads, resulting in him
being put on trial, to determine once and for all if he really is Santa Claus.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHWBCw22RK0Ugmz3NEEmcwuvGCqMxinO3b-cAQ6USHOmCDvqrAA9pZjLSayKmir2CamKpX_BGwmyiikHMn81LI5NF6ceoGiBN2TK69e9g7tRkCXjjfW4-aeXrX0hyphenhyphendnNRiI01AplbLA6CtnHmL5jb_J5ymF0Py0rtSkXqzcoOdLUQqLYOz4jyPtJKG70/s640/uknm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHWBCw22RK0Ugmz3NEEmcwuvGCqMxinO3b-cAQ6USHOmCDvqrAA9pZjLSayKmir2CamKpX_BGwmyiikHMn81LI5NF6ceoGiBN2TK69e9g7tRkCXjjfW4-aeXrX0hyphenhyphendnNRiI01AplbLA6CtnHmL5jb_J5ymF0Py0rtSkXqzcoOdLUQqLYOz4jyPtJKG70/w224-h186/uknm.jpg" width="224" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjxROXyIkNwdQ5xoGt3Z1Uj9pCKarFBmjbzdRseLMfOaDz9hLZPCzjph56QmODnG9e7-j-usIRkS8yjmYUAPFS5dRAHZG2r3lzerIh5viL3iiW22c-rFop1nea3q0hqNOdr27alE-hJWusk_SHGmNestUb7h2wVfq8K-n_4r2lxad_eQq7HIAElU1XNs/s720/wp.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjxROXyIkNwdQ5xoGt3Z1Uj9pCKarFBmjbzdRseLMfOaDz9hLZPCzjph56QmODnG9e7-j-usIRkS8yjmYUAPFS5dRAHZG2r3lzerIh5viL3iiW22c-rFop1nea3q0hqNOdr27alE-hJWusk_SHGmNestUb7h2wVfq8K-n_4r2lxad_eQq7HIAElU1XNs/w244-h187/wp.jpg" width="244" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> As a quick side note, when this movie was first
released in the United Kingdom, it was originally called “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Big Heart</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
… kind of ironic as the films story was written by a man named Valentine …
Valentine Davies to be precise. He came-up with the original story for the
film, and would later write a short novelization of “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on 34</b><sup style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">th</sup><b style="font-size: 12pt;">
Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which was likewise a best-seller that same year. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhDz4Y9Jv8_kd-NWhibM6TPTjkvJIeklK8byQx3PGOKJSngObLYCwPXizjIZcjsbR5gVWFJFZPJoy_2hkXvy_FDBKHNrJkzZ8RVuq37ff6P8aPyktBv7qvISo_gb26TMt98FjJh9KSRK98CU57wwkI67xrBy5E3dg9FdnjC-WONPZE_wPw-Crf3N3sPU/s1280/thyrt.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="973" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhDz4Y9Jv8_kd-NWhibM6TPTjkvJIeklK8byQx3PGOKJSngObLYCwPXizjIZcjsbR5gVWFJFZPJoy_2hkXvy_FDBKHNrJkzZ8RVuq37ff6P8aPyktBv7qvISo_gb26TMt98FjJh9KSRK98CU57wwkI67xrBy5E3dg9FdnjC-WONPZE_wPw-Crf3N3sPU/s320/thyrt.jpg" width="243" /></a></span></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Back when I was a little kid, I was first introduced to the story through the 1994 remake, staring Richard Attenborough, which I had a great deal of fondness for. As
such, it took me a while to finally sit-down and watch the original classic.
Needless to say, this film quickly won me over, and has its place among my
annual Christmas re-watches. The film is honestly quiet engaging for such an
old 1940’s picture. Director and screen writer George Seaton knew just the
right tone, with a fine balance of both hummer and drama, without going too far
on either front. It’s hard to put into words, but there really is this
infectious charm to the film. This was also one of the very first Black and
White movies to be colorized, and for me, it only adds to the appeal of the
film. I usually prefer when original Black and White movies are left alone … in
fact, many old movies look better without color. However, “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on 34</b><sup style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">th</sup><b style="font-size: 12pt;">
Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is an exception, as it’s so decorative, that the color really makes
the visual design pop with all these greens, reds, golds, and brightly colored
outfits. Honestly, this film looks like it was meant to be shot in color, and they just didn’t have the money for it back then … but that’s just me speculating.
Most DVD releases have both colored and Black and White versions attached, so
you can have your pick, and for my liking, I always go with the colored
version. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5ESm_PxAVRA-fO_mVfacMMzpZTcID6BMikH589Urrjku4EaOKwsArvbzH2qdLksduPcu03N2gvzOag_48bZzMV2sg-hD0qHL2oafrrOMUxkRxeVdsqNKDDZ24fJoBJirDPRov6vS_fP6X-uJzYhogqG_9V9zkbj6w3nx_DWHow6ZTiwWxvPvY-jZ_3E/s720/resw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5ESm_PxAVRA-fO_mVfacMMzpZTcID6BMikH589Urrjku4EaOKwsArvbzH2qdLksduPcu03N2gvzOag_48bZzMV2sg-hD0qHL2oafrrOMUxkRxeVdsqNKDDZ24fJoBJirDPRov6vS_fP6X-uJzYhogqG_9V9zkbj6w3nx_DWHow6ZTiwWxvPvY-jZ_3E/w245-h194/resw.jpg" width="245" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdWQ9s-VJu_Wrj_8DsiZYOYl-YXZSCgpGJUlRdf0Mgr55T4moqeWvZ-5-W-tKIGyQNxLPfA-gXbZ1FnQQdG5b0LrzzTkMGOeY9sVz1jfiMtGlV98phcDNGOiKMvbCg8o6dhV9A66RpyN4hAthUGdARsk_xabn7oisqoypk__ch299vVq86bECad4wv00/s964/Picture4.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="964" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdWQ9s-VJu_Wrj_8DsiZYOYl-YXZSCgpGJUlRdf0Mgr55T4moqeWvZ-5-W-tKIGyQNxLPfA-gXbZ1FnQQdG5b0LrzzTkMGOeY9sVz1jfiMtGlV98phcDNGOiKMvbCg8o6dhV9A66RpyN4hAthUGdARsk_xabn7oisqoypk__ch299vVq86bECad4wv00/w247-h195/Picture4.jpg" width="247" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from the technical details … the main appeal
to this film without question is it’s cast of characters. Maureen O’ Hara stars
as Doris Walker, and she finds that perfect balance as a mother closed-off to
the world of imagination and fantasies, but she isn’t a dry stick in the mud
either, and still shows signs of being hopefully optimistic. I also grew-up
with many of John Wayne's classic movies, and Maureen O’ Hara was always my
favorite reoccurring actress to appear in his films … my sister was even named
after her character from “<b>The Quiet Man</b>”. She was also very memorable in
the role of Esmerelda from the 1939 version of “<b>The Hunchback of Notre Dame</b>”.
As such, I loved seeing such a familiar actress to me in this film. Maureen O’
Hara was actually reluctant to the role at first, mainly because she had just moved
back home to Ireland post World War 2, but was quickly won-over to the film
once she read the script. Acting opposite her is John Payne as Mr. Gailey,
who’s a subtle love interest, and later a representative to Kris Kringle when
he eventually goes on trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebiiUKdWCNOYasiaF0mA80FgZvfANPdvboaoVFYJzssXupsFm6E5x8mufYI1Kpkcl4TmhfmfcCuJkTQjD5IcZZ_SVObRKPUCNTdOuZK0xf-TM-H56JbbI_R_J4TtkFoPq3v1PgnlxVjwzwYa65vV5qPisWaObKoCNpr37tXc0gfT_WBjOew7lKHCFvWs/s500/erwvcx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="355" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebiiUKdWCNOYasiaF0mA80FgZvfANPdvboaoVFYJzssXupsFm6E5x8mufYI1Kpkcl4TmhfmfcCuJkTQjD5IcZZ_SVObRKPUCNTdOuZK0xf-TM-H56JbbI_R_J4TtkFoPq3v1PgnlxVjwzwYa65vV5qPisWaObKoCNpr37tXc0gfT_WBjOew7lKHCFvWs/w175-h247/erwvcx.jpg" width="175" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirspfe8JAVVa7V-VqEXa67yu0ceWVuryeQkraWOObz6ci3r60-JJJua_u6KVFUAo3fL9uhdI4-OhUKXdT1DSFnWRHikOky_VsWPgVlS4DuedYGYbMFuxwDEMeCZHRuk7DrwSwG5d3PXhErrcC1SZXo-DL-EgG54pUpvnBRsT8j8zsseTWKh1H41xN-eBE/s720/srswew.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirspfe8JAVVa7V-VqEXa67yu0ceWVuryeQkraWOObz6ci3r60-JJJua_u6KVFUAo3fL9uhdI4-OhUKXdT1DSFnWRHikOky_VsWPgVlS4DuedYGYbMFuxwDEMeCZHRuk7DrwSwG5d3PXhErrcC1SZXo-DL-EgG54pUpvnBRsT8j8zsseTWKh1H41xN-eBE/w262-h246/srswew.jpg" width="262" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> All the supporting actors in this film have
their own screen appeal, including Gene Lockhart as Judge Harper, who’s legally
bound to rule a verdict on Kris Kringle, and all while subtly showing signs
that he’s rooting for him. Porter Hall plays the antagonistic Mr. Sawyer, who
views Kris Kringle as a crazy loon, and while he’s a nasty worm, he isn’t a
one-note mustache-twirling crook either. This is a guy who certainly comes off
as slimy, but also deludes himself into believing he’s doing the community a favor. In comparison, the 1994 remake has stock, one-note bad guys, who wear all their tropes on their sleeves, and it just never worked for me. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb311VUioG4sxEWboazlZZ0L7AEa7Eu1WITnqYDTTsJm74NcwYg5jxr3XvTbqyFHUVXyF9sZtQuocFbfW7rv9_6X3GhBanFgxtJIQm73f55lSzTP1pfYx8f2ECZDX1GChkJrfa6hfoO4fLUOsbY1WWO47NyhpQlsqZ6iRKiMlQKQKL9PHv_xMqi_gry-8/s720/uio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb311VUioG4sxEWboazlZZ0L7AEa7Eu1WITnqYDTTsJm74NcwYg5jxr3XvTbqyFHUVXyF9sZtQuocFbfW7rv9_6X3GhBanFgxtJIQm73f55lSzTP1pfYx8f2ECZDX1GChkJrfa6hfoO4fLUOsbY1WWO47NyhpQlsqZ6iRKiMlQKQKL9PHv_xMqi_gry-8/w243-h237/uio.jpg" width="243" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwFm8UBDTKq7qk5wO_pBOMjr-K-8Ducvy8r1ZLl8CFDvXXfRftuvwkI_p_2zzuHAYk-uTMkeDF6L-JAuZ446Ms52ewO-LAIYnsKUBvKeY5hyphenhyphenikEawePjK6LnvBw1SBBzKaIZm35LxxfZ-uBiQJ5iXSj12KjPSJ_9BDPL4J-WVhphr4Jyh_tOYAcPjWUk/s544/oipf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="404" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwFm8UBDTKq7qk5wO_pBOMjr-K-8Ducvy8r1ZLl8CFDvXXfRftuvwkI_p_2zzuHAYk-uTMkeDF6L-JAuZ446Ms52ewO-LAIYnsKUBvKeY5hyphenhyphenikEawePjK6LnvBw1SBBzKaIZm35LxxfZ-uBiQJ5iXSj12KjPSJ_9BDPL4J-WVhphr4Jyh_tOYAcPjWUk/w177-h237/oipf.jpg" width="177" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Of course, I can’t forget the young Natalie Wood in her breakout role as little
Susan. She has amazing chemistry with all her co-stars, and naturally is quite
lovable, without ever being too cute in her delivery. The first time I ever saw
Natalie Wood was in John Wayne’s 1956 Western classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Searchers</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
then I really took note of her in the 1961 musical “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">West Side Story</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
and finally, I became a big fan of the actress when I saw her comedic chops on
display in the 1965 comedy “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Great Race</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. It took me a while to
discover she was one of the most cherished child-stars of the late 40’s, and
her role in “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on 34th Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was definitely a high-mark for her.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6_DuGg87Q2C8X7BEx8KL2VX4fNTv1xfzvpzHqHruvGmFHJrw0j6vMUjtzVLwGMfSbhvum3kGYuYCJxXAJJzCHYcBwf_cFp8uQEUc2EyhZ5P9Qb2SWkmtbviN6oKeChAsznkrZjohkI90VMEYO1Qo2dg5IOI1_mNYElPGfpqzDu7V3eN64ZdoRnlaH54/s720/vfx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6_DuGg87Q2C8X7BEx8KL2VX4fNTv1xfzvpzHqHruvGmFHJrw0j6vMUjtzVLwGMfSbhvum3kGYuYCJxXAJJzCHYcBwf_cFp8uQEUc2EyhZ5P9Qb2SWkmtbviN6oKeChAsznkrZjohkI90VMEYO1Qo2dg5IOI1_mNYElPGfpqzDu7V3eN64ZdoRnlaH54/w237-h178/vfx.jpg" width="237" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAzpaHcXmoIJ4edtlr27unDT5OE_4POu144hnMd5_D7_Ahw5JNdL7GD1RuGtbmhK3lmfFHXarpbhxCID4KRa03Qg_9WsSG2fsQ7b_gv2Su-5tjbiyu9OoB2ghMJKjIdlmpQdDDyorhpP_L5xk-OC_5IV9zd892wL3vd4XADDAtQX4S25anlkvxO0NhkY/s500/titytit.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAzpaHcXmoIJ4edtlr27unDT5OE_4POu144hnMd5_D7_Ahw5JNdL7GD1RuGtbmhK3lmfFHXarpbhxCID4KRa03Qg_9WsSG2fsQ7b_gv2Su-5tjbiyu9OoB2ghMJKjIdlmpQdDDyorhpP_L5xk-OC_5IV9zd892wL3vd4XADDAtQX4S25anlkvxO0NhkY/w239-h177/titytit.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At last, rounding-up this incredible cast is
Edmund Gwen in the role of Kris Kringle. This is easily one of the all-time
great portrayals of Santa, and rightfully won him the Academy Award for best
supporting actor. This is the movie that presented Santa on the human spectrum,
and it’s Edmund Gwenn’s performance that makes the character feel so convincing
as a normal man creating this illusion of being so much more. I also love that
this Santa is something of a schemer, one who sets-up ideas and motions, and
then watches everything fall into place. He knows he can’t perform real miracles,
but his gears are constantly turning, and he’s always thinking of ways to
pull-off what seem like impossible feats for one man. Being a warm screen
presence would have been fine enough, but it really is the subtle details in
Gwen’s performance, that of a quiet mastermind, which makes this Santa feel so
unique among all the others I’ve ever seen on film.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9RwL0f6rSRuLLWonJ3dHmgm_YIvrunT0LL1_2CHKQBijcoihTP_qzzP9O-mYkTWOfGLs7vbSnT3ZjRfWjRokMk61Dt4QcD446kHbC40AaI94LkWdMSsqfRdooW7Y70dO4oJgWWIBI-PcdmZYwbnXEpqZtGefrMeaUVl7gn3lP5IsjofIsLo1o8RIAfg/s560/tyutr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="560" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9RwL0f6rSRuLLWonJ3dHmgm_YIvrunT0LL1_2CHKQBijcoihTP_qzzP9O-mYkTWOfGLs7vbSnT3ZjRfWjRokMk61Dt4QcD446kHbC40AaI94LkWdMSsqfRdooW7Y70dO4oJgWWIBI-PcdmZYwbnXEpqZtGefrMeaUVl7gn3lP5IsjofIsLo1o8RIAfg/w263-h175/tyutr.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC1bTpp7QdR8RDYxfvlHG93-TlyTwY5WOdEpyq13JyAgSRdm3aSngizuNlD3Yruj8n_4Rzbd_cqasJjD5g0oSge4rPnV4KPLO4glTTGTT7CLidqKdICcq5cEtvewc64f3_YAbb_jpnDvdMV0Z2NwgpbtiKvz_wniw1DAWN5rx59xtRfciAYYDPb9-XIg/s720/serxdtf.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixC1bTpp7QdR8RDYxfvlHG93-TlyTwY5WOdEpyq13JyAgSRdm3aSngizuNlD3Yruj8n_4Rzbd_cqasJjD5g0oSge4rPnV4KPLO4glTTGTT7CLidqKdICcq5cEtvewc64f3_YAbb_jpnDvdMV0Z2NwgpbtiKvz_wniw1DAWN5rx59xtRfciAYYDPb9-XIg/w234-h175/serxdtf.jpg" width="234" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once we segue into the films third act, the
movie becomes a courtroom drama, but it still maintains its signature charm
that can appeal to younger viewers. There’s a very cute moment when the prosecutor’s
son is called to the witness stand, and a moment where we visually see what the
manager of Macy’s Toys thinks when asked about Kris being Santa … which is
kind of cheesy, but delightful all the same. At the end, the court house
receives several hundred letters addressed to Santa Claus (they were part of
the postal services dead letter collection), all now meant for Kris. Thus, the
argument is made that the Post Office, a branch of the U.S. federal government
has acknowledged Kris as the one and only Santa. This admittedly brings me to
one of my reservations with the film, as I feel the final verdict is more
cleaver in legally proving a case, but doesn’t really tie-in with the moral of
the film. The overarching theme is about keeping one’s faith and beliefs alive
in a practical world, and while the letter argument is fine, I just never felt
like it complimented the message.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Gc8_WcbgQyzBi0AfgMX9yvDLLtVIOMum01PpOmfTql3C2do0qdnOtroQ4Yk9Bsp9q4J88BOXCBAVGxcQ3NcC_56YNnl_uRh3pCsctS2nKyXldEcGagQ30GmXGP0UdZhJMadtgBoNB3AJbpBjD2EI-W2LEsleUuyWcPUZ54q-wXjkh4AT3o77el8K5EI/s360/gfhcgj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="360" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Gc8_WcbgQyzBi0AfgMX9yvDLLtVIOMum01PpOmfTql3C2do0qdnOtroQ4Yk9Bsp9q4J88BOXCBAVGxcQ3NcC_56YNnl_uRh3pCsctS2nKyXldEcGagQ30GmXGP0UdZhJMadtgBoNB3AJbpBjD2EI-W2LEsleUuyWcPUZ54q-wXjkh4AT3o77el8K5EI/w264-h176/gfhcgj.jpg" width="264" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdw8E3N7Llhbc7zZchai14bnnn9llF9xSjYtvA9L4xGuKTf5m8zjiEdz2F4dobxHJxN20J-aJWne7cT2AqP4CaCYduk5WNjH9vUgU2QdiWDX4dXOjXcrq1cXNrQwcgClWK_XmeGOOx8npQ1vtObEzRhyphenhyphenXCT48bb1jTZM3BKQ7gMJhoFuYoU5hGSMpnhc/s720/iopnbg.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdw8E3N7Llhbc7zZchai14bnnn9llF9xSjYtvA9L4xGuKTf5m8zjiEdz2F4dobxHJxN20J-aJWne7cT2AqP4CaCYduk5WNjH9vUgU2QdiWDX4dXOjXcrq1cXNrQwcgClWK_XmeGOOx8npQ1vtObEzRhyphenhyphenXCT48bb1jTZM3BKQ7gMJhoFuYoU5hGSMpnhc/w218-h177/iopnbg.jpg" width="218" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where I want to put a spot-light on
the 1994 remake, because while it’s overall not as good a movie, I do feel the
final verdict more suitably compliments the films message. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh11un3b3Gt4uJyAyVH7KX-gEK1y536sjtdAUleRMyQhpgL4yf-O0LctktBuLLTfm16UzYPS5uOrm0yCCT5-XEggnidQInpGL17Yl5bH-2NmYSt3nbXOskHxn-smPq__6_shIw3-cOLzOMG7OkArdZyhx25zfGF0sc07Q-_nXRHZqBRVH51wbjTYhLwcc/s480/yt.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="480" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh11un3b3Gt4uJyAyVH7KX-gEK1y536sjtdAUleRMyQhpgL4yf-O0LctktBuLLTfm16UzYPS5uOrm0yCCT5-XEggnidQInpGL17Yl5bH-2NmYSt3nbXOskHxn-smPq__6_shIw3-cOLzOMG7OkArdZyhx25zfGF0sc07Q-_nXRHZqBRVH51wbjTYhLwcc/s320/yt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the remake, the judge gives a passionate speech about the collective faith of people who believe in something greater than themselves, like the belief in God, which is based solely on faith alone without any real facts. He then determines that be a similar example, there is a Santa, and that he exists within a man named Kris Kringle. Back in the original, the judge is very quick to dismiss the case without any speech, and it just never felt as satisfying by comparison. Thankfully, when the original dose convey it's moral, it comes from Mrs. Walker, highlighting that this was her story, and now she's ready to live in a practical world, while still keeping hope and faith alive. That's all very good, and we get a traditional happy ending with everyone coming together in a new house as a family at the end, and it's hinted that it was all Kris Kringl's doing. Once again, I must confess, I don't like where the film chose to close-out, with Mr. Gailey commenting "Maybe I didn't do such a good thing after all." ... that always felt kind of off-putting to me.</span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSARQUZ7ovJLkSOUU-P328-HlS6_s0lvgd0crr7H1qh13WQbgq0SpV2YzQCwgkg4pE3IdknKVqyxGhsg5o9CZtj1mous7ctchTCoVWcMtVGKPg8h_8qY_0rI1Fh8mN4Hh0TQplT9tBgEyUdgx_Nb9VOo3Vby8jalAar2GeGvZ79nHbgMZqpYL_7tpRl8A/s637/iophjvb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="637" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSARQUZ7ovJLkSOUU-P328-HlS6_s0lvgd0crr7H1qh13WQbgq0SpV2YzQCwgkg4pE3IdknKVqyxGhsg5o9CZtj1mous7ctchTCoVWcMtVGKPg8h_8qY_0rI1Fh8mN4Hh0TQplT9tBgEyUdgx_Nb9VOo3Vby8jalAar2GeGvZ79nHbgMZqpYL_7tpRl8A/w242-h185/iophjvb.jpg" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fQQUCF9a3IKrokE8-4sVOKEDHiwpfNAnmQoqnXbO8dJRV3tXPhtsVkZmg_XMVJSrN_MuR7n_-qmVcgkUKXuUrsUxc2L-s9UCBZ1YOjZMn-7YvvCEkqrN3QDGWXGl6QfihgMSk29iZqWvoZNjpMcLy9O_hvdv01G6-Frd6ys7h70ZVSBzscbkl5XFTfg/s634/fhtrutyu.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="634" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fQQUCF9a3IKrokE8-4sVOKEDHiwpfNAnmQoqnXbO8dJRV3tXPhtsVkZmg_XMVJSrN_MuR7n_-qmVcgkUKXuUrsUxc2L-s9UCBZ1YOjZMn-7YvvCEkqrN3QDGWXGl6QfihgMSk29iZqWvoZNjpMcLy9O_hvdv01G6-Frd6ys7h70ZVSBzscbkl5XFTfg/w252-h186/fhtrutyu.jpg" width="252" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Putting aside those little hang-ups, I still
love this movie all-around, and there’s no denying that “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on 34</b><sup style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">th</sup><b style="font-size: 12pt;">
Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” has its well-deserved place among all the classic holiday
offerings. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically
or aesthetically significant”. Along with Edmund Gwenn wining the Oscar for
Best Supporting Actor, Valentine Davies won the Academy Award for Best Original
Story, and George Seaton won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkftg_7q8MXdxDw4x8a50lIPWvctpjwP9aptc4T3nBr8ogxqFrwxkS4eZajsB1aUFazU3OvjqHgyrsJdKps0kK66RPJULb5fKKhgbtirGUnuankRXXRE7-fyHRiAn2u8DtYeBMJ1uYJ_1eoFTd7s7tO_oL0ms5r7VspJR0OUETwlEzBTqWgXx7g0aqLp4/s560/nmjhuiop.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="560" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkftg_7q8MXdxDw4x8a50lIPWvctpjwP9aptc4T3nBr8ogxqFrwxkS4eZajsB1aUFazU3OvjqHgyrsJdKps0kK66RPJULb5fKKhgbtirGUnuankRXXRE7-fyHRiAn2u8DtYeBMJ1uYJ_1eoFTd7s7tO_oL0ms5r7VspJR0OUETwlEzBTqWgXx7g0aqLp4/s320/nmjhuiop.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The film
was even nominated for Best Picture, but lost to the 1947 Drama “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Gentleman’s
Agreement</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, staring Gregory Peck. I personally would have rather seen “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on 34</b><sup style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">th</sup><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” win Best Picture, but it was still a cool rarity
for a family Christmas movie to even be nominated … although, I should probably
note that “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Bishops Wife</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was also nominated that same year, and that
too is a holiday staple. In the end, if your someone who loves watching
Christmas movies during the holiday season, I’d say the original “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on
34</b><sup style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">th</sup><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is required viewing. It’s able to convey a
thoughtful message without being overly sentimental, it’s visually appealing,
and the cast is extraordinary. More to the point, like I said in the opening,
it really is one of those rare Christmas offerings that leaves you feeling like
you experienced something magical, without any real fantastical elements on
display.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaRQHRX7vs9piea4GRzpiIdW9ZlBu3D9L8-HbTh-PQMSeWdf23lg-izBRhC_yt_dAU2Lq1b24pQICadlaaAC58DUHOWbXgVEaWcmqrd-oJ6qf76cDS30HjDw1JsjfjbBeqUPpoNI-5oVgw7Nibo7xHKcv31ZD-Xln4gMwQOKlgOqlSLe_tsg3j9rGwIo/s403/oipfgvb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="403" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaRQHRX7vs9piea4GRzpiIdW9ZlBu3D9L8-HbTh-PQMSeWdf23lg-izBRhC_yt_dAU2Lq1b24pQICadlaaAC58DUHOWbXgVEaWcmqrd-oJ6qf76cDS30HjDw1JsjfjbBeqUPpoNI-5oVgw7Nibo7xHKcv31ZD-Xln4gMwQOKlgOqlSLe_tsg3j9rGwIo/w400-h266/oipfgvb.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 1947 Christmas classic “</span><b>Miracle</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> on 34</b><sup style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">th</sup><b style="font-size: 12pt;">
Street</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” … and continue to enjoy the holiday specials and movies you Love! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-62979143163417455472023-12-05T08:36:00.000-08:002023-12-05T22:35:30.604-08:00Family Matters and All their Christmas Episodes <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZE6DzZqZ10QPU5pF3NAMw2B8Kp2jSTUxXpZ9Jr0zwJ_4zDgoN8VlGC3n9-pLWr6yWhZ9gFMmIL2Ksj_qYhdd4svHNx0SpsH2BNOtj_GEi1tu44qX9wSu_1JGCRCPE0NdMcoMBfpVm2AhyF2yWGZ5lP0R_-dgp6W4rA7LUdndfNcWzKEoNz1LXxhyphenhyphencsrw/s1160/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1160" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZE6DzZqZ10QPU5pF3NAMw2B8Kp2jSTUxXpZ9Jr0zwJ_4zDgoN8VlGC3n9-pLWr6yWhZ9gFMmIL2Ksj_qYhdd4svHNx0SpsH2BNOtj_GEi1tu44qX9wSu_1JGCRCPE0NdMcoMBfpVm2AhyF2yWGZ5lP0R_-dgp6W4rA7LUdndfNcWzKEoNz1LXxhyphenhyphencsrw/w285-h168/Picture3.jpg" width="285" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRwJ2jpnQZSzTEJRg65cRp4JJWkX0Btm_-nQ9zt5O26mzKUEoMS__11V-duMP8lJae_WMXdFfadG15JQJJSYk7ffZAg-F-s_30joUXm2kIqUghVMjh1iNe3xFPBlqU4qN40kXTkLLvq4lMZGlOOZQAHaCzafIoWe4DSxccNoQKKQzsIzfHIXOb4eW0SU/s1600/oipuiyi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRwJ2jpnQZSzTEJRg65cRp4JJWkX0Btm_-nQ9zt5O26mzKUEoMS__11V-duMP8lJae_WMXdFfadG15JQJJSYk7ffZAg-F-s_30joUXm2kIqUghVMjh1iNe3xFPBlqU4qN40kXTkLLvq4lMZGlOOZQAHaCzafIoWe4DSxccNoQKKQzsIzfHIXOb4eW0SU/w229-h168/oipuiyi.jpg" width="229" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good old “<b>Family Matters</b>”, it was one
of ABC’s most successful family sit-coms, running from 1989 to 1997, and ended
up becoming a staple of TGIF. In the beginning, the show followed Officer Carl
Winslow, played by Reginald VelJohnson, and his African American family, the
Winslow’s, in all the humorous, yet heart felt and somewhat relatable offerings
one would expect from a family sitcom. Things changed when the goofy, and nerdy
next door neighbor Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, came on the scene to
steal the show. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoi4fpyJQlgl1N2JnoHqyUJLGIQWe9aeRM-44cTzCyeJrTyLIgDr-Ib1eHI1kVSJPze3-0WcfDq7QloGwULbAT8fpvOpVpbdXD1RfCWDvcS-svrKsP_MSRDFdEM8GM8ycBkav62PAZbILmO-Q_rbh4DvzMamCKQThqv5taUjkUurCRJiT45UQrRganLA/s250/oip809.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="250" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoi4fpyJQlgl1N2JnoHqyUJLGIQWe9aeRM-44cTzCyeJrTyLIgDr-Ib1eHI1kVSJPze3-0WcfDq7QloGwULbAT8fpvOpVpbdXD1RfCWDvcS-svrKsP_MSRDFdEM8GM8ycBkav62PAZbILmO-Q_rbh4DvzMamCKQThqv5taUjkUurCRJiT45UQrRganLA/w263-h196/oip809.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Originally meant as one-off character, he became a main stay in
season 2, and eventually became the shows main character. Not only did the show
become a full-on comedy series, but it also got re-tooled into a Science
Fiction series, with Steve coming-up with all kinds of outlandish contraptions,
and goofy oddities ensuing. This made the shows frequently annual Christmas
episodes all the more fun to look forward to, because with Steve Urkel, and the
shows unpredictable nature … there was no-telling what kind of cheer and
delight you’d get along with all the laughs and mayhem. So, I thought it would
be fun to go through each of the shows individual Christmas episodes, and see
how they hold-up.</span><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #00b050;">Have Yourself a Merry Winslow Christmas</span></b>”
(Season 2, Episode 13)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8Q4-PZOfOMZoc-BojYisB8TSosmY_2xwbpSSu4RwIa4ARuSSK7OAynSwqS4YzaPVFMvceKtM_EiC5ibHDdieE7QMylGWXAEePOFD6dDj-g5EuQKK7OAASjSj2ftblS48leMKI3rov2c-HsaUIc0M_pMC1OSyVOlSv5xxP2S-9_DY6suOvaWbUo15KwE/s960/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="960" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8Q4-PZOfOMZoc-BojYisB8TSosmY_2xwbpSSu4RwIa4ARuSSK7OAynSwqS4YzaPVFMvceKtM_EiC5ibHDdieE7QMylGWXAEePOFD6dDj-g5EuQKK7OAASjSj2ftblS48leMKI3rov2c-HsaUIc0M_pMC1OSyVOlSv5xxP2S-9_DY6suOvaWbUo15KwE/w335-h162/Picture2.jpg" width="335" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For the very
first Christmas outing with the Winslow family, things are bright and cheery at
home, and everyone’s in a jolly mood … then Steve Urkel shows-up announcing
that he’s been left all-alone for the holiday season, naturally playing on the
family’s sympathy … and much to Laura Winslow’s displeasure, as Steve is
frequently putting the moves on her. It doesn’t take long for Urkel’s clumsy
nature to get the worst of him, resulting in a tipped over tree, and shattering
Laura’s treasured antic ornament. Furious, she sends Urkel back to his lonely
basement to spend the rest of the holiday season alone, prompting this
sentimental remark … “If that makes you happy, that’ll be my Christmas gift to
you”. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6GmAmbLvnjjgyGNgmhg9szO2hhCHfn2LlcJSF3KYqP4kVajmLPSsPkWT14aUWKsKBqURiUBn2LcM6dhlKkhb7dFoN-HVqHcqOPeJx4a13WNJ5lwU8Yf4NzvQlxU339CzAXVNmKNO6rcFKNqrtD0qaCiQX_a2nf7FqHWzl-WgJhR-5rEnZZozPHOj87w/s1082/yiuyop.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1082" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6GmAmbLvnjjgyGNgmhg9szO2hhCHfn2LlcJSF3KYqP4kVajmLPSsPkWT14aUWKsKBqURiUBn2LcM6dhlKkhb7dFoN-HVqHcqOPeJx4a13WNJ5lwU8Yf4NzvQlxU339CzAXVNmKNO6rcFKNqrtD0qaCiQX_a2nf7FqHWzl-WgJhR-5rEnZZozPHOj87w/s320/yiuyop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What follows is one of those morbid moments that’s both funny and sad, as
we see Steve alone in his cold basement, with nothing but a tipped-over tree
and single letter to bring him cheer. Eventually, Laura comes around to
apologize and invite him back over for Christmas. This results in a classic
funny reaction from Steve, who’s so overwhelmed, he falls over on his
back-side, and quotes the famous 90’s phrase “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up”!
There’s also a sub-plot with Carl Winslow on a mission to find a special toy
for little Nicky, which is flying off the shelves, and his very hard to get,
especially when dealing with the crazy mob of shoppers … kind of feels like a
pre-curser to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1996 film “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Jingle all the Way</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtko9sLTt09VwqQmV-7OcvNe9OsQwm8uesegXfPZyi1zc4ReQp1M-ftriC3FC76BpgY_KevV14_txXyPH6sP7OuH-hkDCagaZ8GTF0FnxB74RBJ7oQbhhNeIOS7roHNIZQCfP7lcFlKXIUVGALhb9qO9cvP1uh7P-OfguZASzUX3NsZXIaPU4_zWj4uNs/s400/Picture1908.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtko9sLTt09VwqQmV-7OcvNe9OsQwm8uesegXfPZyi1zc4ReQp1M-ftriC3FC76BpgY_KevV14_txXyPH6sP7OuH-hkDCagaZ8GTF0FnxB74RBJ7oQbhhNeIOS7roHNIZQCfP7lcFlKXIUVGALhb9qO9cvP1uh7P-OfguZASzUX3NsZXIaPU4_zWj4uNs/s320/Picture1908.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Naturally,
being a family sit-come, everything results in a cheerful ending, with a
montage of everyone unwrapping gifts, while seeing “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Have
Yourself a Merry Little Christmas</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and depending on what kind of
mood you’re in, it’ll either make you cringe, or feel all warm and cozy inside
… honestly, I could see it affecting viewers either way. For me, it’s very
simple comfort food, and takes me back to a time when family sit-comes just had
a special feel all their own.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: red;">It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel</span></b>” (Season
4, Episode 10)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyAKsSWglk-zmVlizQD6OP98nfW-wOi9AT7pxY32Sy0L2oyE-9VkHAWP4VtqV5a6bO_in0012zgd_JyvQqacUNrFO7L4LWEWz6W68WPhiFVdpyx5QFrjpr53lFoXhmrPd22pkRbhW00ME9BDbJoTn8RIQH9VRKU1ZQDU7ER6bftcRqtM2ImvTERqByQs/s640/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="640" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyAKsSWglk-zmVlizQD6OP98nfW-wOi9AT7pxY32Sy0L2oyE-9VkHAWP4VtqV5a6bO_in0012zgd_JyvQqacUNrFO7L4LWEWz6W68WPhiFVdpyx5QFrjpr53lFoXhmrPd22pkRbhW00ME9BDbJoTn8RIQH9VRKU1ZQDU7ER6bftcRqtM2ImvTERqByQs/w330-h184/Picture1.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Following
after the last holiday outing, Urkel once again tries to put the moves on
Laura, only to have them back-fire big time. Now, Laura is furious, and wishes
he’d see things form her perspective. In an obvious, yet loving nod to “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s
a Wonderful Life</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” … right down to the movie playing in the background … a
guardian angel appears to Laura to grant her wish, but there’s going to be a
catch … she in turn has to experience things from Urkel’s perspective. Now the
roles are reversed, and we see things differently at the Winslow home, with
Urkel as the upright family member, and Laura is the nerdy neighbor who just
can’t take no for an answer. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj9i_erL69Oe_GGl-F9hRUM3pyLO90nvBBPkxbec4L4ILDY2GEPgIvTDb-_MAgTM1CYlxYfmmafNzL4wwCsMsYByFXQ9QaEmZFO8714bLesG2xvVWvDtjvZfympUWd7s4vjwLX0h6BVOHy8rha6kPMtHBDPEhcZU8dDkqL7MGIIo_uUVjPT_x_EBuLTM/s320/iuojkg.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQj9i_erL69Oe_GGl-F9hRUM3pyLO90nvBBPkxbec4L4ILDY2GEPgIvTDb-_MAgTM1CYlxYfmmafNzL4wwCsMsYByFXQ9QaEmZFO8714bLesG2xvVWvDtjvZfympUWd7s4vjwLX0h6BVOHy8rha6kPMtHBDPEhcZU8dDkqL7MGIIo_uUVjPT_x_EBuLTM/w330-h186/iuojkg.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The make-or-break deal of this episode is watching
these actors play opposite roles of each-other, and for me, it looks like they
had a lot of fun with this episode, and it’s hard for me not to have fun along
with them. There’s also a number of details that make this episode stand-out
among their Christmas offerings. The opening is classic Urkel, as he comes over
to the Winslow home with a new invention that can produce fake-snow for
Christmas trees. Naturally, everything goes wrong, turning the home into a
giant flurry of white powder … yup, that’s peak Urkel for yah. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pxeK5mGn4yCdcLsGJEsZS_D_8bmZZf9oYLGmPFsTJzMymjXEi11eeUlcEAznxIcZPUXtT7Ra3IxRbtTklgTJBHXgPE0ThQsF0M54vQT22AjZ4ZaiiZBWCreYtBLxi4AE9LRETljb0kxmKq9_IpBt7ncjAct5aNsLaiQWP87mNM3aRgSkFBpWVWFZU4c/s1094/Picture1ty.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="1094" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pxeK5mGn4yCdcLsGJEsZS_D_8bmZZf9oYLGmPFsTJzMymjXEi11eeUlcEAznxIcZPUXtT7Ra3IxRbtTklgTJBHXgPE0ThQsF0M54vQT22AjZ4ZaiiZBWCreYtBLxi4AE9LRETljb0kxmKq9_IpBt7ncjAct5aNsLaiQWP87mNM3aRgSkFBpWVWFZU4c/w335-h176/Picture1ty.jpg" width="335" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I also love the
snowy, shopping mall backdrop, with all the decorations, and Urkel’s goofy
Christmas-mobile. Lastly, this episode apparently influenced Adam Sandler’s
2006 movie “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Click</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, as Laura’s guardian Angel has his own TV remote that
can pause, alter and re-wind time. In the end, Laura and Urkel have a new found
understanding for one another, and Aunt Rachel plays us out with “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">O Come All Ye Faithful</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, making for yet
another corny, yet still cheerful ending. I’d say this is one of the better “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Family
Matters</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” Christmas episodes, with a fun premise, memorable character
performances, and lots of slap-stick highlights. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Christmas is Where the Heart is</span></b>” (Season 5,
Episode 11) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRzQfxa2LfMNgOM2yjQh3KVBC7ULjbX5eds1kUS00ecielGwgRtgwrPzJNKZrrju5QNr9yALyvLmBG1EL_4IbeWwlmyUKlNOZvkDS1uLGV1lx0eMreqjSEKt-9K7dI9CPJEhwGmL1jo7ecIv0q50SuONMI0kf7vrfqyt0n9DHNQhpkoHpr7bTFmZ75kQ/s960/trfghbn.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="960" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRzQfxa2LfMNgOM2yjQh3KVBC7ULjbX5eds1kUS00ecielGwgRtgwrPzJNKZrrju5QNr9yALyvLmBG1EL_4IbeWwlmyUKlNOZvkDS1uLGV1lx0eMreqjSEKt-9K7dI9CPJEhwGmL1jo7ecIv0q50SuONMI0kf7vrfqyt0n9DHNQhpkoHpr7bTFmZ75kQ/w331-h161/trfghbn.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For the
third Christmas outing on the show, we set-up a new dynamic … Carl Winslow is
not in the holiday mood, and Steve Urkel is just the goofball needed to
rejuvenate his Christmas spirit ... that will be the formula for many of the
holiday episodes moving forward. After accidently smashing another Christmas
gift, Carl and Urkel go out shopping, only to get stuck in the blizzard of the
century. A sudden black-out strands the two on a subway car, with a number of
passengers even grumpier than Carl. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaQSVYzJgwMwdKKsZA4ENOk_-eDhVze69r96xO5hUlG9IJfqykJUL2SQPcXBX3gae1yyXJo6GV3izEvhQnPwwfpBP4Lh0lhyphenhyphenr7p7DMe_qbhgoiOd4Ju7JEY2wxV7ChQY0NWDkWdluaYD6NBP1HZnax4rKnzWepi-xHPtAKA01TfskXoNDAK4SR-ZqFHs/s1080/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaQSVYzJgwMwdKKsZA4ENOk_-eDhVze69r96xO5hUlG9IJfqykJUL2SQPcXBX3gae1yyXJo6GV3izEvhQnPwwfpBP4Lh0lhyphenhyphenr7p7DMe_qbhgoiOd4Ju7JEY2wxV7ChQY0NWDkWdluaYD6NBP1HZnax4rKnzWepi-xHPtAKA01TfskXoNDAK4SR-ZqFHs/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What they need is a nerd, who refuses to
give-up until everyone is feeling the same yuletide cheer of the season. This
premise is a double edge sword, as the train setting certainly gives this
Christmas episode an identity, and it highlights that despite Urkel’s
irritating and clumsy nature, he certainly has a big heart, and I can’t help
admiring a character with so much spirit. The downside is that this situation
can get repetitive, a little boring, and while there are some chuckles, there
aren’t any big laughs either. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl7BGZGgdFQa65blrAaJ5bvnGOSq90JFh03v1gW5tMb-yVb0lggfNqcIX8hD53Win0hhhta0_0qQLjG0JVnOjHBEEF8_hwYnpsuNXzIrr1JX12lfn2e3MQjTg9GPbplYWgDGgvgm_2MbDrl0vcfdlVQF3qLSX6RxteWXCZXyd83vHruu89MSFoptTgrQ/s225/uhjg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl7BGZGgdFQa65blrAaJ5bvnGOSq90JFh03v1gW5tMb-yVb0lggfNqcIX8hD53Win0hhhta0_0qQLjG0JVnOjHBEEF8_hwYnpsuNXzIrr1JX12lfn2e3MQjTg9GPbplYWgDGgvgm_2MbDrl0vcfdlVQF3qLSX6RxteWXCZXyd83vHruu89MSFoptTgrQ/w191-h191/uhjg.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The predictable resolution culminates into an ending
with all the ill-tempered strangers coming together to make their own Christmas
tree, while singing “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Hark the Herald Angle Sing</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
and as is tradition with the presentation of this show … it’ll either make you
smile or shutter, depending on what mind-set your in. Overall, I wouldn’t call
this one of my favorites of their Christmas episodes, but it’s not bad either, and
while Carl’s dynamic with Urkel will get a little repetitive, it’s still
handled fine here.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #00b050;">Miracle on Elm Street</span></b>” (Season 6, Episode 11)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVQ5qWQx3uS-47SLYSKdecgBY6Ymq00uvPREhewyb02tTu7b3_V7Y1Ihf6gFqIN19nyvrpinSkU7_znrdS9a-MZvHgw-6Y33S6l4j0TI71A1P5VJ_OYkZIYB_NG4poq_o59ogbnr4DF9SWA2oFsL_EwOvmmAiSg7D6z-c8yx1dRZqry8x8wue4kcC7Sk/s949/iuojbvn.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="949" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVQ5qWQx3uS-47SLYSKdecgBY6Ymq00uvPREhewyb02tTu7b3_V7Y1Ihf6gFqIN19nyvrpinSkU7_znrdS9a-MZvHgw-6Y33S6l4j0TI71A1P5VJ_OYkZIYB_NG4poq_o59ogbnr4DF9SWA2oFsL_EwOvmmAiSg7D6z-c8yx1dRZqry8x8wue4kcC7Sk/w344-h164/iuojbvn.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For the
fourth of the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Family Matters</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” Christmas outings, we get perhaps the
most straight forward and subtle of their holiday ventures … in that, there’s
no adventure, or goofy situation … it’s simply the family and characters being
their for one another on Christmas. First, Urkel goes dumpster diving to
retrieve an accidentally discarded gift of Laura’s, and makes friends with a
stray dog along the way. This culminates into one of Urkel and Laura’s most
genuinely touching moments at the end. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32PHMx1Bd3BXnq44xoCAKwKzu6zRLxSyxsXIjmuEGvKuMAI4VFk3uWEMAiV9hwCZoe55znziDJCgsTHbVWumaLgr870Md-KmtEfuvVOKe0BRsYvoaoGAXYA4QPhr9CaMFp4kZoYoyr1K4-mSzfLGrnxWz39EJus50T2vaGeamYrer619Q6_2hSC4ElTE/s960/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32PHMx1Bd3BXnq44xoCAKwKzu6zRLxSyxsXIjmuEGvKuMAI4VFk3uWEMAiV9hwCZoe55znziDJCgsTHbVWumaLgr870Md-KmtEfuvVOKe0BRsYvoaoGAXYA4QPhr9CaMFp4kZoYoyr1K4-mSzfLGrnxWz39EJus50T2vaGeamYrer619Q6_2hSC4ElTE/w263-h198/Picture4.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">Meanwhile, Little Riche takes to heart his parents lesson of being thoughtful to those less fortunate, and invites a homeless man over for the holidays. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Art Evans plays the hobo, and makes for a
charming guest role. However, just when you think they’ll do something predictable
with this character, like make him a thief, or someone with a sentimental
back-story … he’s suddenly reviled to be Santa Claus … making for the one miscellaneous
oddity in this episode. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXe3Ot4rW6HOvpOuhr95xA-ACqNdLgKzanqdRSpNI9Dbbazm2uRslnPWC1I2eTizVK8nKNZMO_RQP0t4WBKYdFi1xN8YXe6f2Tlnwt239S0XuiwcB4C9n9Mlo8_LrwZ1GLHy9D1pEGZmZENuHXe8BRltJteKKmYwcPVkkLxGlb9tf6gX74k2CfDnvr1k4/s988/Picture3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="988" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXe3Ot4rW6HOvpOuhr95xA-ACqNdLgKzanqdRSpNI9Dbbazm2uRslnPWC1I2eTizVK8nKNZMO_RQP0t4WBKYdFi1xN8YXe6f2Tlnwt239S0XuiwcB4C9n9Mlo8_LrwZ1GLHy9D1pEGZmZENuHXe8BRltJteKKmYwcPVkkLxGlb9tf6gX74k2CfDnvr1k4/w262-h191/Picture3.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Aside from a silly opening, with Urkel and Carl getting
into mishaps in the kitchen with a bag a flour, this episode really isn’t
trying to be that funny, which is a welcome change-up, and thankfully, the
episode isn’t overly sentimental with its message either. It’s just a pleasant,
cheerful little holiday offering … although, I cold have done without the
characters directly addressing the audience before they sing “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">We Wish you a Merry Christmas</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"<b><span style="color: red;">Fa La La La Laagghh!</span></b>" (Season 7, Episode 11)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIYvqEbtXccw9Gf1OH2usCUeQFCFen9gVk7eoRPsLpmyME4ulz-ZzkN0XjCyNtSP-St5r9GcWZeEMhfpUlNV4CAoQyY3vkQbIuCmuPPlyblMlxFSO1pSKh4bzO4lUcHd3_CSVMie7h_SjaJ4b-xbtWek2M2Nq0IDd-k3pOo-IhfQDODVm_3qlxakezcs/s1440/tfvytgv.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIYvqEbtXccw9Gf1OH2usCUeQFCFen9gVk7eoRPsLpmyME4ulz-ZzkN0XjCyNtSP-St5r9GcWZeEMhfpUlNV4CAoQyY3vkQbIuCmuPPlyblMlxFSO1pSKh4bzO4lUcHd3_CSVMie7h_SjaJ4b-xbtWek2M2Nq0IDd-k3pOo-IhfQDODVm_3qlxakezcs/s320/tfvytgv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By the time
the seventh season came around, Steve Urkel was at the height of his
popularity, and many episodes were revolving around accidental mishaps he’d
cause around the Winslow house … time to see what destructive shenanigans he’ll
get into on Christmas. At this festive time, Carl Winslow is naturally in a
sour mood, and refuses to allow Urkel to decorate the roof of his house with
his crazy light displays. Then, at his poker game, one of his friends says
there is a big cash prize for the neighborhood lighting contest, and Carl's
mood instantly changes, and basically uses Urkel as a means to rake in
five-thousand dollars. Soon, Urkel learns the ugly truth, and their plans for
the best-looking house hit rock bottom … quiet literally. <br /></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Their roof is so
cluttered with decorations that they come crashing down into the kitchen ...
which at the time was one of the funniest things I ever saw in a Christmas
sit-com. </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEB10ayyixyysLyDna_AchhVA0lTuxcfQK-xoc136DdxkHB-yxxlMDzVtgfOKFoeo0xvCcZYKrxcBNIMwJeGptTGO6YHUrZtmHTZuI7juGZtw1bOWAjnAlEl8ZcCGVzzNTyKfkJVqQyPkH9he49LvNl_fq8Ym9qVDrSQy2KJ3QghyT5DKxr1izgvhptU/s225/trfcdt.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEB10ayyixyysLyDna_AchhVA0lTuxcfQK-xoc136DdxkHB-yxxlMDzVtgfOKFoeo0xvCcZYKrxcBNIMwJeGptTGO6YHUrZtmHTZuI7juGZtw1bOWAjnAlEl8ZcCGVzzNTyKfkJVqQyPkH9he49LvNl_fq8Ym9qVDrSQy2KJ3QghyT5DKxr1izgvhptU/s1600/trfcdt.jpg" width="225" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By extent, this is one of Urkel’s best, classic moments in the show,
and even if this isn’t the absolute best holiday episode, Steves level of
Christmas Destruction certainly makes it one of the most memorable. Afterwords,
an angry Urkel sets Carl straight for lying to him and being greedy in wanting
to win the prize money, rather than genuinely want to make children happy for
the holidays. There’s also a sub-plot with Harriette wanting a little more
participation from Eddie and Laura in the family's holiday activities, leaving grandma
Winslow the voice of reason to teach them the true meaning of family-time
during the holiday. </span></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDqjbVmmSWpLxWS_hXU-X5fdQDFytmDi6kjIBaO5zfJ07N8HY8qWmULZ-bmBV3ITPK4m3wBGFiJojuSU187JYeBmQ98fPuiVkSzcoOsrQ6piHEbD3Q0km4fdQj9GKrIIs8oY5L1NvoY5TOAyyA84E1IrZBpA9XhojgQii5arp9n6ISItbFahDvISqUbk/s600/ewsr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDqjbVmmSWpLxWS_hXU-X5fdQDFytmDi6kjIBaO5zfJ07N8HY8qWmULZ-bmBV3ITPK4m3wBGFiJojuSU187JYeBmQ98fPuiVkSzcoOsrQ6piHEbD3Q0km4fdQj9GKrIIs8oY5L1NvoY5TOAyyA84E1IrZBpA9XhojgQii5arp9n6ISItbFahDvISqUbk/s320/ewsr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Naturally, everything comes together in the end, with the
family singing “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Joy to the World</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.
It’s all around a perfect marriage of humble family lesions and outrageous
comedy. There’s also terrific gag in which the house pulls so much electrical
juice that the whole neighborhood … no, the whole city … no, the whole dang
planet has a power outage. It’s so funny it upstages the electrical gag from “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">National
Lampoons Christmas Vacation</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. From it’s simple holiday morals, too its
decorative details that would make “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Die Hard</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” blush, too it’s out of
control comedy, this episode is one Christmas gift that’s well worth keeping.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #00b050;">It Came Upon a Midnight Clear</span></b>” (Season 8:
Episode 13)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWKUdyjYxaDFfEzmcvwSVeCfQd6q1qbhbye3DHX8s7uhn1RjBWh4Ol1aAG6MmpFv3PR2U9xTSf5ExNxclgTPlhmIK4XePDCP7egrsNpRC3ATwTXc5ujgnoabW-GlgezzdVbdr4UzsINWcgaOK9NiPZlAj7NrS6WMBAXpFK_SQzxG5oHtufBQmQQvuXws/s960/Picture1df.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="960" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWKUdyjYxaDFfEzmcvwSVeCfQd6q1qbhbye3DHX8s7uhn1RjBWh4Ol1aAG6MmpFv3PR2U9xTSf5ExNxclgTPlhmIK4XePDCP7egrsNpRC3ATwTXc5ujgnoabW-GlgezzdVbdr4UzsINWcgaOK9NiPZlAj7NrS6WMBAXpFK_SQzxG5oHtufBQmQQvuXws/w338-h165/Picture1df.jpg" width="338" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tis the
season … for Carl and Urkel to find themselves going on one more holiday
adventure together. This time around, the pair search for a family Christmas
tree out in the Wisconsin woods, but unfortunately for them, a freak blizzard
throws them off their path, and the two have to work together to stay alive in
a freezing forest at night. Meanwhile, Laura is stuck in a very boring
sub-plot, in which her feelings are caught between two other boys, and she has
to make a choice on which one to commit with. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">In the plus column, it’s great to see Jaleel White acting in the duple-ganger role of Stefan, who’s Urkel’s “cooler half”, and highlights the talent as more then just acting as a geeky nerd all the time.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLbAfylLx0FRRVAee1jmjRLHiKfKY_Vufh93b1bg5t1aNowL3SvABpmVmiqTuQ_zRWk4e8lONXHPs0zr1bgYFnUB9IsmyVrRzGDZAe1NbdGzrO1R6tA_iqqjFT_D-E9JxVz82jLe5ADRuuOsgaijgKibtxQTgipnszUj2HilVB_e4yRr3hgq9D7UyC10/s574/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="574" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLbAfylLx0FRRVAee1jmjRLHiKfKY_Vufh93b1bg5t1aNowL3SvABpmVmiqTuQ_zRWk4e8lONXHPs0zr1bgYFnUB9IsmyVrRzGDZAe1NbdGzrO1R6tA_iqqjFT_D-E9JxVz82jLe5ADRuuOsgaijgKibtxQTgipnszUj2HilVB_e4yRr3hgq9D7UyC10/s320/Picture6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Also, this is the most overly decorated the Winslow house
has ever looked, so while the Laura plot is boring, I at least have some
colorful decorations to look at. More important, this is a great bonding
episode for Carl and Urkel, and unlike their previous Sub-way adventure, I like
that it’s just the two characters together, and their chemistry is strongest
when they’re not surrounded by extra’s. The epilogue is perhaps their most
subdued yet, as they sing “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">O Christmas Tree</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
and head for bed without a lengthy montage. All in all, I’d say this is a
half-way decent Christmas outing … in that half of the episode is decent, and
the other half can be skipped all together.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Deck the Malls</span></b>” (Season 9: Episode 11)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgXPYnY1b0G2B98KuJNs4eezbLxhdEW8KPORf6DitxkhnXn7J7slW5mounjU70FbHuNrlQz6dh0eoDGrfXZPJin031oHaNDwqOYF76Wzyhbumx6bgRobdhJuEod_g2EqsXD1esWLCpkX9o7yybWo8hqsabfJV0JDxm0HkPkVPuzZ__22VUCE9NuYpJIc/s1232/iopbn567.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="1232" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgXPYnY1b0G2B98KuJNs4eezbLxhdEW8KPORf6DitxkhnXn7J7slW5mounjU70FbHuNrlQz6dh0eoDGrfXZPJin031oHaNDwqOYF76Wzyhbumx6bgRobdhJuEod_g2EqsXD1esWLCpkX9o7yybWo8hqsabfJV0JDxm0HkPkVPuzZ__22VUCE9NuYpJIc/w330-h163/iopbn567.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s the
very last Christmas episode of "<b>Family Matters</b>", and the Winslow’s find
themselves facing their biggest holiday challenge yet … surviving a day working
at the local shopping mall. Carl has to put on his best act as the department
store Santa, Laura is stuck in a dorky helper elf costume, and Steve Urkel gets
it worst of all working as a gift-wrapper in the packaging department. Straight
to the point … I didn’t like this mall segment at all. Most of the jokes are
laugh-free, a lot of it is boring, and what could have been a funny sequence
with Urkel overwhelmed with work just never hit the mark for me. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN7A7GBQ9eu-5ImE9AHGQJINKzQ1SyIPD8GIajdNDfnz1-dMgBIJaGYfRC70r3fbS6z2uAJ_CrMUALeHR69rR5yDnUuP9kGA67rjLTRBLx8iuhpTnn46E2YWjXSWyJDOGT3NnrvLpfpfMlIP1VejCO6A3j9cG4bAsoyzxG0nAOpsnDPIDy__GXDI_t2k/s400/thftfhr.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="400" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN7A7GBQ9eu-5ImE9AHGQJINKzQ1SyIPD8GIajdNDfnz1-dMgBIJaGYfRC70r3fbS6z2uAJ_CrMUALeHR69rR5yDnUuP9kGA67rjLTRBLx8iuhpTnn46E2YWjXSWyJDOGT3NnrvLpfpfMlIP1VejCO6A3j9cG4bAsoyzxG0nAOpsnDPIDy__GXDI_t2k/w327-h183/thftfhr.jpg" width="327" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Carl at least
gets a really good moment when he promises to grant a boys wish by helping his
dad get a job. Once the whole shopping mall segment concludes, the episode
manages to redeem itself with a lengthy Christmas morning sequence of the
characters exchanging gifts, sharing some laughs, and Aunt Rachel shows-up just
in time to sing “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">O Holly Night</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. This
would mark the final appearance of many of the shows main characters, and Mrs.
Winslow would be played by a different actress after this, so there’s something
suitably sentimental about this epilogue, and seeing all these characters
together one last time. While I certainly wouldn’t have called this the best
Christmas episode to close on, I feel it at least had the best ending. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZvqNnO6D_s-LFXLKzb49yXDFmuC622ogttR-aR73Q0zNPfHdasH9v054cuqkKTn7GYVZ0_U8MTRgU-QwHWfPinE6ipP1T9FJh7KwtgnoReWmR52B47sjXXGpswr8ASDg0H01fiqEfeDQXgKJFcQCtwG1UmDL2WbIn-_Wu03TIVBVFSRrIz1Grg8QjSc/s949/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="949" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZvqNnO6D_s-LFXLKzb49yXDFmuC622ogttR-aR73Q0zNPfHdasH9v054cuqkKTn7GYVZ0_U8MTRgU-QwHWfPinE6ipP1T9FJh7KwtgnoReWmR52B47sjXXGpswr8ASDg0H01fiqEfeDQXgKJFcQCtwG1UmDL2WbIn-_Wu03TIVBVFSRrIz1Grg8QjSc/w258-h196/Picture7.jpg" width="258" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9b62U97azFemxwdG3jVsr0ZukaKTR_YAdeNDPBVi1Ot_1ybfkCmuBMnPhJCdUfw-9tH-D1HmUTSLI1bzJYbG-CEBLuu8PitzbDZXOQobyZQbMvOMbYUIhLtOnZto6p04p5kA7JPtjfzT91GoTLItVIh3rHyJM0wFOLVf8laCKfGAEiuqQ-hXwShuLas/s460/Picture5.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="460" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9b62U97azFemxwdG3jVsr0ZukaKTR_YAdeNDPBVi1Ot_1ybfkCmuBMnPhJCdUfw-9tH-D1HmUTSLI1bzJYbG-CEBLuu8PitzbDZXOQobyZQbMvOMbYUIhLtOnZto6p04p5kA7JPtjfzT91GoTLItVIh3rHyJM0wFOLVf8laCKfGAEiuqQ-hXwShuLas/w244-h196/Picture5.jpg" width="244" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So concludes my rundown of all the “<b>Family
Matters</b>” Christmas episodes, and if I were to quickly rank them from my
personal favorite, to my least favorite, it would go like this …</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKHRLV6SEXYZrBBebVbYOJ_SzMDX35_rVgchLWGuJvFCR3-2uLZSUxCWZuVnOXRhS4WufczOn2wLRpOxiuVgMKQkHvPsPBdOCFUGN_2reMEsPucrUZNgDdVTd7PPmKKMQQE03E3GAT32ETz2KJVAcbDbb0RtnY81OILMJhpUFHvtwMH-C5JZe6KEH7jc/s225/ipoghvb.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKHRLV6SEXYZrBBebVbYOJ_SzMDX35_rVgchLWGuJvFCR3-2uLZSUxCWZuVnOXRhS4WufczOn2wLRpOxiuVgMKQkHvPsPBdOCFUGN_2reMEsPucrUZNgDdVTd7PPmKKMQQE03E3GAT32ETz2KJVAcbDbb0RtnY81OILMJhpUFHvtwMH-C5JZe6KEH7jc/w250-h250/ipoghvb.jpg" width="250" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b><span style="color: red;">Fa La La La Laagghh!</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b><span style="color: #00b050;">Have Yourself a Merry Winslow Christmas</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b><span style="color: red;">Miracle on Elm Street</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">It Came Upon a Midnight Clear</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b><span style="color: red;">Deck the Malls</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 “<b><span style="color: #00b050;">Christmas is Where the Heart is</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It's
certainly been a nostalgic little trip down 90’s memory lane, and for anyone
who also grew up with the series, I hope it was fun looking back. If your
someone just looking for any random Christmas special, maybe this will give you
something to look into this Holiday season.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwHM4f7glmuvRZhHe9ibBSHezxSknH20pD4t7c4uaeRnL6_ZXYrJ0DG9nbl5UxQ3yKCRnKpmVqLLkgzQj-GPuiv9rSuJhFdbk-g3HqDfwdck4ePfJh4-kIee00cy8AoUyGSlmtAbJo_Iqht72uZBvPQsZEsg5hbtZ560GGWuS0ZoPvURN8a3bDFgUwPY/s607/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="607" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwHM4f7glmuvRZhHe9ibBSHezxSknH20pD4t7c4uaeRnL6_ZXYrJ0DG9nbl5UxQ3yKCRnKpmVqLLkgzQj-GPuiv9rSuJhFdbk-g3HqDfwdck4ePfJh4-kIee00cy8AoUyGSlmtAbJo_Iqht72uZBvPQsZEsg5hbtZ560GGWuS0ZoPvURN8a3bDFgUwPY/w400-h276/Picture8.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the shows you love! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-37461284017638897302023-11-19T16:08:00.000-08:002024-02-25T14:05:33.038-08:00First Blood (1982) (Movie Review)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJt2UORBA6WoklAoc_JlnwtfL20ILCEDVlNkS9XttaVmAMQ4CPBMa_WSz6CXgKN_iz7NyE7MzNe8QsCuuVv-0tbSY6FMJS868A8VDeLMkJXEFe5CA3qY1p63Ur_OoZ2hJ789L8ytMRy0jFvHuMJayIUPikaDkvuTsUzwJL6o8PomvY2nSQsCYH2BYsGY/s1599/hgyjyuiuit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="999" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJt2UORBA6WoklAoc_JlnwtfL20ILCEDVlNkS9XttaVmAMQ4CPBMa_WSz6CXgKN_iz7NyE7MzNe8QsCuuVv-0tbSY6FMJS868A8VDeLMkJXEFe5CA3qY1p63Ur_OoZ2hJ789L8ytMRy0jFvHuMJayIUPikaDkvuTsUzwJL6o8PomvY2nSQsCYH2BYsGY/w250-h400/hgyjyuiuit.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before our modern wave of Superhero movies,
the 1980’s and early 90’s had action movie heroes, who became house hold names
without the advent on comic-book tie-in’s. Equally as big as the characters
were the stars playing them, with Bruce Willis’s John Mcclane, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
Terminator being some of the big ones. One of the most well-known names of the
decades action movie genera was John Rambo played by Sylvester Stallone. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXX1C0ptcFrEeWHPIQbUjVBTf02PcRR7FoufsFye1QDiQWD1bWKZE4NSndBr7YmFmA9EMzJlJGrMUDBpouTzSLGHXNr1mHOl79iQZd83_VEjvMPKKfpftxrSDRP6h6A072IyzlUhMz1mAA3Md_1UapczyypABkO5eF1cVHHRaxvyJ5Uw6JEhht55YWVk/s668/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="668" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXX1C0ptcFrEeWHPIQbUjVBTf02PcRR7FoufsFye1QDiQWD1bWKZE4NSndBr7YmFmA9EMzJlJGrMUDBpouTzSLGHXNr1mHOl79iQZd83_VEjvMPKKfpftxrSDRP6h6A072IyzlUhMz1mAA3Md_1UapczyypABkO5eF1cVHHRaxvyJ5Uw6JEhht55YWVk/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Over
the course of five movies, Rambo had quickly developed a reputation as the
awesome, shirt-less, Vietnam soldier who busts into camps, takes out enemy
troops, and blows things up on a grand pop-corn movie scale. However, some may
forget that his original 1982 picture “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">First Blood</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was nothing like
what his public perception would suggest. This was a darker, more sensitive
survival film about an anti-hero fighting his own personal war … and in the
process delivered a decade classic that’s still considered a film favorite all
these years later. I for one first saw this movie when I was in high-school,
and I went in expecting a great action movie … but what I got was a great movie
that just happened to be an action movie.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySWYCup2h6LbmXSzAiUsN3XUlCKazfvnWXSijJdHv4I8tabAE9CpikB972-8NI1ilq-Es6-naMI501Oy-MNmX-5Q11R9OZmYwa8i7TldCYDM4hj0OYn0Z0W4x8PvDo9umlpMb65pGSAXjtQzHh8p8BlWFJcvLAAE50QQRmTpdJF8JDz9Jz0qHXGFl6xw/s1280/htjykttuk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySWYCup2h6LbmXSzAiUsN3XUlCKazfvnWXSijJdHv4I8tabAE9CpikB972-8NI1ilq-Es6-naMI501Oy-MNmX-5Q11R9OZmYwa8i7TldCYDM4hj0OYn0Z0W4x8PvDo9umlpMb65pGSAXjtQzHh8p8BlWFJcvLAAE50QQRmTpdJF8JDz9Jz0qHXGFl6xw/w264-h154/htjykttuk.jpg" width="264" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAZ2wGdSH9FwGmb9yPEkzaLO7J_pwx_RLmZsYV1Gw06cQm2vptsbmAfUZfGk3oul20gIjb4PlNfY20gl1kulDwr3sNjuWcUs65b2323niuqZIoQ66Eenb9ijMfV6pZXx3MX7RMzM9FYZwywJGmOzwIox-A5uUS_tmM56Vjcb39yXDuXpuzSO9AwAYXko/s433/Picture5.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="433" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAZ2wGdSH9FwGmb9yPEkzaLO7J_pwx_RLmZsYV1Gw06cQm2vptsbmAfUZfGk3oul20gIjb4PlNfY20gl1kulDwr3sNjuWcUs65b2323niuqZIoQ66Eenb9ijMfV6pZXx3MX7RMzM9FYZwywJGmOzwIox-A5uUS_tmM56Vjcb39yXDuXpuzSO9AwAYXko/w255-h155/Picture5.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retired Green Barade John Rambo has just
returned from Vietnam, and is mentally processing the trauma and physical abuse
he endured. Upon his arrival home, he discovers that his best friend and last
surviving member of his team died due to a cancer brought on by exposure to
Agent Orange during the war. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJUP9dvB_Dz408FA5ICPVaSAENjNGWga5G8T_VBgryoIoWRNp03PyQXZqzrB2qb5KMR9UbgRz5T2Inkq0-oOYgt_7LzdIjuwhVvkA74ttljKoOpFRes4Bfbttnp0HnLdDFSIHcsOR-2N8z0LrermoaYb9fflu8rOLhHFt7bv9dt2DzaiZhaEQKSkKK84/s853/yiguig.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="853" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJUP9dvB_Dz408FA5ICPVaSAENjNGWga5G8T_VBgryoIoWRNp03PyQXZqzrB2qb5KMR9UbgRz5T2Inkq0-oOYgt_7LzdIjuwhVvkA74ttljKoOpFRes4Bfbttnp0HnLdDFSIHcsOR-2N8z0LrermoaYb9fflu8rOLhHFt7bv9dt2DzaiZhaEQKSkKK84/s320/yiguig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Feeling that he has nothing left to live for,
Rambo wanders into the fictional small-town of Hope Washington, where a local
Sheriff gives him a hard time, expressing his disgust of drifters, and even
refuses to let Rambo have a simple meal at one of their restaurants. This is
the spark that sets-off a fuse in Rambo, as he refuses to leave, and is forced
into police custody. His treatment at the station enrages him further,
prompting him to retaliate, and escape into the woods … and from there, it
becomes a tense cat and mouse game, with one man battling the police force, and
the local national guard. Beyond staying alive, it also becomes a suspenseful
character study of one man succumbing to his primal rage, and whether or not
there’s any humanity left inside.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM5-8gl9q2KFp-lkHxLbMpdCmQtUtJGd8aveHqKtPMWeYsshU_g24jVcmHLglMcpSB3ELO-POopwdNOXciEMVwZ2Zbq0-1ezr5diRw4jXlfk18NhiLMQMz2NkilpfQ-X2sv9Aq9O1iVYeOjheOL41Ze_bSvlYZNPqYSk1-IwcpqIaDyQ11n9rT5r9wTs/s681/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="681" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM5-8gl9q2KFp-lkHxLbMpdCmQtUtJGd8aveHqKtPMWeYsshU_g24jVcmHLglMcpSB3ELO-POopwdNOXciEMVwZ2Zbq0-1ezr5diRw4jXlfk18NhiLMQMz2NkilpfQ-X2sv9Aq9O1iVYeOjheOL41Ze_bSvlYZNPqYSk1-IwcpqIaDyQ11n9rT5r9wTs/w246-h178/Picture3.jpg" width="246" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66srzsi9MTnYi0M2nx-h72ylYPslAkBSEWFwXEHVFzadAS98j5mHz02spIn0xz_aZKxm711b4jy4v7JB-QucooaEUmTpyA5NQypDibEtfsoImwYb8Qy27EN9h8cA0yACthUgSbKUMegqqnOZvH60hCI4MVUmALezBy4OjRZrwUTzSqBqz_RopEc0qnyY/s845/Picture9.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="845" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66srzsi9MTnYi0M2nx-h72ylYPslAkBSEWFwXEHVFzadAS98j5mHz02spIn0xz_aZKxm711b4jy4v7JB-QucooaEUmTpyA5NQypDibEtfsoImwYb8Qy27EN9h8cA0yACthUgSbKUMegqqnOZvH60hCI4MVUmALezBy4OjRZrwUTzSqBqz_RopEc0qnyY/w254-h179/Picture9.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where I’d describe something like 1988’s “<b>Die
Hard</b>” as a perfect action movie that follows all the conventional genera
movie beats, I’d call “<b>First Blood</b>” a perfect action movie that avoids
all the conventional tropes of the genera. It’s not about a hero going against
a villain, there’s no comforting love interest, nor is it a simplified, flashy
popcorn flick … it’s all about suspense, tension, and two people acting on
heightened emotions. In many respects, Rambo is kind of a villain seeking
revenge, but we also cheer for him, sympathies with him, and want to see how
he’ll pull himself through this situation. By contrast, Sheriff Teasle, played
by Brain Dennehy, can certainly be viewed as the antagonist, who the audience
doesn’t like … but he isn’t a villain with any sinister motivations, and can
likewise be viewed as a man who was pushed to far. As a quick side note, this film apparently beat "<b>Die Hard</b>" at being an action thriller set around the Christmas season ... although, not highlighted nearly as much as it's successor. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2TD3VIbDNpLPDr4uYyNRrWmPukTzllmkZdGMIIxrV5M5H3dXRD6VTSaWTrXc9fbLCP0yqfpFalihQlXAW3lZ6ni9v4UrYpyBCF9bTc5Y4TF5V8sYLJ0FyMXnQPht2hMef7PDy9Ft3KduAIeriiIri0LbeEW8RM7mQhsCE8wisl0zIHl9w9tAUEl2SOk/s500/ygkiup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="500" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2TD3VIbDNpLPDr4uYyNRrWmPukTzllmkZdGMIIxrV5M5H3dXRD6VTSaWTrXc9fbLCP0yqfpFalihQlXAW3lZ6ni9v4UrYpyBCF9bTc5Y4TF5V8sYLJ0FyMXnQPht2hMef7PDy9Ft3KduAIeriiIri0LbeEW8RM7mQhsCE8wisl0zIHl9w9tAUEl2SOk/w276-h173/ygkiup.jpg" width="276" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTuUM7eOr-80Y4f7Y1Ha9xxF8Z8xdCAEN9cxx5-pkzhpCTH2yOe7-romRVIXoDy1KW4k6XN8SpmJWBLw1WE3LoFU0Ph6zmNWbdfUhyiUdFurJVcRf6qfz99Sh9sgoFQgq5rx8_dMpqXaBpxhTHEzO73T5jOFSmDSIGN5MNcFWFOqhAQ9mKsObRlKwH68/s400/tdhytuyt.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDTuUM7eOr-80Y4f7Y1Ha9xxF8Z8xdCAEN9cxx5-pkzhpCTH2yOe7-romRVIXoDy1KW4k6XN8SpmJWBLw1WE3LoFU0Ph6zmNWbdfUhyiUdFurJVcRf6qfz99Sh9sgoFQgq5rx8_dMpqXaBpxhTHEzO73T5jOFSmDSIGN5MNcFWFOqhAQ9mKsObRlKwH68/w232-h174/tdhytuyt.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Caught in the middle of our rouge anti-hero and the vengeful sheriff is Colonel
Sam Trautman, who’s the officer that trained Rambo to be a killer, and has
close feelings for his student, even though he acknowledges he’s gone too far. He’s
able to connect with Rambo, while also meeting the Sherrif at eye level, and
tries to be the mediator between the two. I like that the two can just sit down
at a bar and have a level headed conversation. Colonel Trautman was also played
by the late Richrd Crenna, who managed to deliver some admittedly quippy action
movie lines in a manner that felt in place with the films grounded presentation
... “God didn’t make John Rambo … I did”. Some of the best exchanges in the
film really are between the Colonel and the Sherrif ... “You saying two-hundred
men against your boy is a no-win situation for us?” … “You send that many people, you’d
better remember one thing … a good supply of body bags.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6IQOUj6vmoqlkxALL268155dqqP9Ey5fvRFQDlW4-6XO9r9phQXm4AvGiODqQIRZmhztjpDE-ZG_WZxMMUMtvKhhiWGpXUnf2LhS17gcYxX6BfrUca0dCDW_3-q6LhsCfkxYFQkeM3B-JJkaSQnckfQBx74O_k2me3HV_-Jl4bdedxc-fSMy0xEuduo/s798/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="798" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6IQOUj6vmoqlkxALL268155dqqP9Ey5fvRFQDlW4-6XO9r9phQXm4AvGiODqQIRZmhztjpDE-ZG_WZxMMUMtvKhhiWGpXUnf2LhS17gcYxX6BfrUca0dCDW_3-q6LhsCfkxYFQkeM3B-JJkaSQnckfQBx74O_k2me3HV_-Jl4bdedxc-fSMy0xEuduo/w203-h150/Picture8.jpg" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13Q3J7apRY79Lx-x_v2qIv2kHgzyZ2IyHEXDdorzr7SbBdjt1N9q7N4KqfPqT6CuyON4VFX2uo3-zazRAQv3pnX_OBUW4Az5rVCtN-RAimrwwVLatpPtyi7wgLiG3FMkE-1VFGNg5Je83alDd4iyNt7asknkd8GrZ3rnHB1dCkPXutXRwy618usPPRFA/s845/Picture12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="845" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13Q3J7apRY79Lx-x_v2qIv2kHgzyZ2IyHEXDdorzr7SbBdjt1N9q7N4KqfPqT6CuyON4VFX2uo3-zazRAQv3pnX_OBUW4Az5rVCtN-RAimrwwVLatpPtyi7wgLiG3FMkE-1VFGNg5Je83alDd4iyNt7asknkd8GrZ3rnHB1dCkPXutXRwy618usPPRFA/w230-h149/Picture12.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The film also retains the right level of
energy, without ever overstaying it’s welcome, and manages to thrill on Rambo’s
stealth skills, as opposed to brut force. The film very wisely doesn’t glorify
violence, as Rambo avoids lethal combat, and has to resort to tactics that can
slow-down his pursuers without bumping them off. When someone dose die, it’s an
accident, and not at all something that Rambo relishes. This again makes it easier to
cheer for him while he’s at with war the local law enforcement. Also, unlike the
flashy spectacles that are so common place today, this film has a real sense of
tension, like I really feel the danger present in these encounters … not just
for the characters, but also the filmmakers and stunt performers. It almost has
the grimy feel of an independent-film, just with a higher budget, and it complements
the tension. Still, the film has its reserved share of explosions, shoot-outs,
and there are some stound-out set-pieces, including a riveting motorcycle chase
up a mountain that sets everything in motion. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcndjsQT-5XHMiHytkExyDLRxQ3P2Zreoex804sxv8YBoHd1hkEbTGgK1NdOM0HdkLR3n2sEgGbseykvcLLaEF0bsHVaf8n-iS3GtC891baT38ZiqvhdE3rwce7y_-hgHI4IuXF_is4bqCNTaFKHP5tXmSVn_5Ob2_sjWgP-vmPMTnznaE6FCgycpjgp0/s983/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="983" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcndjsQT-5XHMiHytkExyDLRxQ3P2Zreoex804sxv8YBoHd1hkEbTGgK1NdOM0HdkLR3n2sEgGbseykvcLLaEF0bsHVaf8n-iS3GtC891baT38ZiqvhdE3rwce7y_-hgHI4IuXF_is4bqCNTaFKHP5tXmSVn_5Ob2_sjWgP-vmPMTnznaE6FCgycpjgp0/w282-h156/Picture1.jpg" width="282" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhQstVisuLjnIAB1iVok_Nn9e2HwdNFUbLLgOCV33WcgVQrM2Ew377iKo3xJSbLUhDkM7BX1-KWOhpu82hKX3aZXGQI8POUPvP2oMirxNmgOUcSucb1iahLo1rCMaQPPPwEsyx31g1lpn_vjUod8OROM3JJj80T6HTkQKbOXlW-EMJqgwgK1OhCBQsk0/s500/Picture2.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="500" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhQstVisuLjnIAB1iVok_Nn9e2HwdNFUbLLgOCV33WcgVQrM2Ew377iKo3xJSbLUhDkM7BX1-KWOhpu82hKX3aZXGQI8POUPvP2oMirxNmgOUcSucb1iahLo1rCMaQPPPwEsyx31g1lpn_vjUod8OROM3JJj80T6HTkQKbOXlW-EMJqgwgK1OhCBQsk0/w223-h155/Picture2.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, the movie probably wouldn’t be as
strong had it not been for Sylvester Stallone’s effective screen presence in
the lead role. Coming off the hit, Academy Award winning 1976 Drama “<b>Rocky</b>”,
Stallone was one of the rare action stars to enter the genera with Oscar
recognition, and his talent is in full display again with Rambo. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XY-JKSVlK5xWs4p6HgGim3Z8rAY8l7m_S3wKuHi17kgNMQ41K1fEgbJjpN7dH0LkIpVXmwf78Azlhke_HG53TFGBciMAi4RR7lp9WzKU5geEzlpy51rOaCrZhKh2hDBg1dY2W_B5VKLkRQLjWLR_L1ffdUe72oWWI8oi8JovxcGbeJH04uD79qRKx5A/s487/Picture11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="487" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XY-JKSVlK5xWs4p6HgGim3Z8rAY8l7m_S3wKuHi17kgNMQ41K1fEgbJjpN7dH0LkIpVXmwf78Azlhke_HG53TFGBciMAi4RR7lp9WzKU5geEzlpy51rOaCrZhKh2hDBg1dY2W_B5VKLkRQLjWLR_L1ffdUe72oWWI8oi8JovxcGbeJH04uD79qRKx5A/s320/Picture11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In many respects,
I find this a more challenging performance to pull-off, as he doesn’t convey any
direct emotion on the surface, nor dose he even speak much during the film, yet
Stallone conveys everything we need to connect with him on his adventure. You can tell he was once a decent man, who unfortunately had all his
humanity beaten out of him, and now there’s barley anything left but a survivalist.
Rambo’s restrained nature comes to a head in the climax, in which all his
emotions are on full display. Once again, the finale subverts genera
conventions, and isn’t a predictable final showdown between a hero and villain,
but a man facing his personal demons, and just letting his feelings out. I’ll admit, Stallone’s closing monologue is a little hard to follow without
subtitles, but it’s still a tour deforce for an action hero to breakdown and
show his vulnerable side.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2uBRGWrnV2ZD9ziIIi-kT2_9ilg1toSzL2-yvfhV2XKbVae08cJPeQSe13H1UfMjKYJmhRPtmI-hhrRSyjK5fOS5tMR_q32U5u7qbPGV4kToZ6HTfB7LxWtmSNNLuN9syPoQA_Fm1zjsrn_SYD33q4Mhyphenhyphenr4wzf1heKwZW9M366L3_N2JM0ckGNoaKc4/s769/Picture10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="769" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2uBRGWrnV2ZD9ziIIi-kT2_9ilg1toSzL2-yvfhV2XKbVae08cJPeQSe13H1UfMjKYJmhRPtmI-hhrRSyjK5fOS5tMR_q32U5u7qbPGV4kToZ6HTfB7LxWtmSNNLuN9syPoQA_Fm1zjsrn_SYD33q4Mhyphenhyphenr4wzf1heKwZW9M366L3_N2JM0ckGNoaKc4/w209-h195/Picture10.jpg" width="209" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMsVU4bSzEArpAuVB8GCJ8hO2u9U61i-aFOzx82muBqLtqz_sw_B2PK3sZIhdogTBrzc8AgpLgN6cTKb6tCCDj4DqdFemE3XhU8Fu6JMZLoSzDNZl5M-gpqGkbxANS90sLqBNzYuqeR8Ur3LocT9DbV3T2JQR2syimQaC0TbyPFV7kHAEwE6Kn8ZF5W8/s447/Picture7.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="447" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMsVU4bSzEArpAuVB8GCJ8hO2u9U61i-aFOzx82muBqLtqz_sw_B2PK3sZIhdogTBrzc8AgpLgN6cTKb6tCCDj4DqdFemE3XhU8Fu6JMZLoSzDNZl5M-gpqGkbxANS90sLqBNzYuqeR8Ur3LocT9DbV3T2JQR2syimQaC0TbyPFV7kHAEwE6Kn8ZF5W8/w238-h195/Picture7.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When all’s said and done, I wouldn’t call “<b>First
Blood</b>” one of my absolute favorite movies that I frequently re-watch … but
I would label it as one of the decades best action movies, highly recommendable if you've never seen it, and I feel it's only
gotten better with age. When people say “they don’t make them like they used to”,
this is one of the first films that come to mind, as they really don’t make
action movies like this anymore, with character and tension at the for front over the conventional excitement and spectacle. To be fair, I don’t know if you could make
this movie today, as the films content was already sensitive for it’s time … I
couldn’t even imagine how it would be received today. Thankfully, it came out in
the right decade, and has been preserved as a classic sense. It’s a solid example
of less-is-more, and a showcase of a straight forward survival thriller hitting
all the right levels of excitement as any current-day action or superhero film …
but with an extra touch of humanity and substance that places it just above the
genera’s typical brand of pop-corn entertainment.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-eI5IkJyxAqwOcZUuXFlNZ2vUQblItrd6GG36SpUXWls8uZZD-1rRaEPpT6hPpC7H7DwyBv7spG4cGgq_Lu9cLPKOR8lIo-rilqGcrphN-50FH7LEd_5Ai3MlITpxMcwgST7io6-pCc5HgjoRTtwlAYyPeLvfRxQvVWqT78iFu3tno3GxYfqVk_vXSk/s1800/uyoyioy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-eI5IkJyxAqwOcZUuXFlNZ2vUQblItrd6GG36SpUXWls8uZZD-1rRaEPpT6hPpC7H7DwyBv7spG4cGgq_Lu9cLPKOR8lIo-rilqGcrphN-50FH7LEd_5Ai3MlITpxMcwgST7io6-pCc5HgjoRTtwlAYyPeLvfRxQvVWqT78iFu3tno3GxYfqVk_vXSk/w400-h225/uyoyioy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 1982 action picture “<b>First Blood</b>” … and continue to enjoy
the movies you Love! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-91306485754858688222023-10-29T22:23:00.017-07:002023-10-29T22:46:47.534-07:00Coraline (2009) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhQx-xJQjAtlxe7j4HRonkyIwuP9KzH0XqGY2kRHaFhNxGArlE2TmUQ1KsviSlP3DRnV7ZbnANZpkrX3gTSZtWtyiKcRFq_E9x006bmMBfuPDR0qIEV-VoealBY9aSRJAGC3t2USkwKBllhFSBbvyvvNM4n4MhyLnlaAmUUWTZyLh2WKJ6ea_6SYlY9M/s720/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="504" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhQx-xJQjAtlxe7j4HRonkyIwuP9KzH0XqGY2kRHaFhNxGArlE2TmUQ1KsviSlP3DRnV7ZbnANZpkrX3gTSZtWtyiKcRFq_E9x006bmMBfuPDR0qIEV-VoealBY9aSRJAGC3t2USkwKBllhFSBbvyvvNM4n4MhyLnlaAmUUWTZyLh2WKJ6ea_6SYlY9M/w280-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two categories of movies I love to
consume around October … Horror movies and family films that have a heavy lean
toward either Halloween or general spooky content. Creepy animated Halloween
family films in particular have always held a special place in my heart, and I
could view any one of them as my favorite, depending on which one I happen to
be watching in the moment. For the longest time, if I was to select an absolute
favorite out of my figurative pumpkin-patch, it would have been 1993’s stop-motion
classic “<b>The Nightmare Before Christmas</b>”, directed by Henry Selick. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_R_DXg_lE6YhgLHlSQ_-PHerKwZRz73xKVNpfa3YJJ3c5rSK-3GWPSeW7j3rG5Xjj0HO8o2Lh4vmCX4Fe6w86jy0FirY6J_wZViMxpbR-PIQ6pXtwOUdNgfAR3jYFmBhfkpxyRU3SxBOu-JJ9o4911JjaukqbJuLPBK3cMcTzbI_dYwzpe3REWel9SfE/s1187/Picture5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1187" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_R_DXg_lE6YhgLHlSQ_-PHerKwZRz73xKVNpfa3YJJ3c5rSK-3GWPSeW7j3rG5Xjj0HO8o2Lh4vmCX4Fe6w86jy0FirY6J_wZViMxpbR-PIQ6pXtwOUdNgfAR3jYFmBhfkpxyRU3SxBOu-JJ9o4911JjaukqbJuLPBK3cMcTzbI_dYwzpe3REWel9SfE/s320/Picture5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, many years later in 2009, mid-way through my college years, came
another spooky-themed stop-motion picture called “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Coraline</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which was
again directed by Henry Selick. It was through sheer word of mouth I went to
see this film, as I saw nothing of the advertising or even that much marketing.
I didn’t set my expectations too high, but I figured it might be a fun watch …
one viewing later, this film did the unthinkable for me, and replaced “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Nightmare Before Christmas</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” as my new favorite animated picture to watch
around Halloween. It was a special case in which I instantly pegged a film as a
new Halloween classic, and I feel it’s only gotten better over the years.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVedO6Igg8Srwtv3ISJ0ZgUCHz1rCg1kOXjFKq2EHgKybCk8kRwcnjChhZv60saZUrq5wamxcx16-95UhOWfuLAQDUyQrkyJBZljY98Owtm08pIzUKapstvzG5Nq07vckQFum7A9nrypn1BG4bMLgQ2dN2vmgOrZYkq4s8xMlMQ6z5reZ-7BSVjDUXOs/s450/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="450" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVedO6Igg8Srwtv3ISJ0ZgUCHz1rCg1kOXjFKq2EHgKybCk8kRwcnjChhZv60saZUrq5wamxcx16-95UhOWfuLAQDUyQrkyJBZljY98Owtm08pIzUKapstvzG5Nq07vckQFum7A9nrypn1BG4bMLgQ2dN2vmgOrZYkq4s8xMlMQ6z5reZ-7BSVjDUXOs/w267-h171/Picture3.jpg" width="267" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJXX2FRZGUhVvYVOv0wTVXlIdDk9n7hFLxzTfBS2BBIsV9yFS1-Y26oXV3EF0TOOJO5Pk4wzYbDV4Mo46uNE9hdrCJoX97TtWyVNxxlZr-3EKtnFlz8vqK3bmQA7nW1yhG5vKOVhURmzjl8lRDh_uxaAWPDybXXtJQpE3-H5YUfq42ZAXwnigpJUws5Q/s600/ghfjfgj.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="600" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJXX2FRZGUhVvYVOv0wTVXlIdDk9n7hFLxzTfBS2BBIsV9yFS1-Y26oXV3EF0TOOJO5Pk4wzYbDV4Mo46uNE9hdrCJoX97TtWyVNxxlZr-3EKtnFlz8vqK3bmQA7nW1yhG5vKOVhURmzjl8lRDh_uxaAWPDybXXtJQpE3-H5YUfq42ZAXwnigpJUws5Q/w252-h171/ghfjfgj.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on Neil Gaiman’s novella of the same
name, this spooky children’s venture focuses on a little girl named Coraline
Jones, who’s adapting to her new dreary life in a Pink Palace apartment complex
in Ashland Oregon. Her parents are financially recovering from a car accident,
and are focused on work, to the point where they just can’t spare any time for
their emotionally strained little girl. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWhLOj6Qq4-jE5Au9BeYqcA-5Uyh9sUb6xNCzwvC_ZoFZu9Iu46CBrnn90fE0i7CO7q9LHqmZyOofXvub0u8OvKZTDd1obBIQ7OqIOis7Rg933MnFqjWrnpYGZd0HoNl8YqH_xL3jRIDgCxgjQfdIQ_-IXjCqz21JXzxoa3JTWrcn9cKML5PqgLDX1Ww/s566/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="566" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWhLOj6Qq4-jE5Au9BeYqcA-5Uyh9sUb6xNCzwvC_ZoFZu9Iu46CBrnn90fE0i7CO7q9LHqmZyOofXvub0u8OvKZTDd1obBIQ7OqIOis7Rg933MnFqjWrnpYGZd0HoNl8YqH_xL3jRIDgCxgjQfdIQ_-IXjCqz21JXzxoa3JTWrcn9cKML5PqgLDX1Ww/s320/Picture6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After receiving a mysterious doll, which barres a striking resemblance to Coraline herself, it leads her down a different and twisted path behind a secret door. When she emerges on the other
side, Coraline finds a paradise world, which is a perfect replica of her real
home … except now it’s bright, colorful, upbeat, and not at all like the boring
home life she left behind. Ruling over this realm is an entity claiming to be
Coraline’s other mother, who along with another father and residents, give her the
love and affection she’s been missing from her real family. Night after night,
Coraline desperately returns to this alternate reality, unaware that the longer
she stays … the more it literally begins to consume her. Soon enough, the world
reveals it’s dark and twisted secrets, and it gradually becomes an exciting
adventure involving ghosts, monsters, and a talking black cat.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKFpoxlx-DfMuMJAiWiQSMT-Tni6zQ1gqeMita4n9axmYdxaBXVHz3jRW_hMnlOES1QfYxWJYXHmslc9kRZzSTdFDwAd3YCXOZFO9aDfIryQpENWdwWJAnzB4pdip0bg2zlYyFOzfAI6CGPmo5fUNz-HsKMNmpN6ZlhYw4qCjnlUxhBx6HPna3w3vmW0/s1200/retr5y65rt7657.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKFpoxlx-DfMuMJAiWiQSMT-Tni6zQ1gqeMita4n9axmYdxaBXVHz3jRW_hMnlOES1QfYxWJYXHmslc9kRZzSTdFDwAd3YCXOZFO9aDfIryQpENWdwWJAnzB4pdip0bg2zlYyFOzfAI6CGPmo5fUNz-HsKMNmpN6ZlhYw4qCjnlUxhBx6HPna3w3vmW0/w251-h171/retr5y65rt7657.jpg" width="251" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5i853XN35ctkIjtlG3MnECY8cNpbLzAURv4zxfjmBYpc2ou3EL9Ga-dcm_qxJT9znGwzonNvaTyqv0xTPlgLaYVdRjbk6EesOYHSXH6BPEOzWmduwtvbkuK-MEMFRS0Ia8XO2ZwFu7KRzIWpmdz_MyWavMNim1tDDbp37UmAeQjqwLLzxBIDQCo4zcA/s1280/Picture8.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="1280" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5i853XN35ctkIjtlG3MnECY8cNpbLzAURv4zxfjmBYpc2ou3EL9Ga-dcm_qxJT9znGwzonNvaTyqv0xTPlgLaYVdRjbk6EesOYHSXH6BPEOzWmduwtvbkuK-MEMFRS0Ia8XO2ZwFu7KRzIWpmdz_MyWavMNim1tDDbp37UmAeQjqwLLzxBIDQCo4zcA/w232-h171/Picture8.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a surprising way, this film was the “<b>Alice
in Wonderland</b>” I had always wanted, as “<b>Coraline</b>” delivered the same
escapist wonder, but was also anchored by the heart and subtext that I always
felt “Wonderland” was lacking. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWpE4zHivKQec_oO9gNhEUm84L2V6L9qtif9J-vXVCU49-vhCUFZ6H9-voRh2_ee4wE-A1OYT3O0GhxcA1Mi0YJ_HYCCzWaJv1dm1zWmMVc3yF8XZ4gQlS8DfqjqK67YfaVcyry1iShAL6aPHOrxFbnDOHvKyzZkDPy7JiTCmuXohgaLRmdvp43L9Gko/s813/gyukiuh.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWpE4zHivKQec_oO9gNhEUm84L2V6L9qtif9J-vXVCU49-vhCUFZ6H9-voRh2_ee4wE-A1OYT3O0GhxcA1Mi0YJ_HYCCzWaJv1dm1zWmMVc3yF8XZ4gQlS8DfqjqK67YfaVcyry1iShAL6aPHOrxFbnDOHvKyzZkDPy7JiTCmuXohgaLRmdvp43L9Gko/s320/gyukiuh.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In general, I never felt like Alice gained anything from her experience, as in most versions, she simply slipped into a fantastical world, and came back out the exact same person she was before she went down the rabbit whole. Coraline by contrast at the start of her magical journey
is selfish and emotionally distant from her parents, yet gradually becomes a
completely different person then who she was at the start, and is finally able
to make a positive connection with her family when she returns to the real
world. It isn’t overly emotional either, and is just the right amount substance
to keep the experience from feeling like a derivative venture into another dark
fantasy world. The character of Coraline is also brimming with personality, and
is a genuinely appealing screen presence, even when she displays her faults in
the opening. Dakota Fanning delivers what is in my opinion … one of her
all-time best performances as the voice of Coraline. She was already a great
talent, but the energy and attitude she channels in Coraline are so genuine,
and different from any of her previous childhood roles, that I’m not even
picturing the talent behind the microphone. The performance in the animation is
equally as compelling, as every one of her reactions and inflections feels
real, to the point where … I know she’s a puppet, but it feels like a live
performance in front of the camera.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2U_K9ptW9rLiKpKax2vGa44dm7x7egb1NMBaC2zh2yRBd2DrCq460JDGDek-KlvK9IQNtkFZA2kLl69zdyk677YxYLk4-ZaDKlWwUN5KLfGfl2taElHQT6eKu9_EI-ceJAVml8jWW2LQB8atrolWiji61IB0h_tA8pzlK9fULzrKFRbfedvoCxZqMWVU/s1280/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2U_K9ptW9rLiKpKax2vGa44dm7x7egb1NMBaC2zh2yRBd2DrCq460JDGDek-KlvK9IQNtkFZA2kLl69zdyk677YxYLk4-ZaDKlWwUN5KLfGfl2taElHQT6eKu9_EI-ceJAVml8jWW2LQB8atrolWiji61IB0h_tA8pzlK9fULzrKFRbfedvoCxZqMWVU/w306-h166/Picture2.jpg" width="306" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCso7N2tglBpCS7wlStqq92IG5X_RrlMR6D6cMh3BqwY7ciE-DYcTKBSO0j7cEvAiieAmykxc-VOPk0mLmYhzTSxYUnR50YzWlsssguewKgudeff_NNS9Qq-RT5G4a71pdk7CgLLAwRmQTTOzTylzIsLAHgkxtqFP5pGxFMyBpqKVPQKHEstQ13VvXpvE/s300/ytutyu.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="300" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCso7N2tglBpCS7wlStqq92IG5X_RrlMR6D6cMh3BqwY7ciE-DYcTKBSO0j7cEvAiieAmykxc-VOPk0mLmYhzTSxYUnR50YzWlsssguewKgudeff_NNS9Qq-RT5G4a71pdk7CgLLAwRmQTTOzTylzIsLAHgkxtqFP5pGxFMyBpqKVPQKHEstQ13VvXpvE/w199-h166/ytutyu.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also feel the message of the film speaks
for itself, without any characters needing to spell out the obvious, and for
me, that’s when a movie really archives something special. I think many kids
can relate to having their own special forms of enjoyment or maybe even mental
escapes from either the set-backs or hardships of the real world, and this film
cleverly highlights the dangers that come from that escape … and how it may eat
away at their lives if there not carful. When Coraline encounters three Ghost
children who surrendered to the surface level appeals of the other world, it
ended up consuming them, and they both figuratively and literally had nothing
left to live for. As such, we have scary content for kids, but with subtext
underneath, similar to how the grim-fairy tales were intended to scare children
into remembering a message. On that note, this film definitely has its intense
content and scary imagery, but I also feel it’s done with purpose, and is also
balanced out with more then enough positive content. Honestly, this film
perfectly walks its tightrope, between being whimsical and uplifting one
moment, then dark and thrilling the next. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliBdOVEDh5CXy0FAfV1LzWiIgPNFtrfRAOTxg7w70hiHZpHXc_0ksqn2k5xug4lDRivaJ7We48_4uqSx9t7fCdVld9ZpAng1IbFP9pVjAuRUBDcIXJD26QXyHJMyS_MXYFgDAvIM488gKhur5lz13qJOEMBV2s1qrlb0WHx6IilY1aoyOK3-Inyj0KXc/s1280/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="1280" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliBdOVEDh5CXy0FAfV1LzWiIgPNFtrfRAOTxg7w70hiHZpHXc_0ksqn2k5xug4lDRivaJ7We48_4uqSx9t7fCdVld9ZpAng1IbFP9pVjAuRUBDcIXJD26QXyHJMyS_MXYFgDAvIM488gKhur5lz13qJOEMBV2s1qrlb0WHx6IilY1aoyOK3-Inyj0KXc/w279-h168/Picture7.jpg" width="279" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyO0Kco0kSHFK36yi0HSuP1ksfqQd0Wd4tGEjVo74G4BgAHN54mXKLMCgd7QvjpvKx3vrV_PepBeRDWtK3Hc6Gai7jSPvcHIiLCIyyPmMDm18-QaTT5U76yL6qdyLZ2jWaxQ6WD7-t3y9ovC_Uiq_cVg0EfWS4SHpR4ASDsH2gCG2CNNPPA30OswyM9YI/s960/Picture9.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyO0Kco0kSHFK36yi0HSuP1ksfqQd0Wd4tGEjVo74G4BgAHN54mXKLMCgd7QvjpvKx3vrV_PepBeRDWtK3Hc6Gai7jSPvcHIiLCIyyPmMDm18-QaTT5U76yL6qdyLZ2jWaxQ6WD7-t3y9ovC_Uiq_cVg0EfWS4SHpR4ASDsH2gCG2CNNPPA30OswyM9YI/w216-h167/Picture9.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the center of all the films frightening
material is the sinister other Mother, who has a secure place among my all-time
favorite animated villains. It’s one thing to have an openly dangerous threat,
it’s another to have an entity luring children into a death trap … and all
through the promises of love and joy. I think that the scariest villains are
the ones that don’t seem threatening until it’s too late. Case in point with
the other mother, who at first glance seems like the nicer, more loving parent,
when really, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Actually, she’s more like a
giant spider, but even that has subtext, as she’s literally weaving a web of
deception around her victims. On that note, once she reveals her true form, it’s
one of the most spectacular monster designs I’ve ever seen. Voice actress Teri
Hatcher once again hits it out of the park with a dual performance as both
Coraline’s mother and the monster taking on her likeness.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3YJCUVlKNug37zRvIzlNLKc-Zbo_JNB8m5kPB3ZHydA0OU410bUsoC74rjz2ekHCYVwZXW7zaPIUnIuNUpQDDsFnH0SaYs99E7pbep7qGgFmnsULIuW5eAYeB2DXFzBL0iBaOQ5nbCtyalRBhos86pE2xXETDJTAlmx0v6y4TU9T5hCQQbf-Wr07zgE/s640/uyiyui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3YJCUVlKNug37zRvIzlNLKc-Zbo_JNB8m5kPB3ZHydA0OU410bUsoC74rjz2ekHCYVwZXW7zaPIUnIuNUpQDDsFnH0SaYs99E7pbep7qGgFmnsULIuW5eAYeB2DXFzBL0iBaOQ5nbCtyalRBhos86pE2xXETDJTAlmx0v6y4TU9T5hCQQbf-Wr07zgE/w219-h169/uyiyui.jpg" width="219" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdi0xjfV9k1c_ak00rngfvvzCtI6ZoDXYebhqSckAGV8L5eWibmRAjsl4C0Dl4hst-itaI1bJEDkp8bjre0Tp8NcU61VND9EIwtAQ5kCsW7IQVHcC5bjFchIw4gF9IPw-shaZ2WxZbldZnYdEZu51YO1IBjpmZ8Vh2eICKGVNcv-EXTIDyhOjQ2Cq4XQ/s1920/gfhjtyju.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdi0xjfV9k1c_ak00rngfvvzCtI6ZoDXYebhqSckAGV8L5eWibmRAjsl4C0Dl4hst-itaI1bJEDkp8bjre0Tp8NcU61VND9EIwtAQ5kCsW7IQVHcC5bjFchIw4gF9IPw-shaZ2WxZbldZnYdEZu51YO1IBjpmZ8Vh2eICKGVNcv-EXTIDyhOjQ2Cq4XQ/w295-h169/gfhjtyju.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The supporting characters are also very
memorable, and once again, unlike Alice, I like that Coraline actually makes
friends on her journey. Some of the other world duplicates display genuine
concern for her, despite being creations of the villain. The talking Black Cat
voiced by the always reliable Keith David, provides Coraline with a companion
to aid her through all the challenges, but he isn’t always comforting to her
with his approach, nor is she in return, and it makes their friendship all the
more interesting as a result. If I had any reservations with this movie, it
would be the two elderly stage performers, who in Coraline’s alternate world put
on a stage show … which reveals way too much of the ladies. Honestly, the film
already warranted its PG rating, and I don’t think it needed to include this
disgusting stage show. The two elder ladies also contribute to the creepiest
detail of the whole film … stuffing their dead pets, and displaying their
bodies as house hold decorations … which is the only piece of scary content
that I feel has no real purpose in the film.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp-b9-BZdeCd8PqCnLosoQ2YjBkw0ho5ywNtT90yum_PHDudOtfD-whD7Z58gnm92fCwbiFpRfYQfZ4OUj6HwhhoY6JrHxgGvKo7BslUMiZAueQCOGzGENzMlFjdmvG2si35T_j96CEZvXdhHQGsn7es_jGq3yNUegQk1Xc7aXth379V_4L2XGlY7eo0/s643/ytuyo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="643" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp-b9-BZdeCd8PqCnLosoQ2YjBkw0ho5ywNtT90yum_PHDudOtfD-whD7Z58gnm92fCwbiFpRfYQfZ4OUj6HwhhoY6JrHxgGvKo7BslUMiZAueQCOGzGENzMlFjdmvG2si35T_j96CEZvXdhHQGsn7es_jGq3yNUegQk1Xc7aXth379V_4L2XGlY7eo0/w284-h183/ytuyo.jpg" width="284" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0VsyHfLG-Ocd2D6jk_V3IwsQd4QYkySHS23AGkrYMAvJQ2SVsEt658queqVlMrcakBG8ukwWOZu_1anYqZk5JIxa-bpGXrd0dYMRCBuSvPHmWt9aCJf2NdARKYvCfVa6JENEmg179tsuAi1-AuHxXi-chOLXD0TKMqsga5eduzHjfy4PacSi65_jC3I/s441/ijlijp.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="441" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0VsyHfLG-Ocd2D6jk_V3IwsQd4QYkySHS23AGkrYMAvJQ2SVsEt658queqVlMrcakBG8ukwWOZu_1anYqZk5JIxa-bpGXrd0dYMRCBuSvPHmWt9aCJf2NdARKYvCfVa6JENEmg179tsuAi1-AuHxXi-chOLXD0TKMqsga5eduzHjfy4PacSi65_jC3I/w190-h182/ijlijp.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting back to the positives … this film is
a visual marvel to behold, and after almost fifteen years, it still looks
amazing. Naturally, the film was brought to life through practical stop-motion
and puppet effects … which are so detailed, and so smooth, it still makes me
wonder how they pulled this off. In general, I feel animated movies are always
more impressive when there stop-motion films like this, as I love looking at
all the designs knowing that there all real sets, props and puppets that act
and perform right in front of the camera. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcyhQKhzskqY9NiDDWhKFW8VaNWzYrER4h09SiKlHjTbPev0XlDDNJBIS2_QhZ1otcrlDVs1obIA9qrKX6nd-lWM5lr01xkDtaqOWusws4IryJymIET2lb2ZDdT9oRIlp8b6WiDdu5DVZNFuccRCdMMy53kCLM92i96Ya-lYqIRvRK6NZzDP1HJwsE0M/s1280/iuyouip.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1280" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcyhQKhzskqY9NiDDWhKFW8VaNWzYrER4h09SiKlHjTbPev0XlDDNJBIS2_QhZ1otcrlDVs1obIA9qrKX6nd-lWM5lr01xkDtaqOWusws4IryJymIET2lb2ZDdT9oRIlp8b6WiDdu5DVZNFuccRCdMMy53kCLM92i96Ya-lYqIRvRK6NZzDP1HJwsE0M/s320/iuyouip.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’d go so far to say that the visual
look of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Coraline</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” transcends beyond being a technical achievement, and
right into the realms of iconography. The button eyes in particular are now a
staple of spooky, yet iconic imagery in children’s media. Also, for as much as
I love spooky family films to watch around Halloween, they can occasionally
feel visually repetitive, and not have too much decorative variety on display. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Coraline</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
by contrast has a distinct look and personality that’s all its own, and doesn’t
feel like any other movie I watch around Halloween. It doesn’t even have any
traditional Halloween imagery, aside from a pair of Jack-O Lanterns in the
garden, but regardless, it still carries an atmosphere and mood the just feels
right for the season.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUUiyRWDtd85p0VxImyQ8ijQHBaClZVlqmxP0qusgDYsTvkMl2s_2-7YSOZ-T0j0_JGQi9Bkp5_gcjfcTLlTUFN_RwhpOyLKXSEd3pT1vjx9Tzpqs6dOew913YgNO7DDjMJdWBavKzu6RLwr5qv5Ie4PqSrb4LiYSV-TEbFYlupd6M5zKcDpZgY0MM1Y/s292/Picture12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="292" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUUiyRWDtd85p0VxImyQ8ijQHBaClZVlqmxP0qusgDYsTvkMl2s_2-7YSOZ-T0j0_JGQi9Bkp5_gcjfcTLlTUFN_RwhpOyLKXSEd3pT1vjx9Tzpqs6dOew913YgNO7DDjMJdWBavKzu6RLwr5qv5Ie4PqSrb4LiYSV-TEbFYlupd6M5zKcDpZgY0MM1Y/w261-h172/Picture12.jpg" width="261" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4oG1sVWNDlzDYvtciSjDrhKKJox0fbxTdbQ3DMrFfLJYbZ-ifC1VxgimddLZ8zwU5-lW02GgzOxlg_IM2nv9TX8hkwSNCtPncoxW5HR3WmfHa1rT62AlBP7sZHsbffQ9fN466Jy0pmuJGN3OzTjGrPi0ZC2WgLi2qUKOb8L6a8wjeo1uoUdNgvFTyoA/s520/iuopiupio.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="520" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4oG1sVWNDlzDYvtciSjDrhKKJox0fbxTdbQ3DMrFfLJYbZ-ifC1VxgimddLZ8zwU5-lW02GgzOxlg_IM2nv9TX8hkwSNCtPncoxW5HR3WmfHa1rT62AlBP7sZHsbffQ9fN466Jy0pmuJGN3OzTjGrPi0ZC2WgLi2qUKOb8L6a8wjeo1uoUdNgvFTyoA/w245-h171/iuopiupio.jpg" width="245" /></a><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another one of the films many strengths is
the music score composed by Bruno Coulais, which also adds to the film’s
distinct atmosphere and dreamlike mood. Similar to how composer Danny Elfman
utilized eerie children’s quires, I feel the music in “<b>Coraline</b>” takes it
one step further. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhu-O_cig2_A15TBYX-s0-TY_D6PtPCr6eBve0Uc2rmJuq21I2pS2hTmiYkHuLhiE9-tFVweMDY5L4GRTx7PAD20Nym6Zxn3xSFynJpkHuf_UGkzQaKiYigbF37rFsa1o606TGmRqr1e0EIHBjHGv-S-nxiB92aSEziGP-gRpV-1P8mUHYKmbnbmoSnY/s580/uiup.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="580" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhu-O_cig2_A15TBYX-s0-TY_D6PtPCr6eBve0Uc2rmJuq21I2pS2hTmiYkHuLhiE9-tFVweMDY5L4GRTx7PAD20Nym6Zxn3xSFynJpkHuf_UGkzQaKiYigbF37rFsa1o606TGmRqr1e0EIHBjHGv-S-nxiB92aSEziGP-gRpV-1P8mUHYKmbnbmoSnY/s320/uiup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The children’s quire in this film really takes on a dual nature, as it’s both comforting and unsettling in equal measure. Most of the
time, this score puts me in a relaxed state of euphoria, but always with an ominous sense of dread, and when combined with the imagery, it really helps the
experience take on a life of its own. It also works in tandem with Henry Selick’s
direction, which is slow and leisurely paced, but always engaging, and really
pays off when things get exciting. As we segue into the films third act, the
movie takes on it’s new life as a video-game style adventure, as Coraline's once
cheerful settings have taken on a dark appearance, are now filled with
dangerous obstacles, a special item that needs to be retrieved, and a final
boss at the end. It’s a little off-beat with the rest of the film, but very
entertaining, and it really makes me want to play a video game based around
this environment. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8wTa3B_so4Pnbu3yh-REC8XyrNF04hnhvgW5LLThb0_GtrWhf9Y7utYbU59vULP6jNulRqxR2rWrjX9qjuO-T_mXLWLAyjeujoGo86zGlFNx1z5BX_7FcJvaqUoJ4QlwQtuyxDvFTUZW4d1H4nhyt80kaYUDyPsAp2dcCWtlayY-4KhzRSJB23uhWpE/s652/jioiu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="652" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8wTa3B_so4Pnbu3yh-REC8XyrNF04hnhvgW5LLThb0_GtrWhf9Y7utYbU59vULP6jNulRqxR2rWrjX9qjuO-T_mXLWLAyjeujoGo86zGlFNx1z5BX_7FcJvaqUoJ4QlwQtuyxDvFTUZW4d1H4nhyt80kaYUDyPsAp2dcCWtlayY-4KhzRSJB23uhWpE/w253-h152/jioiu.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyp6NFAppTbRADS6fRf1610URESv-WG5-ixfEyPbsF3SHbS1Yzy2YFCtP9NcygRvnW2IudFyRHHe3KRPL1TFCY-N8UHNdk51duFWTgQlG-Cj2ivChkPMIZQnI9iitodx7nlVCTcHTH7QOi0Tca6zd82l6OfWcKXWlqgNUNbCprmnqMHTabfyz0FFQhT4/s3000/ugiyu.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="3000" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyp6NFAppTbRADS6fRf1610URESv-WG5-ixfEyPbsF3SHbS1Yzy2YFCtP9NcygRvnW2IudFyRHHe3KRPL1TFCY-N8UHNdk51duFWTgQlG-Cj2ivChkPMIZQnI9iitodx7nlVCTcHTH7QOi0Tca6zd82l6OfWcKXWlqgNUNbCprmnqMHTabfyz0FFQhT4/w258-h151/ugiyu.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I look back on Henry Selick’s previous
film “<b>The Nightmare Before Christmas</b>”, I feel it didn’t need to do much
to win me over as a favorite film to watch around the holiday season, as it was
swimming in imagery, music and a story that revolved around my two favorite
holidays. “<b>Coraline</b>” by comparison didn’t have as obvious a hook for me,
yet still won me over, and even surpassed my feelings of his first film, with
lots of imagination, a visually stunning world, an engaging lead character, a
memorable villain, and story that I feel perfected the formula of a girl
transported to an imaginative setting. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tjX_DXhUna0bI6fGvgwYVXdCw05uUrdUe360vFCGT_3Pp4wKT6kLuZ9EesnxLuLJUPfDO5hEAmitfkLX4siUtdnGjSbBuf5e6tG7vfRgywi1RVzTkCC1kaN5jSYUd-m-uiwNpoOcWB05t-endXa3FJcPRY-BWaEAE3fnxQfcNM-FfQde276w0oTSECI/s1280/Picture10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1280" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tjX_DXhUna0bI6fGvgwYVXdCw05uUrdUe360vFCGT_3Pp4wKT6kLuZ9EesnxLuLJUPfDO5hEAmitfkLX4siUtdnGjSbBuf5e6tG7vfRgywi1RVzTkCC1kaN5jSYUd-m-uiwNpoOcWB05t-endXa3FJcPRY-BWaEAE3fnxQfcNM-FfQde276w0oTSECI/s320/Picture10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The film was a critical hit upon it’s release,
and was even nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Animated Picture … but
lost to Pixar’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Up</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. Speaking personally, while “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Up</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was another
great film, it was also nominated for Best Picture that year, so I feel it was too
easy a win for best animated picture, and shouldn’t have been included as an
option … then perhaps “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Coraline</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” would have had a better chance of
winning. In the end, even though “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Coraline</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” isn’t directly aimed at
Halloween, it’s still very creepy, twisted and dripping with a haunting other
worldly atmosphere. It’s scary, but very exciting … crazy, yet imaginative …
dark, but not without some decent family morals. Great atmosphere, eye-pleasing
visuals, imaginative storytelling, a top-notch vocal performance from Dakota
Fanning, and so much more make this my favorite animated movie to watch around Halloween,
and by extent, it’s one of my personal favorite animated films.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwR6GBn_JFkedcCKS71jbUv7a1svo17z6WC7kX3DvJuPi_7yEiRA4cAp8oRtqH7ndMVoevGzosmd7Y-gVH9HSmwFnpP7TgvM9s3cLRAsoffi7AytpvIULRWQ6NB-lxFZ1xV32_p90HWQ82f29vFaO3wHmshGagjXFgJF1248po1nyfakGgjStDJxN_8w/s600/uiyuiyu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwR6GBn_JFkedcCKS71jbUv7a1svo17z6WC7kX3DvJuPi_7yEiRA4cAp8oRtqH7ndMVoevGzosmd7Y-gVH9HSmwFnpP7TgvM9s3cLRAsoffi7AytpvIULRWQ6NB-lxFZ1xV32_p90HWQ82f29vFaO3wHmshGagjXFgJF1248po1nyfakGgjStDJxN_8w/w400-h225/uiyuiyu.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 2009 animated picture “<b>Coraline</b>” … and continue
to enjoy the holiday specials you Love! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #c45911; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">HAPPY
HALLOWEEN! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-2533217378591926252023-10-27T18:55:00.032-07:002024-02-25T13:33:17.306-08:00My Top 10 Favorite 1960’s Horror Movies <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVUNR9mm_xsc7jU1IOl0hOUm71HQbPCbFENWAxecXYjv-rbksOicW0pfKy0SNVn870uirOnygvZrlYJmF65vtTCOkXm0fSeno1aCZYT1qpnHo3URxDZrRWDlD1BLIguTshLIhzOirVC5s2m8wmpm9rRllVgKatffZtgLYQfT-Y91fLf8UUo9dDBCVt7g/s900/bnutyuty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVUNR9mm_xsc7jU1IOl0hOUm71HQbPCbFENWAxecXYjv-rbksOicW0pfKy0SNVn870uirOnygvZrlYJmF65vtTCOkXm0fSeno1aCZYT1qpnHo3URxDZrRWDlD1BLIguTshLIhzOirVC5s2m8wmpm9rRllVgKatffZtgLYQfT-Y91fLf8UUo9dDBCVt7g/w199-h208/bnutyuty.jpg" width="199" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_X4k-SIl0ul9ccNARyVo6ZTlBde66bxEIOqK6RBXJ7LuncGwrevR3pNZ8bCc7SpSWCN2lyh-u_hyCyB3rbLQ04Ild7tXj9ad891G_Mb04TvVdKedxs6YwSE4FtRv81294T1rZmtUaK1e0lQlvANrMRppqenpW9DE7ciW22bwQbYX0xDQHe3CeQySzyIY/s1276/poi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="1276" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_X4k-SIl0ul9ccNARyVo6ZTlBde66bxEIOqK6RBXJ7LuncGwrevR3pNZ8bCc7SpSWCN2lyh-u_hyCyB3rbLQ04Ild7tXj9ad891G_Mb04TvVdKedxs6YwSE4FtRv81294T1rZmtUaK1e0lQlvANrMRppqenpW9DE7ciW22bwQbYX0xDQHe3CeQySzyIY/w288-h206/poi.jpg" width="288" /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following after the big Sci-Fi boom of the
1950’s, it made the 60’s a special time of transition … a time to reignite the chills
of the golden monster movie age, while also moving forward with contemporary
frights and thrills. For me, I find the 1960’s to be a severely underrated
decade for horror cinema, as it’s not as contemporary as what took shape in the
70’s with classics like "<b>Halloween</b>", “<b>Jaws</b>” and “<b>The Exorcist</b>”. Regardless, the 60's still
had its share of classics, as well as lesser-known gems that still haunt me
into my adult years. As such, I felt the occasion was finally right to stop and
rank my own personal Top 10 favorite horror movies of the 1960’s. Just a quick
disclaimer … I’m not trying to make any kind of official best of the 60’s, these
are just the ones that have stuck with me the most as personal favorites. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 <b>The
Night Walker</b> (1964) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_HqF3T9qPZV0BAfKN2OnUCE4sSxe4FRHrKSDwm0sbD96dtUfzSt6TiAFE9UsimlndTpQgDU_24iwiNEU57EC1VM8Va_v4jb68kObIujUeTdlHVca78_gucGwOcBX4IXSpwpUSbAcKki6X-lhcrEnaYxQv3Ftc7Df60D7PTG4L1On4xmo8oLolWXdnbA/s560/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="560" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_HqF3T9qPZV0BAfKN2OnUCE4sSxe4FRHrKSDwm0sbD96dtUfzSt6TiAFE9UsimlndTpQgDU_24iwiNEU57EC1VM8Va_v4jb68kObIujUeTdlHVca78_gucGwOcBX4IXSpwpUSbAcKki6X-lhcrEnaYxQv3Ftc7Df60D7PTG4L1On4xmo8oLolWXdnbA/w234-h172/Picture3.jpg" width="234" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VtED9xvBoSC6ABYO6nnBzQIjCz2AHVqHWFT5VR-Kdg4i7qwv6gLBMrwKKfbqQ3z3W1cqzZNpE1b5zTwFsK9rghS3KOYp15JPaO8Q0nXvguY3pGqHUBeAZnXglOe2lZ_hihVzH7wrG6Vctl7IzOkEG0_72UKHyiYmFbC7N0pFpy2rsRxxyTp1NuxfmWk/s1280/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1280" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VtED9xvBoSC6ABYO6nnBzQIjCz2AHVqHWFT5VR-Kdg4i7qwv6gLBMrwKKfbqQ3z3W1cqzZNpE1b5zTwFsK9rghS3KOYp15JPaO8Q0nXvguY3pGqHUBeAZnXglOe2lZ_hihVzH7wrG6Vctl7IzOkEG0_72UKHyiYmFbC7N0pFpy2rsRxxyTp1NuxfmWk/w286-h172/Picture2.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A woman is forced to live under the cruelty of her possessive
husband, and even after his apparent death, there’s still no peace for her. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmTMc5f6A1Xdpir0mvrreepZZYwNBDUhcGg1PwEP5LJlcW9EaQ86E7zjPKxZeJhySfR5OgIKqZ7ZU_4mWw1v-aj03dInV-g78IJcI8AFfa1mbQk0ByjP3QxN5JK8Lz8g0xzYraiGxcqVLbm5P9x-Ow4cftoA_88dr6XFF5egANIAmzqOHEVqjxMDKpzE/s720/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmTMc5f6A1Xdpir0mvrreepZZYwNBDUhcGg1PwEP5LJlcW9EaQ86E7zjPKxZeJhySfR5OgIKqZ7ZU_4mWw1v-aj03dInV-g78IJcI8AFfa1mbQk0ByjP3QxN5JK8Lz8g0xzYraiGxcqVLbm5P9x-Ow4cftoA_88dr6XFF5egANIAmzqOHEVqjxMDKpzE/w266-h400/Picture4.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">Even in death, the villain continues to appear in her dreams as a nasty corps … perhaps an influence on Freddy Kruger. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The whole movie revolves around nightmares and
dreams taking on a life of their own, so naturally, it has its share of
nightmarish sequences, which are truly haunting spectacles all these years
later. There’s a wedding, with a church full of motionless manikins, and
montages of strange, euphoric visuals. Some of the imagery is reminiscent of
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1945 classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Spellbound</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, right down to all the eyes
floating around in the dark, but I personally find this far more eerie and
spine tingling by contrast. While the movie loses some of its bight with
multiple twists at the end, it still works as an engaging psychological
thriller, and is well worth checking out.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#9 <b>Carnival
of Lost Souls</b> (1962) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCNHOvtGQMuKz9Ej3f06C7rfdW_Q7sQqw-wh0JrI8599LE9G2aYZ8anD4kBLMZ3CDUrA4Wc4lOFw4QVhBQ5SYaKICHmgaCbqJkk7mgBlOMl0pVlq0cIUUKnY6QbnJWcoUXcUThVJ9KkZmrUKjlGVvcdBcFS5Dsp8ZhYeHsahhjTJULW_-yB9MivVeNis/s960/Picture1rt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCNHOvtGQMuKz9Ej3f06C7rfdW_Q7sQqw-wh0JrI8599LE9G2aYZ8anD4kBLMZ3CDUrA4Wc4lOFw4QVhBQ5SYaKICHmgaCbqJkk7mgBlOMl0pVlq0cIUUKnY6QbnJWcoUXcUThVJ9KkZmrUKjlGVvcdBcFS5Dsp8ZhYeHsahhjTJULW_-yB9MivVeNis/w229-h172/Picture1rt.jpg" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-5i2pn0z3rQbZXSX62jeO1BKf-MG8y_JEbUDnCO_vYkX3fOAnmGHhewLBYSYp5hFXMMQL3K-GuFhVCUqeVuF34bsqmFSz-lb7U7mEtsvhMvRYeJSov2H075pLQ8MXvMiaMIq6B-MvDXWj2KFIHdW53A43N5zywQVgVu0448SpOLh0PHQvtEMILbYg_w/s1200/679.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-5i2pn0z3rQbZXSX62jeO1BKf-MG8y_JEbUDnCO_vYkX3fOAnmGHhewLBYSYp5hFXMMQL3K-GuFhVCUqeVuF34bsqmFSz-lb7U7mEtsvhMvRYeJSov2H075pLQ8MXvMiaMIq6B-MvDXWj2KFIHdW53A43N5zywQVgVu0448SpOLh0PHQvtEMILbYg_w/w291-h172/679.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCSEUo1Z7FQvasFtQtKOeZlcBidg0Wq_nZ1EuH6EVxxL5LjsQnLEfjG016EiyOg3-mm5O_kFAhCY6L8GmvjCwM2b7Ot9sCeB5fq3Mufkxn-NqtKUXTP0h959M1wc9kJAWu9e7-RC1iRFYW5pG8ExC8ni1dzss7HU7-bfGy2GibpXao3Ibq6p1vtbJpFQ/s530/Picture1wsewa.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="423" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCSEUo1Z7FQvasFtQtKOeZlcBidg0Wq_nZ1EuH6EVxxL5LjsQnLEfjG016EiyOg3-mm5O_kFAhCY6L8GmvjCwM2b7Ot9sCeB5fq3Mufkxn-NqtKUXTP0h959M1wc9kJAWu9e7-RC1iRFYW5pG8ExC8ni1dzss7HU7-bfGy2GibpXao3Ibq6p1vtbJpFQ/w319-h400/Picture1wsewa.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When a young lady emerges from a horrible car-crash
into a lake, she comes back not feeling quiet right … and not alone either. Mysterious
phantasms and other ghoulish figures seem to follow her everywhere, and what’s
more, she believes she’s being called to a creepy abandoned carnival. Where I’d
describe most horror movies as either scary or haunting … the best word for “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Carnival
of Lost Souls</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is hypnotic. There isn’t much talking or even action, but
there’s this captivating, eerie atmosphere, brought on by all the mysterious oddities,
and gothic organ music. It’s the kind of movie you need to be in the right
mind-set for, and for me … it delivers a chilling experience that’s hard to
shake off. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#8 <b>The
Birds</b> (1963) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6J0G2ve1V34ZLeQX81-03TQS_mGpu9AkghsTgMpDk1FtVRNhSCGKKeNE_FMRMt9ar6bekq-FZd_YBP9sVJ7-kkWMToffltIA-hQnVloQAW3h7CMyI5IH3ApOC0QIoWZXWJvj8Rnwf12nW4BBJ1KiMpu3-PJyVUmKioXzxS7gF4tNfewkYr-4rMiHosA/s1200/hguygu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6J0G2ve1V34ZLeQX81-03TQS_mGpu9AkghsTgMpDk1FtVRNhSCGKKeNE_FMRMt9ar6bekq-FZd_YBP9sVJ7-kkWMToffltIA-hQnVloQAW3h7CMyI5IH3ApOC0QIoWZXWJvj8Rnwf12nW4BBJ1KiMpu3-PJyVUmKioXzxS7gF4tNfewkYr-4rMiHosA/w293-h168/hguygu.jpg" width="293" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SQt20UXHv9-nHgjuuVdFDhFqbcMe6dpJ92RYUYScUOJZHI7d3P6hYkMh12l3dgRtCYTe2KejjRUWHxknuFmpILCMrCyww0WrQatMlkTTi0g9WvIRVF3Hm553Rl-QyY10l4OLt0d1-QPWHrMf4DHJiz7a9LqE2Z8epPonK51Ij0cW4SLjl37RKX_NN2g/s1024/uyoiup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1024" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SQt20UXHv9-nHgjuuVdFDhFqbcMe6dpJ92RYUYScUOJZHI7d3P6hYkMh12l3dgRtCYTe2KejjRUWHxknuFmpILCMrCyww0WrQatMlkTTi0g9WvIRVF3Hm553Rl-QyY10l4OLt0d1-QPWHrMf4DHJiz7a9LqE2Z8epPonK51Ij0cW4SLjl37RKX_NN2g/w208-h168/uyoiup.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It may seem like a silly, B-Movie concept on the surface …
but this is Hitchcock, and he specializes in quality … thus, his direction,
build-up, Oscar-Winning effects, and execution, make this one-note premise one
of the greatest of 60’s horror cinema. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WJMi0FtkmBkQcRde3iptYqOlrBElcP82uO8am9ZRIsgMRo2a-eL8pSvkENdRF1JQc2v3sHFC0Ar00w7X3VkRDDMxT8rvvuKpQU2XJtnOkjLQ7eC9m_wM_f0I3r8zJ3XRdA1bBNyodRpPf8GaH8l1z1YqDleKPw-YXZscmQplQuCsXY8nHAfBWe0jiNo/s720/Picture5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="470" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WJMi0FtkmBkQcRde3iptYqOlrBElcP82uO8am9ZRIsgMRo2a-eL8pSvkENdRF1JQc2v3sHFC0Ar00w7X3VkRDDMxT8rvvuKpQU2XJtnOkjLQ7eC9m_wM_f0I3r8zJ3XRdA1bBNyodRpPf8GaH8l1z1YqDleKPw-YXZscmQplQuCsXY8nHAfBWe0jiNo/w261-h400/Picture5.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Key to any great horror movie is
build-up and that’s the strength that this film caries. Alfred Hitchcock’s
brilliant direction and style made animals as simple and common as birds
terrifying, and the movie dose an efficient job bringing on the terror from
these every day creatures. It’s admittedly kind of slow at first, but once
things get going, it’s a thrill ride. One great strength to this film is all
the mystery, as we’re never given any clear answers as to why these animals are
behaving so viciously. Is it a plague, does it have something to do with these
two caged love birds, is there a master mind behind it or is it just the early
stages to the end of the world … it’s never explained, and that’s why it
remains such a griping and exciting film, full of terrific visuals, strong
build up, and intense action.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 <b>The</b> <b>City
of the Dead</b> (1960) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXF3E3KyW06cGxgqm0haps4qd1ovbLm_jPZnbVy56nQ-EJbjFht_NZCMzw9ol1dqUKgOZnO3YiYtRXMywo_2rT8-tInwf3wz_Gl4JbDCsRedC79ezWcaNEnS-vRFbPKB3sA36PC_LXCjVgAA0yD8pNo0Ai5mmPR4EJV8BV34wgJHGIoI43Pg4ndOtid3Q/s320/bcff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXF3E3KyW06cGxgqm0haps4qd1ovbLm_jPZnbVy56nQ-EJbjFht_NZCMzw9ol1dqUKgOZnO3YiYtRXMywo_2rT8-tInwf3wz_Gl4JbDCsRedC79ezWcaNEnS-vRFbPKB3sA36PC_LXCjVgAA0yD8pNo0Ai5mmPR4EJV8BV34wgJHGIoI43Pg4ndOtid3Q/w235-h160/bcff.jpg" width="235" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqieYE8DgSRGPXNuUsMHdt495DYCn3jC0IxhJ8Xnk0MAh0Puk6sNvdzvUBRk5yHkUOCQM3aDLDpn2OLoAsCmtP19SeUJkD0sj6ZiwHqbK6LRcYPpZgYNeVwD073Ke-gjbbvHiLPJhLbSfCXScqdSBc7ZdMVfpgXNYNR1QGn8Zv02OjcZIay0u66XEMUHM/s960/uhoiuoy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="960" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqieYE8DgSRGPXNuUsMHdt495DYCn3jC0IxhJ8Xnk0MAh0Puk6sNvdzvUBRk5yHkUOCQM3aDLDpn2OLoAsCmtP19SeUJkD0sj6ZiwHqbK6LRcYPpZgYNeVwD073Ke-gjbbvHiLPJhLbSfCXScqdSBc7ZdMVfpgXNYNR1QGn8Zv02OjcZIay0u66XEMUHM/w266-h160/uhoiuoy.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Back in my ignorant, younger movie viewing years, I
was under the impression that I’d never be visually impressed by an old black
and white movie … let alone be scared by one. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, I’ve thankfully had my share of B&W movies that gave me goosebumps, and one that I’ve always remembered for its bone chilling atmosphere and foreboding imagery is 1960’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">City of the Dead</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQSnGLU4mDy7W3Z28joDFzivqqZq5app-msbPaYOhzJoipJWqA62BtzBvCB4wJMyhkplCzBY9cflJ0zGaC20andZcIw7UsThtAe0HgIjeOR1qFq6Bd77vOBFF9gjL2r5JHlOegZJqoEAVeFCnctFREymGk6vu-7mwcKrvYTelksKBPCktx4X2ZCbfvRw/s1521/yfutyit.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQSnGLU4mDy7W3Z28joDFzivqqZq5app-msbPaYOhzJoipJWqA62BtzBvCB4wJMyhkplCzBY9cflJ0zGaC20andZcIw7UsThtAe0HgIjeOR1qFq6Bd77vOBFF9gjL2r5JHlOegZJqoEAVeFCnctFREymGk6vu-7mwcKrvYTelksKBPCktx4X2ZCbfvRw/w263-h400/yfutyit.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The story is already quite disturbed, as it revolves around a
sinister cult who’ve leeward young victims to their secluded village to be
sacrificed. The malevolent cult leader is played by the late great Christopher
Lee, who’s personally my favorite actor when it comes to playing villains.
Aside from a familiar horror icon, the grim nature and mood of the film is
absolutely perpetuated by its striking visual esthetic. There’s an unrealistic
amount of fog surrounding the grounds, dark foreground objects standing out
among the gloomy surroundings, interior designs are covered with spider-webs,
there’s dooming underground caverns, gravestones dot the landscape, lights are
always flickering, objects are slanted, and at the center of the village is
barn with an antique clock face. It’s plain and simply one of the most visually
appealing black and white horror movies I’ve ever seen, and one that leaves a
chill in the air every time I watch it.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 <b>The
Innocents</b> (1961) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3DwGdDDEO318WiXeMZStAmOb-ZpQVyOBm3bzNHmKcDnw2i-Yw7VEOET6UUH3mSJzsZ0KL3tVYkXCN2MslNfD_IexM5G3yxe-JTqNLvSa57At2qpetXcfAntzOlLQS6XSx0pFEiuWEGZU2W5hwJNV0CzarNILKU3fNKA1qV1iDYkSfPII1P4iGHNwREg/s709/futy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="709" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3DwGdDDEO318WiXeMZStAmOb-ZpQVyOBm3bzNHmKcDnw2i-Yw7VEOET6UUH3mSJzsZ0KL3tVYkXCN2MslNfD_IexM5G3yxe-JTqNLvSa57At2qpetXcfAntzOlLQS6XSx0pFEiuWEGZU2W5hwJNV0CzarNILKU3fNKA1qV1iDYkSfPII1P4iGHNwREg/w284-h160/futy.jpg" width="284" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJZIuZ3CIjIoa0UtYgnwMYjpupyEGBiZklHzDmacDP5ieqsBdrAlEBxie3V8LJVuAYxjv2DEYuLxsjUtUzlQUH0-IMn6IpRbjKAEq9Ijintes0COTTiaHqXWdcf6ePgD9Vno70mQX5759UGbmnTg6uPmIdN-xaCfwZ32AP85stQEoiTSXkSEDh_EDhD0/s809/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="809" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJZIuZ3CIjIoa0UtYgnwMYjpupyEGBiZklHzDmacDP5ieqsBdrAlEBxie3V8LJVuAYxjv2DEYuLxsjUtUzlQUH0-IMn6IpRbjKAEq9Ijintes0COTTiaHqXWdcf6ePgD9Vno70mQX5759UGbmnTg6uPmIdN-xaCfwZ32AP85stQEoiTSXkSEDh_EDhD0/w237-h159/Picture7.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Based on the Henry James Story “<b>The Turn of the Screw</b>”,
this spooky tale revolves around a woman who takes on the role of caretaker for
two orphaned children, in their seclusive Victorian home. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">With their uncle refusing to give them any attention, she takes it upon herself to be their figurative mother. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Things are peaceful at first, but over time, the children begin to act suspiciously, and she begins seeing mysterious people lurking about the grounds.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15hKvQVGu9ROeUcY9xYZ0hYEKaX2lnAC7FQszBLV3rrj-gPM6O7yRKx7_-Yt1ndqha4G8Yg2o4U07gPvpj6PIyDe58s5pWSiPJy0ruvcS1tluuV24t3o64j1i2hYeqtTYQOu9S4TdLYAIJjo3snL6J1agmAixMaV3rcQWeYSh0aYNXbyBFbfM5rB7rEc/s653/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="506" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15hKvQVGu9ROeUcY9xYZ0hYEKaX2lnAC7FQszBLV3rrj-gPM6O7yRKx7_-Yt1ndqha4G8Yg2o4U07gPvpj6PIyDe58s5pWSiPJy0ruvcS1tluuV24t3o64j1i2hYeqtTYQOu9S4TdLYAIJjo3snL6J1agmAixMaV3rcQWeYSh0aYNXbyBFbfM5rB7rEc/w310-h400/Picture6.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Soon, she fears something malevolent may be influencing the
kids … or maybe she’s going insane … who really knows in a set-up like this.
Like the best psychological thrillers, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Innocents</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” doesn’t provide
any clear answers … and makes for an effectively creepy experience, in which
the terror sneaks-up on you. Deborah Kerr delivers a shattering performance in
the lead role, and her child co-stars walk a fine line between being adorable,
yet imposing and mysterious. Jack Clayton’s direction is also brilliant, and
really elevates what was already a thrilling source material. If you like
Gothic homes, creepy kids, stormy weather, mysterious phantasms, and
atmospheric dread, then “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Innocents</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” delivers … although the ending
may leave you feeling split.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">#5 <b>Night of the Living Dead</b> (1968) </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBWECn__2asYrPuIobIsfMuBJBI6abgFpNnZmSgdyHeJ8hlv7AaMYCDYLVmZqUw6j4qpUXFq83JPB7DknU2a-zGb2YDYUX08FpnVlp8Fns8vvFBOGg46uO-9vBsLP9GCy60TtHkLCm3WjDsXa9j-z4v56Fw4zi9v0wK5nHoeSer0MGlTYWtabR1j1x5U/s920/fghfjkyki.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="920" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBWECn__2asYrPuIobIsfMuBJBI6abgFpNnZmSgdyHeJ8hlv7AaMYCDYLVmZqUw6j4qpUXFq83JPB7DknU2a-zGb2YDYUX08FpnVlp8Fns8vvFBOGg46uO-9vBsLP9GCy60TtHkLCm3WjDsXa9j-z4v56Fw4zi9v0wK5nHoeSer0MGlTYWtabR1j1x5U/w185-h185/fghfjkyki.jpg" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGnCu3W8qGZJ-qE_6ERiDWsLnhLoBODSnzkmvGIG7ta0_bi96KDBvEbqWeTONEboU94s8jmxSn4x6cHNDaYIJVJbPJdwga-zvaRSwws6cDvAytKPOB3LaOonyBImVCyRkJYAx_0AcmrSTh-zozbJomKZXzPCmBE8c3xkWXKgidJW_JOqghzM73INEOaA/s1280/corpses.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGnCu3W8qGZJ-qE_6ERiDWsLnhLoBODSnzkmvGIG7ta0_bi96KDBvEbqWeTONEboU94s8jmxSn4x6cHNDaYIJVJbPJdwga-zvaRSwws6cDvAytKPOB3LaOonyBImVCyRkJYAx_0AcmrSTh-zozbJomKZXzPCmBE8c3xkWXKgidJW_JOqghzM73INEOaA/w281-h185/corpses.jpg" width="281" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Here it is, the horror movie legend that started it all, and put zombies in our main stream pop-culture. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzxX7RXrK5zbbY6YNnkfR8zcAicZtj_avPuYtLyKUU6myAL3VYXt3Ul1-clZobaYxSu1agm-B48TeDFzbxFKPAnGoBZntIDkBNV6JEhpsSZFjclqua-AcNKmMvTT729bVJ5-31o28Lv9FWVgSzWRkWJu-CABQn0at0cYagLZ72TEXE4g6u5nnG5oN1fo/s859/poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzxX7RXrK5zbbY6YNnkfR8zcAicZtj_avPuYtLyKUU6myAL3VYXt3Ul1-clZobaYxSu1agm-B48TeDFzbxFKPAnGoBZntIDkBNV6JEhpsSZFjclqua-AcNKmMvTT729bVJ5-31o28Lv9FWVgSzWRkWJu-CABQn0at0cYagLZ72TEXE4g6u5nnG5oN1fo/w270-h400/poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is the film that set all the classic staples of the general, depicting ravenous gore, along with political undercurrents, and it set the rules for how zombies should be portrayed on film. Don’t let the films Black and White, low-budget look throw you off, because after all these years, this film still remains one of the most disturbing of the genera. Personally, I think this film features the absolute scariest zombie scene of all time, in which a little zombie girl picks up a sharp object … and stabs the crap out of her own mother. On that note, this is a rare zombie movie that features the dead using old human instincts, like using bricks and other objects as weapons. With its disturbing visuals, horrific sound design, and shocking ending … this is the definitive zombie classic, and the one the genera owes everything too.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 <b>Dracula
has Risen from the Grave</b> (1968) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5505alZVOs-eCH0PrsMIUY0puyClzHYOkXcU4mxMam4RIiVW2iKYsefaLmzjswJEMdId9jE6HbD-RVzSeG2WKHLBJXvvYFoFq3xIzl8oCVO9pdFI-PDlkSCr3a916Li9flfkVu3QrO_YqtkrctGi7yyluloAtIrCXkD8vbnAqEV01cv1IcnzMPeuD1sA/s1435/bnuh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1435" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5505alZVOs-eCH0PrsMIUY0puyClzHYOkXcU4mxMam4RIiVW2iKYsefaLmzjswJEMdId9jE6HbD-RVzSeG2WKHLBJXvvYFoFq3xIzl8oCVO9pdFI-PDlkSCr3a916Li9flfkVu3QrO_YqtkrctGi7yyluloAtIrCXkD8vbnAqEV01cv1IcnzMPeuD1sA/w205-h154/bnuh.jpg" width="205" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQKMysFjZ1cETJf84UoYPSvYkwDEX4m3dtU09JoOM2CWowsTNdLZUmaM9RFWKqsWXB13vDAupyeMdgbuNX-vURbXkEpHXBITZjUHPbsfPQ2ZLF_g6Sv2UrSa0VJdIjpyHksws9Ladx09Jl4itH0oaq_U8qoZ3CneZgvuP5B8DvCatSEZjKZxXXqx5hyphenhyphen4/s1200/uyhg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQKMysFjZ1cETJf84UoYPSvYkwDEX4m3dtU09JoOM2CWowsTNdLZUmaM9RFWKqsWXB13vDAupyeMdgbuNX-vURbXkEpHXBITZjUHPbsfPQ2ZLF_g6Sv2UrSa0VJdIjpyHksws9Ladx09Jl4itH0oaq_U8qoZ3CneZgvuP5B8DvCatSEZjKZxXXqx5hyphenhyphen4/w274-h154/uyhg.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Christopher Lee makes it on my list once
again, but this time in his signature role as Count Dracula. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsHY_R8ts3ZVCbiEBw2kUKWjBQrHFZ3bW5Yd6rtGpt4eGGUDeFyxFW76gnKHX-C9kKNL0sbaKznrIsFiJQB0iyDgukWmxGgyPn8GSXyOgvx8ZDvon0rCHhYR1gKrFmivELl4In08Ij3AJCr5-f80Mq0JiD79Z7WI5mKHyd3halvGDku5OhiMEYS3H7ms/s1500/iuonmjh.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsHY_R8ts3ZVCbiEBw2kUKWjBQrHFZ3bW5Yd6rtGpt4eGGUDeFyxFW76gnKHX-C9kKNL0sbaKznrIsFiJQB0iyDgukWmxGgyPn8GSXyOgvx8ZDvon0rCHhYR1gKrFmivELl4In08Ij3AJCr5-f80Mq0JiD79Z7WI5mKHyd3halvGDku5OhiMEYS3H7ms/w266-h400/iuonmjh.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Through the late 50’s,
60’s and 70’s, Christopher Lee stared in a number of Dracula pictures, and personally,
this 1968 sequel is my favorite by far. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dracula has Risen from the Grave”</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
is the third entry in Hammers Dracula franchise, and while it’s not as classy
as the first film, I honestly find it to be far superior. The plot for this
sequel revolves around an atheist who needs to rescue his love from the
clutches of Dracula, but sense he doesn’t believe in God, holly objects have no
effect on the fiend, and a stake through the heart can’t kill him either. Thus,
in order to defeat the evil of Dracula, he must go on a spiritual quest to find
his faith in order to concur his demons, both figuratively and literally.
Christopher Lee once again shines as Dracula, and delivers some of his most
cryptic lines. However, the real strength of this film comes from our lead hero,
and an underlining theme of faith concurring evil.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 <b>Village
of the Damned</b> (1960) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YdCUB40hg9LV5Q17LUgHRv8Q9-jWYIv7Kye9xlHl1KGYygn46e_TIUoOkQpPDrni5KyKuFKQZuKJwmT2zmTQydnj-AWrvyCvZ_FAV-NzQ5y0LYe9wAr__J_Xon7yP6At1TTEyi3napfO51gFQYBNlXzgb2IRuPylj0Xo91mqA36mJE0FlUjlyK1HqAM/s500/zaqwx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="500" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YdCUB40hg9LV5Q17LUgHRv8Q9-jWYIv7Kye9xlHl1KGYygn46e_TIUoOkQpPDrni5KyKuFKQZuKJwmT2zmTQydnj-AWrvyCvZ_FAV-NzQ5y0LYe9wAr__J_Xon7yP6At1TTEyi3napfO51gFQYBNlXzgb2IRuPylj0Xo91mqA36mJE0FlUjlyK1HqAM/w241-h159/zaqwx.jpg" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzq-2NbOm5sos6tbfQxQAaWT9u5J5ZcfP-UjFiPj13ACRFovVtbkVCOJEHAl6P_4NWNFD1i71V4YzpoWt2ArBY2ULSKzV5QxkX_6i6H_KtXenNyRhswHTqXqK3Qm3bjcH3CjhdoGrSEcey0KO-KTZOmM9bXTXJTh99V79EtADTX8G44QDvXtwxuv-Jhg/s1200/ioulkjbn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzq-2NbOm5sos6tbfQxQAaWT9u5J5ZcfP-UjFiPj13ACRFovVtbkVCOJEHAl6P_4NWNFD1i71V4YzpoWt2ArBY2ULSKzV5QxkX_6i6H_KtXenNyRhswHTqXqK3Qm3bjcH3CjhdoGrSEcey0KO-KTZOmM9bXTXJTh99V79EtADTX8G44QDvXtwxuv-Jhg/w282-h159/ioulkjbn.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Set in a small village in Britten, all the residents
in the area mysteriously fall asleep one day, and when they awaken, they
discover all the women who are capable of barring children are suddenly
pregnant. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BdNZsisshLnuCVtfZ1UMVk8xlKfYExLsKTvGYMOCZeBM1Drawk4esU1umpRpriGlhJU8DAHqsfIf4g8jSjplIh7YyRBAwq_mYwheWiwy2By5H_3L-54HXP6ppPUY28GeIW2v4GRLd2S-37K974QhWtmN7VHg-x9xRZ7ddnJL7MYFvp8kQW3Lc8yEkXs/s2667/iuopk.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BdNZsisshLnuCVtfZ1UMVk8xlKfYExLsKTvGYMOCZeBM1Drawk4esU1umpRpriGlhJU8DAHqsfIf4g8jSjplIh7YyRBAwq_mYwheWiwy2By5H_3L-54HXP6ppPUY28GeIW2v4GRLd2S-37K974QhWtmN7VHg-x9xRZ7ddnJL7MYFvp8kQW3Lc8yEkXs/w300-h400/iuopk.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More alarming mysteries take shape after the delivery process, as all
the kids grow rapidly, all barring similar features, and all born with a
mysterious power to read minds. This marked one of the last Sci-Fi
hold-overs from the 50’s, but with the same eerie dread that would characterize
the 60’s, and performances that were above B-Movie films of the time. The
premise is simple, yet effectively conveyed, as well as tightly presented in a
77-minuet run-time. It’s one of those films that hooks you in with lots of mystery,
is boasted with atmospheric dread, and features some of the decade’s most
frightening iconography. The shot of the children’s glowing eyes framed through
rubble gives me chills all over. In the end, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Village of the Damned</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is
a worthy classic of the decade that deserves to be placed among the greats, and
is the … ah-hem … “Poster Child”, for scary children in cinema.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 <b>The
Haunting</b> (1963) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vHmnvxRbjEmW7KxNxtKhFDxjOjq4Il9Bi7tECYbBw8IrCeOk_litfmcVl8UXZ9AGTGAb6vNSDX5TCnZChN7r5APRVKaUcvm1IYrgzxuhVoEyssE2GVwW3zp5_Llv-4B1O_E_2i8M2KUZjb1eDNqF3wAn9NfLOvuUXa13u-skFagN7qCfLXMVBiMHOQ8/s924/vcdf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="924" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vHmnvxRbjEmW7KxNxtKhFDxjOjq4Il9Bi7tECYbBw8IrCeOk_litfmcVl8UXZ9AGTGAb6vNSDX5TCnZChN7r5APRVKaUcvm1IYrgzxuhVoEyssE2GVwW3zp5_Llv-4B1O_E_2i8M2KUZjb1eDNqF3wAn9NfLOvuUXa13u-skFagN7qCfLXMVBiMHOQ8/w294-h211/vcdf.jpg" width="294" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjxM2U7qlY2xzJF0gcGzKsOdhLaJf-cM2cCjMRPnEE3P4Dj-84DqeX7zDNexydSDeIbbM4EVDNvE6CjTr4Jt0ZDgJaCzx3M4GVS4-IYlpDd9J-r7wyarE25ahJjN5wJeiqU3mJhSajObo9OTO8XhMQdo3-NzY8dWW5dG1qS6ywe6cOTqA0v-Zk6kQ8qs/s603/urrtur.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="490" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjxM2U7qlY2xzJF0gcGzKsOdhLaJf-cM2cCjMRPnEE3P4Dj-84DqeX7zDNexydSDeIbbM4EVDNvE6CjTr4Jt0ZDgJaCzx3M4GVS4-IYlpDd9J-r7wyarE25ahJjN5wJeiqU3mJhSajObo9OTO8XhMQdo3-NzY8dWW5dG1qS6ywe6cOTqA0v-Zk6kQ8qs/w172-h212/urrtur.jpg" width="172" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Practically the poster child for all haunted house films
to aspire from, “<b>The Haunting</b>” is a special achievement that was ahead
of its time, and is thankfully undated. The film revolves around a 90-year-old
mansion, which has been the base point for several mysterious deaths. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">A doctor begins the theorize in the possibility of a real haunted house, and thus a team is dispatched to try and verify his claims.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruu3hpYhlq0FREM1Rujh7LNwJ_h0YpIPJJ4FYek2yGfxHj6X1HgBNkgA1Dvtr25G8Bjrr3nuw1hoktW7WRLAjG8poG_RFFlxU4omMhUHkBDHsYcxoP2jcsj0gE1UKb4u6vz6jzV9QrXBMivfBcpoi7dRcbWWbw9PeGvjo12d82hZQuACW0NDzXy8qZaY/s345/tyit.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="230" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruu3hpYhlq0FREM1Rujh7LNwJ_h0YpIPJJ4FYek2yGfxHj6X1HgBNkgA1Dvtr25G8Bjrr3nuw1hoktW7WRLAjG8poG_RFFlxU4omMhUHkBDHsYcxoP2jcsj0gE1UKb4u6vz6jzV9QrXBMivfBcpoi7dRcbWWbw9PeGvjo12d82hZQuACW0NDzXy8qZaY/w266-h400/tyit.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At face value, this film may seem
like your typical, run of the mile horror flick set in a haunted house, but the
film truly lives up to its title in the darkest and best possible way. While
this movie hits many of the same beats as my previously mentioned movie “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Innocents</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, that film still had a lean towered malevolent spirts acting
from beyond the grave. This film by contrast is even more elusive with its
haunts, as it never features any ghosts, or supernatural oddities, and is even more
of a study in the psychology of the main characters. Are the haunts real, or is
the main heroine just losing her mind? Aside from being an intriguing study of
a descension into madness, the film is just dripping with Gothic atmosphere,
and manages to convey layers of terror without really showing anything on
screen. It’s unique, daring and above all, it’s a haunted venture worth
experiencing around the Halloween season.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I
reveal my #1 favorite Horror movie of the 60’s, here are some quick honorable
mentions of mine … <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtyJ9vIsuz3tXd75HnfowAk2uQdo_mBsA1zUCS2meIWFUNablLYY3c4DSiafUH52TS-rXGiOYTTV2ueF5M0Sg_G3KoCFM9pu6Hz1CAeyYMLAN5fE5opalXsU2al9MAUrnRGfsuGYahyphenhyphen6noBBd2JaZKv4XcMX20silgBWO1q-Yb0kDhPjUIjXB6r2c2Sc/s705/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="540" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtyJ9vIsuz3tXd75HnfowAk2uQdo_mBsA1zUCS2meIWFUNablLYY3c4DSiafUH52TS-rXGiOYTTV2ueF5M0Sg_G3KoCFM9pu6Hz1CAeyYMLAN5fE5opalXsU2al9MAUrnRGfsuGYahyphenhyphen6noBBd2JaZKv4XcMX20silgBWO1q-Yb0kDhPjUIjXB6r2c2Sc/w226-h295/Picture1.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What Ever
Happened to Baby Jane?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> (1962) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Repulsion</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> (1965)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">House of
Usher</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> (1960)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Rosemary's
Baby</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> (1968)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Peeping
Tom</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> (1960<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 <b>Psycho</b>
(1960) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP35khIO3Lrg_0wCTjIyUZI1DXKpfRtwVG6Q7lNhKGH6kOcue9iBR7oEPOWouK0OvwjALsic-Gh_94JOkhjGapyB-DalIjqk8z4YzKk53r8Jzln4I4NY35BAjCi1jD22BO29cZ4XvkpvTCxSETGf-ZzhzpUIaqWJEsQPzTsW1mn5VbAiRxrEG5VqsbEy0/s690/fhtty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="690" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP35khIO3Lrg_0wCTjIyUZI1DXKpfRtwVG6Q7lNhKGH6kOcue9iBR7oEPOWouK0OvwjALsic-Gh_94JOkhjGapyB-DalIjqk8z4YzKk53r8Jzln4I4NY35BAjCi1jD22BO29cZ4XvkpvTCxSETGf-ZzhzpUIaqWJEsQPzTsW1mn5VbAiRxrEG5VqsbEy0/w287-h213/fhtty.jpg" width="287" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlZH4XSL1grXY_iKNnNNQ6h3wN78WFQhPKdWUDo2CeM9CI8sgIF5bt18cannh1mwZm738NUGhO4lP9qkcIkW2spJn9Zr6i_xJVAmDtIx4mLWJut_D5QOELNM2ZrIs0Td0v0GZBTmvpcG_oiIbKxn58yNb9AeJB_zBYP3H7bCAfEuGsIkSLkx9OtpQ4-k/s709/yuoyuoy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="574" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlZH4XSL1grXY_iKNnNNQ6h3wN78WFQhPKdWUDo2CeM9CI8sgIF5bt18cannh1mwZm738NUGhO4lP9qkcIkW2spJn9Zr6i_xJVAmDtIx4mLWJut_D5QOELNM2ZrIs0Td0v0GZBTmvpcG_oiIbKxn58yNb9AeJB_zBYP3H7bCAfEuGsIkSLkx9OtpQ4-k/w174-h215/yuoyuoy.jpg" width="174" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We all know the story … a woman runs away with a bag full of stolen
money, makes a pit stop at the Bates Motel, and one shower scene later … horror
history is made. While I’ve never made it a tradition to re-watch “<b>Psycho</b>”
around the Halloween season with all my other favorite scary films, it’s still
unmistakably one of the all-time greats that the horror genera has to offer,
and it’s absolutely getting the top spot on my list. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HGWDczzhwG5ZorjYBNpYzHDaMNZex-qz_pDbRU07ZdQfaTRvoHM3PSgTRZbvCSq2dKeg09xV5SzCi6s_qOUWmsw46Wv1FqpEyPeOQKfwwTIvzq0aoanZsZ-N1ZVCBoctmJ9xqZBp7sXmdAB-yUaIGGRJT4q4SrqDhsgqkN2GeB5iEiJ-VONb-eOLBq4/s1024/yre.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="682" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HGWDczzhwG5ZorjYBNpYzHDaMNZex-qz_pDbRU07ZdQfaTRvoHM3PSgTRZbvCSq2dKeg09xV5SzCi6s_qOUWmsw46Wv1FqpEyPeOQKfwwTIvzq0aoanZsZ-N1ZVCBoctmJ9xqZBp7sXmdAB-yUaIGGRJT4q4SrqDhsgqkN2GeB5iEiJ-VONb-eOLBq4/w266-h400/yre.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s solidly constructed,
there’s crafty camera angles, a memorable score, untouchable scenes, and at the
center of it all is one of cinema’s defining villains ... an unstable killer
with some serious mommy issues. After Universals classic monsters in the vein
of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dracula</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Frankenstein</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Wolfman</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” left the
cinema’s, the horror genera was frequently looked down on as exploitive
drive-in fodder, and was given little respect. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Psycho</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was the mile
stone that changed the game, and highlighted just how influential and dignified
the genera could be when in capable hands. On a side note, this was one of my
earliest horror movie experiences that got me interested in exploring further
films of the genera. It further proves that after all these years, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Psycho</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
is undated, and can still leave an impact on modern viewers. It’s immortal for
its contribution to the horror genre, and is personally my favorite Horror
movie of the 1960’s. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWcQSGoWUT2JcPTkZkYPaQBv_GMtXuJPGensYhh815b_pt-aDZecuqi7G8Le9Ggy_pd9mzvAsBKUv_74eW92vp_ioBNJj1-bwe9kJRpq43XhDdk_ePLIct6eXZbLX9vsvM4pPb90jIhYQOY6r9Xs3SpT3HA_iXYvcH24VLrpVdwLoeeJA369myEDbDlM/s1199/uygj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="1199" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWcQSGoWUT2JcPTkZkYPaQBv_GMtXuJPGensYhh815b_pt-aDZecuqi7G8Le9Ggy_pd9mzvAsBKUv_74eW92vp_ioBNJj1-bwe9kJRpq43XhDdk_ePLIct6eXZbLX9vsvM4pPb90jIhYQOY6r9Xs3SpT3HA_iXYvcH24VLrpVdwLoeeJA369myEDbDlM/w400-h216/uygj.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown … and treat yourself to one good scare this October. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-29585525854153750942023-10-26T22:49:00.009-07:002023-10-26T23:05:10.662-07:00Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) (Special Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ILp_mvROQqhFbLJNyZRD1TZF1JO4PW0DXetbV21cYybdKfAEhChWrpTX1UbbxfH_SKUwW79pTonfb5L3WJ2Y52E0UPaRchwrCjys6jjMu1ij_dqtd0Ogqi1SeKnG9yOgv4ySQI5LYmr5RZeW1uae98NTBj0G08UxdtianiCA80hgbhN-7LEWPdW_b38/s720/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ILp_mvROQqhFbLJNyZRD1TZF1JO4PW0DXetbV21cYybdKfAEhChWrpTX1UbbxfH_SKUwW79pTonfb5L3WJ2Y52E0UPaRchwrCjys6jjMu1ij_dqtd0Ogqi1SeKnG9yOgv4ySQI5LYmr5RZeW1uae98NTBj0G08UxdtianiCA80hgbhN-7LEWPdW_b38/w266-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to the famous Muppet
characters, I’ve personally never called myself a fan, nor have I really seen
any of the shows, but I have seen most of the movies, and I do still have my
reserved fondness for them. For me, I prefer viewing the Muppets as a group of
thespians, who’d play various well-known characters, but brought to life
through their own distinct personalities. Whether it be “<b>Treasure Island</b>”,
or “<b>A Christmas Carol</b>”, or even “<b>The Wizard of Oz</b>”, I always seem
to enjoy the Muppets most when they’re in the roles of classic characters from
other established stories or franchises. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZzr-fpFpkpOGtBRIUnPKc1iH85OtUCeEX0r2DmLqPU05zbWj9tI9hjawlSoZQLiK8gZVu2n-u-UpQEug0ergO7_n2YDG0ixU_wwMTkAj_qysI9G7Gl_-XeYeq8QhKagVNguWSrddcr6Inp9vRMFxGLUlH01DnEofq5pXYOhoMjVy90Sb08Hv-xHnphM/s750/Picture9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="750" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZzr-fpFpkpOGtBRIUnPKc1iH85OtUCeEX0r2DmLqPU05zbWj9tI9hjawlSoZQLiK8gZVu2n-u-UpQEug0ergO7_n2YDG0ixU_wwMTkAj_qysI9G7Gl_-XeYeq8QhKagVNguWSrddcr6Inp9vRMFxGLUlH01DnEofq5pXYOhoMjVy90Sb08Hv-xHnphM/w266-h225/Picture9.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For a special Halloween streaming
event in 2021, the Muppets were given another unique merging with Disney’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Haunted Mansion</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, in an hour long special titled “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Muppets Haunted
Mansion</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. The established spooky setting already had a lot of personality,
and with its world combined with a Muppets presentation, it opens the door for
a lot of fun possibilities. I’ve loved the Disney ride my whole life ... in fact, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Haunted Mansion</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” in general is my favorite of Disney’s
theme park attractions, and I’m always open for more spin-off material
revolving around it. So, lets take a closer look and see how this collaboration
turned out. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSLO3muixDZ8CZtZnlA2F-_qHR7fJYD0s_iJhQexCkW7s7ZB0AiwIdF0ZnUulj6cSRP2S2ZXkQ7Tf5cMv6bgfDhc1ddvEk4LtPvNU1eJgXCD-zqpupqMdySa-ar5vfyKhhPZnyfPVZjRl2MD4zB8i6sGX7_ZGcblMoNUbgJSHG9B37sZ_rjPOG544C-I/s1200/Picture3.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSLO3muixDZ8CZtZnlA2F-_qHR7fJYD0s_iJhQexCkW7s7ZB0AiwIdF0ZnUulj6cSRP2S2ZXkQ7Tf5cMv6bgfDhc1ddvEk4LtPvNU1eJgXCD-zqpupqMdySa-ar5vfyKhhPZnyfPVZjRl2MD4zB8i6sGX7_ZGcblMoNUbgJSHG9B37sZ_rjPOG544C-I/w256-h166/Picture3.jpg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzEwEHAkXK2DcDVsPP3w5pDkkpP7epaOa50Ogzfm5FCPb2F5rVoo7-YZyshsPTEoIAUEAWTd8hPaTGf4mT9ebelRMffHcrXMox20yj-GzXj8In6VgyK-3xLlMLzChv8JAsql6DRuJIbVNGG6mDlDYEedhqF7-bzM7lDBnOmNk2T_Pq4HB6qy0UbJ0cSo/s300/hgk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzEwEHAkXK2DcDVsPP3w5pDkkpP7epaOa50Ogzfm5FCPb2F5rVoo7-YZyshsPTEoIAUEAWTd8hPaTGf4mT9ebelRMffHcrXMox20yj-GzXj8In6VgyK-3xLlMLzChv8JAsql6DRuJIbVNGG6mDlDYEedhqF7-bzM7lDBnOmNk2T_Pq4HB6qy0UbJ0cSo/w252-h166/hgk.jpg" width="252" /></a></div></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s Halloween night, and the great Gonzo is
eager to face a spooky challenge. Thus, he ditches his chance for a party with
the rest of the Muppets, and instead accepts a challenge to last one night in a
Haunted Mansion. At his side is Pepe, who’s none to happy to be missing a
party. Never the less, the two have to keep their wits about, as every room in
the mansion has a new surprise waiting for them. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWoPJeAW3stIGDapkPowmTQTFjnXzq0XSp3Tm86GwF-9OBQEv7VOOpU-2QZEsV8TZAmE3UtWNKU3dGa7GawDk3z1T4ohB6IEJDTmu5X_NzDYcoLOV-b2nQUomjeuOvX0JPzaqhyV-0JdJWWIL7iMyVseD-pQ-YHVtHHFl6KO9jfjfFOfiStRQuslbCqk/s1500/kiop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWoPJeAW3stIGDapkPowmTQTFjnXzq0XSp3Tm86GwF-9OBQEv7VOOpU-2QZEsV8TZAmE3UtWNKU3dGa7GawDk3z1T4ohB6IEJDTmu5X_NzDYcoLOV-b2nQUomjeuOvX0JPzaqhyV-0JdJWWIL7iMyVseD-pQ-YHVtHHFl6KO9jfjfFOfiStRQuslbCqk/s320/kiop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One ghoulish bride in
particular has her evil eyes on Pepe, while Gonzo faces the one thing that
actually scares him … his mortality, and value as a Muppet. Gonzo in general
has always been my favorite of the Muppets, so I was very happy to see him in
the lead role for this outing. Naturally, he has the funniest lines … “No one
says god-bye here, they just ghost you”. His arc is fairly simple, but
effective, and surprisingly mature for what I was expecting from this special.
The image of Gonzo withering away is a striking one that left a genuine
impression. I always admire when a Halloween special steps past conventional
scares, and focuses on personal haunts that many viewers can relate to. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZH_Y0wO3e_bYO6Nth6piy1fX-dY8aFw6SUxEW-d8utm7_lmrSAVwpx0LuOGqGcWZMqKr_euXjh5_2MfdD8cQ20vLjXwiHyVXTrY106ZOz3PeKkPb7Z64U2GidMNcYK0SSr0pBdF4xsNdA-YAh0nSrjE4IT8M13SJ2S0Qx-tOqf74kPkux_AZpXoCcRJA/s757/Picture6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="757" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZH_Y0wO3e_bYO6Nth6piy1fX-dY8aFw6SUxEW-d8utm7_lmrSAVwpx0LuOGqGcWZMqKr_euXjh5_2MfdD8cQ20vLjXwiHyVXTrY106ZOz3PeKkPb7Z64U2GidMNcYK0SSr0pBdF4xsNdA-YAh0nSrjE4IT8M13SJ2S0Qx-tOqf74kPkux_AZpXoCcRJA/w249-h161/Picture6.jpg" width="249" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgFCz0lw-E4QPeMaDqsA7UMrAI8T1zSgaFlrI91afIXsHpkcvIxO-8O66elMnGpKjLmzn8yPSCz4YGzivLHDLB-5jCj5H65eGLCq56xSZWItVb1g9bJHY5g0caazsmP8O6Az2egSj7617rleABjc2Bi3Lt5Rj9DA3GyWie8eGyG0NkFapWRpFsWsyPTM/s300/Picture11.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="300" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgFCz0lw-E4QPeMaDqsA7UMrAI8T1zSgaFlrI91afIXsHpkcvIxO-8O66elMnGpKjLmzn8yPSCz4YGzivLHDLB-5jCj5H65eGLCq56xSZWItVb1g9bJHY5g0caazsmP8O6Az2egSj7617rleABjc2Bi3Lt5Rj9DA3GyWie8eGyG0NkFapWRpFsWsyPTM/w254-h161/Picture11.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will say that, as a kid from the 90’s who
grew-up with “<b>Muppet Treasure Island</b>” and “<b>The Muppets Christmas
Carol</b>”, I would have preferred Rizzo the Rat as Gonzo’s partner on this
spooky venture, but I suppose Pepe is still an okay choice. As usual, it’s
great to see the other Muppet members as recognizable Haunted Mansion
characters. Kermit the Frog is Mr. Gracy, Miss Piggy is Madame Leota, and
Fozzie Bear is the Hat-Box Ghost. I really loved seeing those bed-sheet ghosts, who were in previous Muppets Halloween specials. We also have our celebrity appearances,
including Will Arnett, who brings his typical charm and theatrics to his role as
the titular Ghost Host. The late Ed Asner is also featured as a ghost named
Claude, marking one of his final performances before his passing, and the
special was even dedicated to his memory.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lxSF25xsUaV20z4O4F6ZGNcXJ8PD57IGf-rRbmoO-PtOAhgm_NcRzr-oZZ2s9nJGmyapUajP12vyO9b_mOw-0aLU0NrD1R8Fx0dQRnysw-jY9PYD20BOQ8vL9a_8laKiBOGtfvdWoH-xLyrKd5nzi5jpLPfxujzoe3clZTvAMJfdwpJfiYhxS7YO4Pk/s1920/uoyo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lxSF25xsUaV20z4O4F6ZGNcXJ8PD57IGf-rRbmoO-PtOAhgm_NcRzr-oZZ2s9nJGmyapUajP12vyO9b_mOw-0aLU0NrD1R8Fx0dQRnysw-jY9PYD20BOQ8vL9a_8laKiBOGtfvdWoH-xLyrKd5nzi5jpLPfxujzoe3clZTvAMJfdwpJfiYhxS7YO4Pk/w304-h194/uoyo.jpg" width="304" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobRIWsVJdV9vTeiAxI6D5GcibOor_9Ctxgbyh5GRq0vVzF6zL1H8h72vnsVkyDseb7jO9zj0AndUzufJgdLLJtwiM7Bgl8wgddWX_LUyTXoiMRHNpGq7yNZ8LJF73DaOJ_nP0yX6FrEcFSAgW1FGHH0Tj9R0HivGj_QpJD_C4cJs6vEoSl5jCepJ-PkI/s761/Picture4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="761" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobRIWsVJdV9vTeiAxI6D5GcibOor_9Ctxgbyh5GRq0vVzF6zL1H8h72vnsVkyDseb7jO9zj0AndUzufJgdLLJtwiM7Bgl8wgddWX_LUyTXoiMRHNpGq7yNZ8LJF73DaOJ_nP0yX6FrEcFSAgW1FGHH0Tj9R0HivGj_QpJD_C4cJs6vEoSl5jCepJ-PkI/w206-h195/Picture4.jpg" width="206" /></a><br /><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakovdmiAOPI-IpcJ_-Pm7usQA4CZByX5UHjHoLN4PAT60y8kKXgC2t5Lu6zRnpmPif4mSlBiGaXclQQX3AqMSpQsA8J1bDSgmmrIdUFpY5J7p9CQJ14apr4gBGvDsK-gpn9Or6ljviI3rgimQDu5YaD_sBf59m44MPRhOH5292CQ7bBJOj5WaA8e2O38/s1280/Picture8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1280" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakovdmiAOPI-IpcJ_-Pm7usQA4CZByX5UHjHoLN4PAT60y8kKXgC2t5Lu6zRnpmPif4mSlBiGaXclQQX3AqMSpQsA8J1bDSgmmrIdUFpY5J7p9CQJ14apr4gBGvDsK-gpn9Or6ljviI3rgimQDu5YaD_sBf59m44MPRhOH5292CQ7bBJOj5WaA8e2O38/s320/Picture8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The real star who steals the show is Taraji
P. Henson as the villainess Bride named Constance Hatchaway. Ever sense 2006,
she’s been the main villain of the theme-park ride (at least here in America),
and it was cool to see her take a leading role in the special. While her design
isn’t nearly as cryptic as her ride counterpart, I could picture her spooking
some kids, especially with her red eyes. The actress of course delivers an
enjoyably hammy performance, and she even gets a decent villain song called “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: red;">Tie the Knot Tango</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIV25nC6zhv6kStPx3FBjwLB5tpzrkQRiCh9zQIUVHe3Es6FcUEViallkBPLmrvYJ-vAgYo7Lq_hF1mSthtxUrhql0PfMj4R4-hvW5uH6zIONJeHHGtvNL7rmjjjSu2SVvWVgYtjtNhWRFlqI-r9GK9qX-L5Wuf-rCI8_v1WPIivCAYj0GFpFxvBRSToE/s1280/Picture14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIV25nC6zhv6kStPx3FBjwLB5tpzrkQRiCh9zQIUVHe3Es6FcUEViallkBPLmrvYJ-vAgYo7Lq_hF1mSthtxUrhql0PfMj4R4-hvW5uH6zIONJeHHGtvNL7rmjjjSu2SVvWVgYtjtNhWRFlqI-r9GK9qX-L5Wuf-rCI8_v1WPIivCAYj0GFpFxvBRSToE/s320/Picture14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Speaking of which, a Muppet
special just wouldn’t be complete without song numbers, and these musical
sequences are a real joy. While I don’t get a full-on song number of the rides
iconic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b050;">Grim Grinning Ghosts</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” theme,
the opening “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Rest in Peace</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” still kicks
things off on a high note, and makes for a really fun Cemetery setting. Of
course, the big “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Life Hereafter</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” musical number in the ball room
is a delight, with a catchy melody, as well as the most active environment, and
all the best visual splendor.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFULV8aw-xPMjk8dOflEhUJ4NQl4vJrKeVfAVV6cZ5MF_dbSYugTfO_3AaHIF__8jko3nI6AVgE4NlXqdNZm8f_TwcvkeHEBnH7-XDgUS37PYEmE5JdxsjnWuOwSEaYOaoS8XrE6ahXri_GUyKfUdDQRejhG1GLnFAP8iNPK2ZJ419nzf2RsyJNYTM4Oo/s590/tfhy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="590" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFULV8aw-xPMjk8dOflEhUJ4NQl4vJrKeVfAVV6cZ5MF_dbSYugTfO_3AaHIF__8jko3nI6AVgE4NlXqdNZm8f_TwcvkeHEBnH7-XDgUS37PYEmE5JdxsjnWuOwSEaYOaoS8XrE6ahXri_GUyKfUdDQRejhG1GLnFAP8iNPK2ZJ419nzf2RsyJNYTM4Oo/w276-h158/tfhy.jpg" width="276" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4zZkYyQvzrfoXrlBtR85dvnmhPhc9EcDUkTmVt2oMPmbya9ip408uLtLGG1os3nkwWCspCnxFTjBYDEDk52ubgtaAeky5GZcJTzqsuDb8P12dk0y1DMZcNyXffqm2LBaejPMCILtOXSwNQcuk6FjngdO793USwQJUkarmpz8aoype48AzjZzH2tZ8pk/s1280/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1280" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4zZkYyQvzrfoXrlBtR85dvnmhPhc9EcDUkTmVt2oMPmbya9ip408uLtLGG1os3nkwWCspCnxFTjBYDEDk52ubgtaAeky5GZcJTzqsuDb8P12dk0y1DMZcNyXffqm2LBaejPMCILtOXSwNQcuk6FjngdO793USwQJUkarmpz8aoype48AzjZzH2tZ8pk/w232-h158/Picture5.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On that note, this specials combination of
Muppets imagery with Haunted Mansion iconography is a very appealing one, as it
lends to some unique character designs, imaginative creatures, and environments
bursting with personality. The cold colors will be an acquired taste for some,
but I feel it adds to the mood and cartoony atmosphere of the special. Some of
the best visual highlights come near the end, when Gonzo races off to rescue
Pepe from getting married to Constance, and we get rotating hallways, Ghostly
obstacles, and a giant creature waiting at the bottom of the stairs. At the
end, Gonzo and Pepe survive the night, and we get another upbeat musical number
to play us out … this time it’s a cast rendition of King Harvest’s “<b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Dancing in the Moonlight</span></b>”, and it’s a fine
note to go out on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJQPJOzOAzQgnJ7nWlSJGOnzpHj1N2L3JZFJy94W2OZs4jvjwRPBHe_XF-pvTnwLG6K3_ZPRsc_hj6_o-0cVAo8DbdD4HCYm2HkU-Prz3Z_QXwMsAaEZwzmU7IHTVuWiaQ2HWxOz-NdPCbLw143Df022Lf58boC4x2r5XmI8qWu_MVe1B4fq8iqppaAc/s350/Picture13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="350" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJQPJOzOAzQgnJ7nWlSJGOnzpHj1N2L3JZFJy94W2OZs4jvjwRPBHe_XF-pvTnwLG6K3_ZPRsc_hj6_o-0cVAo8DbdD4HCYm2HkU-Prz3Z_QXwMsAaEZwzmU7IHTVuWiaQ2HWxOz-NdPCbLw143Df022Lf58boC4x2r5XmI8qWu_MVe1B4fq8iqppaAc/w247-h159/Picture13.jpg" width="247" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9z_oUf68ttBoANn0ekWQesuMSaye_9qLaEsj7F-HpXFD9NNpveVPlV4YVcxUrRGSC1Ng7YDilzFju822_R3edjpqMIUaiSoq4SSi_4PU6-o5nQhBvYC0PVBLgrpYSOFD0GVLvGBrnUpHSeO1ibaNvQEFThQDU7t6vPwoTnwFAPkwjG3G-29T02Byo3M/s700/Picture7.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="700" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9z_oUf68ttBoANn0ekWQesuMSaye_9qLaEsj7F-HpXFD9NNpveVPlV4YVcxUrRGSC1Ng7YDilzFju822_R3edjpqMIUaiSoq4SSi_4PU6-o5nQhBvYC0PVBLgrpYSOFD0GVLvGBrnUpHSeO1ibaNvQEFThQDU7t6vPwoTnwFAPkwjG3G-29T02Byo3M/w259-h159/Picture7.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All around, this special received positive
reviews, won some day-time Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Art Direction/
Set Decoration/ Scenic Design, and thus far … this is the most critically
successful spin-off of Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Speaking personally, I
wouldn’t call this little Muppet Halloween special any kind of masterpiece, but
I certainly enjoyed it, and I’d place it among the Muppet outings that I’d
happily re-watch again someday. It didn’t overstay it’s welcome, was
consistently delightful, had just the right amount of energy, creativity, and I
can see it easily appealing to fans of either franchise. I’m definitely more of
a Haunted Mansion fan myself, and will always welcome a new spin-off from
Disney … even one with the Muppets front in center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6G1h7qiSPr0YsaPsq_gCuje3EFqfEX1CzUSVxK-z3KE0YCjKk3iWON_GSOaG5bGq8fN2xZRm9cWR_qfouS2uy1q-Fg0nV3Rzp2GQS-_QsFZEU5Vh-ew222stOCROxhosuR8Ql22lqumkijaithwnp5OdJFt60A8tqkHCIiEPVq2y8R7Q560Si7yf7D8/s2732/tfurtu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="2732" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6G1h7qiSPr0YsaPsq_gCuje3EFqfEX1CzUSVxK-z3KE0YCjKk3iWON_GSOaG5bGq8fN2xZRm9cWR_qfouS2uy1q-Fg0nV3Rzp2GQS-_QsFZEU5Vh-ew222stOCROxhosuR8Ql22lqumkijaithwnp5OdJFt60A8tqkHCIiEPVq2y8R7Q560Si7yf7D8/w400-h200/tfurtu.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 2021 special “<b>Muppets Haunted Mansion</b>” … and
continue to make every day in October feel like Halloween. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-60809899573253419632023-10-26T17:02:00.014-07:002023-10-26T17:40:24.778-07:00Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror (1922) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND_9PQIYR3fKTPe5-VLXLXXNBGkoGAzev4c6trDxScQ73AyBatX-ytFpW9eUWMR2H9LuHOqJ-W0_l8ppmsq6KYjZfcat_4yMNeZX37WEGoZ_5_MJ0pWrdhx_gVXHXqYTk3uAJds3sKkdDVFtGckwAOKIPZFwevXn9S0kYzO5uH_coD6gEMyLJMnc-Oa8/s1000/gkhjlj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="705" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND_9PQIYR3fKTPe5-VLXLXXNBGkoGAzev4c6trDxScQ73AyBatX-ytFpW9eUWMR2H9LuHOqJ-W0_l8ppmsq6KYjZfcat_4yMNeZX37WEGoZ_5_MJ0pWrdhx_gVXHXqYTk3uAJds3sKkdDVFtGckwAOKIPZFwevXn9S0kYzO5uH_coD6gEMyLJMnc-Oa8/w283-h400/gkhjlj.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to famous horror related
characters, it’s a safe bet that Count Dracula remains one of the most
influential of all, and debatably the one who got the ball rolling. Naturally,
the 1931 classic “<b>Dracula</b>” was the first sound horror film … but for
todays topic, I’m going back even further to the oldest surviving Dracula movie
ever made … the 1922 silent Horror movie classic “<b>Nosferatu, A Symphony of
Terror</b>” ... or "<b>Symphony of Horror</b>", depending on the print. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LgdSh2elQdVVRVzKqQ1Bz72lziG17Sf0LJBUUxNjdRHLoPT8PvnHl_zmr-Uja8PQxkXMHS50zP8-fN30DS1SZG0YGQ_D5DyDn-WOh0NsXxhNCqq5C_QJ04OjAIoe5q_CJyQcZwGauQi4dKHPhLyXRggOSZcy1tNCElK34W-wGIqFJYiHJvJ6_ogwBTQ/s640/gfhgj.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="640" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LgdSh2elQdVVRVzKqQ1Bz72lziG17Sf0LJBUUxNjdRHLoPT8PvnHl_zmr-Uja8PQxkXMHS50zP8-fN30DS1SZG0YGQ_D5DyDn-WOh0NsXxhNCqq5C_QJ04OjAIoe5q_CJyQcZwGauQi4dKHPhLyXRggOSZcy1tNCElK34W-wGIqFJYiHJvJ6_ogwBTQ/s320/gfhgj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It was a German production directed by </span><a name="_Hlk149225002" style="font-size: 12pt;">F.
W. Murnau</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, and the titles original pronunciation was “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Nosferatu, Eine
Symphonie Des Grauens</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. While this wasn’t the very first horror movie ever
made, it’s debatably the moment when horror officially became a genera, with an
established classic for all others to draw inspiration from. F. W. Murnau was
enticed by twilight tales of vampires, and felt Bram Stokers classic novel “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dracula</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
would be a perfect base point to tell his own haunting tale. While I personally
wouldn’t write this movie off as “scary”, it is still suitably “haunting”, with
a distinct atmosphere and visual look that’s well worth admiring after
one-hundred-years.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOY-BxIdZOwIrYIKdPRF03TRa5rQFWNjX3ifwWpenHovtz0iYuct_yITYMZyCngM0stbiIHWMtGT-g1kV-h0NRN3VzBw5hoJxRbUCOriotq72JTtBm_RbdGii1XISfQh5LuKhQKCfDwx4cn7G-SZEL9ELbJmhiMcKj8nv7AGJYItCSu2vmZDZekD-eFI/s768/opiu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOY-BxIdZOwIrYIKdPRF03TRa5rQFWNjX3ifwWpenHovtz0iYuct_yITYMZyCngM0stbiIHWMtGT-g1kV-h0NRN3VzBw5hoJxRbUCOriotq72JTtBm_RbdGii1XISfQh5LuKhQKCfDwx4cn7G-SZEL9ELbJmhiMcKj8nv7AGJYItCSu2vmZDZekD-eFI/w260-h225/opiu.jpg" width="260" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8qBhhYP9xP0TBLxfIxJy5OEEFFooc-dGLq0hOWEtRu5obklEvz5ebNVEadrU91P7zrMGLF26tgECv36bEQJPXVyiMi7UM59bXlUmmGC0LEEq4zWiq27V2p8z0aRGgFtIa7OilZe0rvpSxxrYGFXwjTgOHQIq-B2u9JQCa0n5GnKJtbyrB8Ej8nCdQ6A/s460/Picture1.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="460" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8qBhhYP9xP0TBLxfIxJy5OEEFFooc-dGLq0hOWEtRu5obklEvz5ebNVEadrU91P7zrMGLF26tgECv36bEQJPXVyiMi7UM59bXlUmmGC0LEEq4zWiq27V2p8z0aRGgFtIa7OilZe0rvpSxxrYGFXwjTgOHQIq-B2u9JQCa0n5GnKJtbyrB8Ej8nCdQ6A/w234-h226/Picture1.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our story begins with a German realtor named
Thomas Hutter, who’s overseeing the transition of properties with one Count
Orloc. Upon visiting his castle in Transylvania, the Count takes an amidite
liking to a picture of Hutters wife Ellen, and from that moment, the two share
a mysterious psychic link. Soon after, Hutter is imprisoned, discovering that
his host is in fact a horrific creature of the night, and has become infatuated
with his wife Ellen. Orloc stows away on a ship for Germany, and brings with
him a plague to infest the town. As the bodies pile-up, Ellen gradually
discovers that a horrible creature of shadows is spreading it’s evil across the
land, and that only she can put an end to this rein of terror … even if it
comes at the cost of her life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOgWiWCtnKFkT_HiVICBO26700LfitI9-WDIn5peR5JdxaplPNOUOYn0IzSa4YEd4XkjGx8lGJxzurQoJrhphdNseL4IA8ncMWBpaFFQTYmzbFSLBQ3EWgBwTNGuR1QMevgOh4lTkiFPhNmaJcBMGu3HtSw2RnPu3nBuxbCnALvBG3OROpjpDcvsJbdA/s624/tyrip.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="624" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOgWiWCtnKFkT_HiVICBO26700LfitI9-WDIn5peR5JdxaplPNOUOYn0IzSa4YEd4XkjGx8lGJxzurQoJrhphdNseL4IA8ncMWBpaFFQTYmzbFSLBQ3EWgBwTNGuR1QMevgOh4lTkiFPhNmaJcBMGu3HtSw2RnPu3nBuxbCnALvBG3OROpjpDcvsJbdA/w257-h182/tyrip.jpg" width="257" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtLrOAowdJSnYrsqnXR4lG4TTEvFqZkCIim6U1ESJMq9WKxFe2EADoXcR0292-WHPRWZPJ-Qq3b2t-csQ0SHrjh0iuNGVeJp0iljX36VcUQiq568U0ivo-qltaCV_3E-tlsB_eBhwwIiur5Eu4D1EtD2mxfBCTX6dobDsVdU_6ZX22myKmylBab-uMYI/s960/Picture5.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="684" data-original-width="960" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtLrOAowdJSnYrsqnXR4lG4TTEvFqZkCIim6U1ESJMq9WKxFe2EADoXcR0292-WHPRWZPJ-Qq3b2t-csQ0SHrjh0iuNGVeJp0iljX36VcUQiq568U0ivo-qltaCV_3E-tlsB_eBhwwIiur5Eu4D1EtD2mxfBCTX6dobDsVdU_6ZX22myKmylBab-uMYI/w256-h183/Picture5.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The film famously went into production without
the rights to Bram Stokers novel, and thus, while the narrative is faithful,
new details were added to the story, and many of the character names were
changed around. Count Dracula was now Count Orloc, his human servant Renfield
was now called Knock, and the female characters of Lucy and Mina from the book
were combined together to create the character of Ellen for the film. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaEMMFONbZz4VN2oLi00rjGXUexFMy3U9CotAkKD9HBaHGYuP7Vy1Ga2McsRo9Jw8307_o670Xp3riVy0OBChBUCsbW9Pj_uJR8BGLq9AdSS1l7BwLRrPe465T9pNq2UWIuvHzZMRE1781nSYLSfmX70gMvYlG9Qz1NeOq5cJx-BXTLHis1b03q4gMu4/s680/uyiu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaEMMFONbZz4VN2oLi00rjGXUexFMy3U9CotAkKD9HBaHGYuP7Vy1Ga2McsRo9Jw8307_o670Xp3riVy0OBChBUCsbW9Pj_uJR8BGLq9AdSS1l7BwLRrPe465T9pNq2UWIuvHzZMRE1781nSYLSfmX70gMvYlG9Qz1NeOq5cJx-BXTLHis1b03q4gMu4/s320/uyiu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Even with
F.W. Murnau’s efforts to put distance between his film and the source material,
Bram Stokers widow still sued against the picture, and tried to have every copy
burned. It’s honestly kind of a miracle the film is still with us today …
although, like many early silent films, there’s several different versions of
it. Many have changed the character names to their proper book counterparts,
with title cards referring to the Count as Dracula, as opposed to Orloc. The
original presentation of the film switched between two different color tints of
blue or yellow, which characterize weather a scene was set during the day or
night. Most copies now days are presented in Black and White, which makes it
look like our vampire is walking around during the day in some shots … as the scenes were filmed during the day, while narratively it’s supposed to be night
time.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5pkxT3VcGHXiS_1NeRG_5umy8h-czRRQSTt4V5NS4rMLMF2n3h9CUlkT3YgLS3dedQ61wXs0qDmsL6aexFpWhG7uKiRq0JOICjpSld-D_rtKP5KAz5zdvcBvCNwLIZNITpsdytTCwRzoNuAPAk3DJNqlqPGgA9aDPTOSB9s4zylReuPRBHaT4WfFSOE/s564/Picture6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="564" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5pkxT3VcGHXiS_1NeRG_5umy8h-czRRQSTt4V5NS4rMLMF2n3h9CUlkT3YgLS3dedQ61wXs0qDmsL6aexFpWhG7uKiRq0JOICjpSld-D_rtKP5KAz5zdvcBvCNwLIZNITpsdytTCwRzoNuAPAk3DJNqlqPGgA9aDPTOSB9s4zylReuPRBHaT4WfFSOE/w256-h206/Picture6.jpg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHR16jVDJhvEfPRZRGb-gtfcz2JQqnZY71UCHCCR7Ie52I8mCpERHOVtujz5L-A0hGt8Dz3M8uxQRWU1L7wQ5E4uYmVPZiweDa7MNeHCDHWup7HyiUKPgZUhb7mZSAIkHhTlw8NIU7CBxIyWRWZshpXrx7h6qFHchUkv7tCDm41SMTW8nkpinylJcsAc/s960/df.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHR16jVDJhvEfPRZRGb-gtfcz2JQqnZY71UCHCCR7Ie52I8mCpERHOVtujz5L-A0hGt8Dz3M8uxQRWU1L7wQ5E4uYmVPZiweDa7MNeHCDHWup7HyiUKPgZUhb7mZSAIkHhTlw8NIU7CBxIyWRWZshpXrx7h6qFHchUkv7tCDm41SMTW8nkpinylJcsAc/w251-h206/df.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the story is generally faithful to Bram
Stokers novel, it still created its own original content, which have sense
become staples in horror cinema, as well as vampire lore. The most striking
alteration of all is the Counts repulsive and monstrous design, which was
nothing like his more debonair description in either the book or other forms of
media that would follow. Also, while Vampires were already depicted as
creatures of the night, F. W. Murnau took it one step further by making his
vampire a creature of shadow … one that can literally become one with the darkness.
The most iconic visual of the film is the Counts wicked shadow draped across
the wall, which in the film’s narrative is the monster taking on its natural
form. Being a creature of darkness, its natural weakness is sunlight. While in
Bram Stokers novel, sunlight weekend Dracula, it never killed him … it was
thanks to this movie that we now have the staple of sun-light killing vampires.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBClY8GabVhXxa2TaoBwz6sweF2eeKwVj0kxfkK8kHQdDBjsjn1kdXyD7kQHQy745PRLcd2Wtb7bE9rlMofnv1pCEq7ZuwilfEWOTZSN2d_WHgTTtc9DbC4Pl1m_xBwIdgGs6tG4Mti7ZS2yYhe5WumHpgfXAF08FhjsorspQEX9ZytsKCWi95F_hbHYI/s640/piouuoiu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="640" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBClY8GabVhXxa2TaoBwz6sweF2eeKwVj0kxfkK8kHQdDBjsjn1kdXyD7kQHQy745PRLcd2Wtb7bE9rlMofnv1pCEq7ZuwilfEWOTZSN2d_WHgTTtc9DbC4Pl1m_xBwIdgGs6tG4Mti7ZS2yYhe5WumHpgfXAF08FhjsorspQEX9ZytsKCWi95F_hbHYI/w270-h196/piouuoiu.jpg" width="270" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqKsqzRUprYn2qoBrtxambxiEXdIgSPmp_9VuYWYYrvXamvVPt5x-uc_UI3vmRy53W-AvQhqjsJqznZS-lNi97eM_bt524CGicKQv3VP4c85BxkPgg2uuc8d0oyRJe1BBkgjYLoMaugrF8yCehYc5yCgnt85ZAfhE7bpQafPheOWjXBKk2FubI3QDip0/s1080/Picture3.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqKsqzRUprYn2qoBrtxambxiEXdIgSPmp_9VuYWYYrvXamvVPt5x-uc_UI3vmRy53W-AvQhqjsJqznZS-lNi97eM_bt524CGicKQv3VP4c85BxkPgg2uuc8d0oyRJe1BBkgjYLoMaugrF8yCehYc5yCgnt85ZAfhE7bpQafPheOWjXBKk2FubI3QDip0/w208-h195/Picture3.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The setting naturally was also changed from
Britten to Germany, and there were also a number of sequences that were never
part of the original source material. There’s a lengthy chase sequence in which
an angry mob purses the Counts servant</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Knock, after he escapes from an asylum. This made for a
memorable segment in the film, and had been replicated in a number of other
films down the road, including the 1945 picture “<b>House of Dracula</b>”. The
most ominous alteration of the story is the plague, which Count Orloc brought
with him on the ship full of rats. Personally, I find this detail the scariest
content of the whole film, as the silent movie shots of the slow-moving
pallbearers carrying coffins down the street like one big parade is absolutely
chilling, and brings to mind footage of an actual plague infested town. The
eeriness of this concept was elevated in the 1979 remake of “<b>Nosferatu</b>”,
which featured people partying in the street, knowing that their all going to
die, so might as well enjoy themselves as they perish.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXKqbwNiZfMmJ3pN_aHtjAMnw3jpEj9Sf6GcnW2465kq1IWRocIFh5nwDM9A205eeKxkgJo3Zed_NNGtdMgy4Rfy-0AYd2HxgevUpJ9NlXchhB4xcW-PUOMNrCX3Xsx8Wda-xlY5l0HNYnxiETD7fznOQpSAtVwGd4zC1q8nToq22MSQKswxYqXp8kdk/s560/uyoyo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="560" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXKqbwNiZfMmJ3pN_aHtjAMnw3jpEj9Sf6GcnW2465kq1IWRocIFh5nwDM9A205eeKxkgJo3Zed_NNGtdMgy4Rfy-0AYd2HxgevUpJ9NlXchhB4xcW-PUOMNrCX3Xsx8Wda-xlY5l0HNYnxiETD7fznOQpSAtVwGd4zC1q8nToq22MSQKswxYqXp8kdk/w221-h176/uyoyo.jpg" width="221" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-hEyDC9puN8JDId-1_beeTiCeKOxgVxLL7_Azqq_-maGQhE96VJaGoe3W1uQ4WcGTZTY87UQtNQ4reJmIx9ZFM2SwEiNe4aotA51QQGdV-Df6lTnrx564pDObesPUoa79rkjN2itQz5qOGqpq9ipibRljp7WkFRlWSBibfj8IXMEJki0_lCBHiOdoGE/s682/Picture7.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="682" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-hEyDC9puN8JDId-1_beeTiCeKOxgVxLL7_Azqq_-maGQhE96VJaGoe3W1uQ4WcGTZTY87UQtNQ4reJmIx9ZFM2SwEiNe4aotA51QQGdV-Df6lTnrx564pDObesPUoa79rkjN2itQz5qOGqpq9ipibRljp7WkFRlWSBibfj8IXMEJki0_lCBHiOdoGE/w264-h177/Picture7.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The performances were certainly of their
time, but one thing that remains timeless is Max Schreck’s portrayal of Count
Orloc. Everything about his demeaner, and the way he carries himself is still
cryptic to this day, and he terrified many of his fellow cast and even crew
members on the set. He was so famously freighting that many began spinning yearns
about him being a real vampire. The brilliant 2000 movie titled “<b>Shadow of
the Vampire</b>” took the idea and ran with it, focusing on the making of “<b>Nosferatu</b>”,
but with a real vampire in the lead role. That too is another highly
recommendable film, with Willem Dafoe knocking it out of the park in the lead
role, and even receiving an Oscar nomination for his portrayal. Another fun little
peace of trivia is Tim Burtons 1992 sequel “<b>Batman Returns</b>”, which
featured an original villain named Max Shreck … even though it’s spelt
differently, I don’t think it’s a coincidence … especially with Burton’s clear
love of German Expressionist Cinema.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61W4kAC4bIjcHiNpGEdYa92tZz2dZLvmCBoQkYmhSQpv0iSG1UuRUcCBxLt7FwDHw2WoGM_WNbetbN_KDZuxLdxMBeVV0B0ng46SVfHFZBPDYRK3p49k8H0Am_DuifMwM3aBb0JrQtEDfbj6SMRyYT4Dg8cY3k0S2WTFKLNo0FYuSJmd7dfUao5mnmes/s800/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61W4kAC4bIjcHiNpGEdYa92tZz2dZLvmCBoQkYmhSQpv0iSG1UuRUcCBxLt7FwDHw2WoGM_WNbetbN_KDZuxLdxMBeVV0B0ng46SVfHFZBPDYRK3p49k8H0Am_DuifMwM3aBb0JrQtEDfbj6SMRyYT4Dg8cY3k0S2WTFKLNo0FYuSJmd7dfUao5mnmes/w278-h172/Picture2.jpg" width="278" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtuDssCO-wFRXNvI-grbPBnOZBwAYWba_tAgFtSVI-jVCBnLi6FQGtfXvQdODq2vF000f-pMvQhMoMnEEHGHuggQRDxkj-nL1_EKEKrx80gpL6o0ChZDt9pKn7F00DOPLA34TE1qnaiqPtatVLTPmcwbBKb1UFWN9OsOeXrkjcKMdoLuyqV5a7UrfOQ4/s960/ytiuyi.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtuDssCO-wFRXNvI-grbPBnOZBwAYWba_tAgFtSVI-jVCBnLi6FQGtfXvQdODq2vF000f-pMvQhMoMnEEHGHuggQRDxkj-nL1_EKEKrx80gpL6o0ChZDt9pKn7F00DOPLA34TE1qnaiqPtatVLTPmcwbBKb1UFWN9OsOeXrkjcKMdoLuyqV5a7UrfOQ4/w228-h171/ytiuyi.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end, I like “<b>Nosferatu, A Symphony
of Horror</b>” more for what it started, and for its place in the history books
of horror cinema, as opposed to something I’d want to sit down and re-watch.
Even among other silent horror films, there are others I prefer. Even F. W.
Murnau’s later silent horror picture “<b>Faust</b>” left a little more of an
impression on me. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyZq-_UhOnrkmLYNvszVjz3IXQioZ_lgVJfA_5EXXphUA9SJ3LusEbC2zVO9TQNB2ohNqyOd_MTYAeHwaWvzgVFFDmQA0EgOBI55NUqp8jCRe5PuoZFMaLAeeDbcTk_xlavUcpBNzQ31tOHzgSNT_SdkmWjSZlPS0J_tsRQ3OSVhyC6NIRwQFjfbElGY/s500/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyZq-_UhOnrkmLYNvszVjz3IXQioZ_lgVJfA_5EXXphUA9SJ3LusEbC2zVO9TQNB2ohNqyOd_MTYAeHwaWvzgVFFDmQA0EgOBI55NUqp8jCRe5PuoZFMaLAeeDbcTk_xlavUcpBNzQ31tOHzgSNT_SdkmWjSZlPS0J_tsRQ3OSVhyC6NIRwQFjfbElGY/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With all that said, this is still one of the great horror
movie classics, and if you’re a fan of the genera at all, it’s well worth
watching at least once … just to see the film that has inspired countless
others sense its primer over 100 years ago. If your any kind of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dracula</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
fan, I’d say this film is required viewing, although … I’d also highly
recommend the 1979 remake, which honestly scared me more then any other Dracula
production I’ve ever seen … largely because of Popol Vuh’s cryptic score.
Still, can’t forget about the original classic, and the one that set the
template for future terrifying movies to come.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVW7UtflLyumuK5KfSO7_OtiUl0bLsHfLUEOJzSRxy40t-BgdH1-DX6ey5xmiap1tBS-BvIHJJqUlBP_MP8NFRaK7YncEw-46VwPHdSIHnhqheioi5RddeBU6E-kMsycG5q1qgl2dnat2GsGm66movYEWoQke7zNjXKjFpMfz-cVqeggim-ZphJrHIAE/s640/yuiyuo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="640" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVW7UtflLyumuK5KfSO7_OtiUl0bLsHfLUEOJzSRxy40t-BgdH1-DX6ey5xmiap1tBS-BvIHJJqUlBP_MP8NFRaK7YncEw-46VwPHdSIHnhqheioi5RddeBU6E-kMsycG5q1qgl2dnat2GsGm66movYEWoQke7zNjXKjFpMfz-cVqeggim-ZphJrHIAE/w400-h281/yuiyuo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 1922 Horror movie classic “<b>Nosferatu, A Symphony of
Terror</b>” … and be sure to treat yourself to one good scare this October. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-55640395194255875882023-10-12T21:41:00.020-07:002023-10-13T18:35:37.369-07:00Family Matters and all the Halloween Episodes <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yPOvXSz-I-gvr6d6PqT10oGQRCUsRikE-LuE7Vc1fFPUWI5TsAwSY8hU2ZzlTGVIRYhk98ewIsAcZcK2gP9aJFhz1ENi1WjUlSNQ2BA1T7-kFzbcnM4JY9zAyJFuM689-EAHzwMeM72QI6mH2nGMTjy1-GCLuNjoHnQjl8MehVXnGStKOPceWZKTXJ8/s1080/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yPOvXSz-I-gvr6d6PqT10oGQRCUsRikE-LuE7Vc1fFPUWI5TsAwSY8hU2ZzlTGVIRYhk98ewIsAcZcK2gP9aJFhz1ENi1WjUlSNQ2BA1T7-kFzbcnM4JY9zAyJFuM689-EAHzwMeM72QI6mH2nGMTjy1-GCLuNjoHnQjl8MehVXnGStKOPceWZKTXJ8/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnsibvCvvh9DaXBfRqn6bRN-BVwPZTzuqKbUG6dq4OxJ0wI0Y1RmMpQ3Cvhm85ARqVwLTiv2_u-CvOOpX8uVhTz43LYeSNuQtG5n-yvz60eNus8cwRN8IbbEpAos38CChJ6udOyaRn6Q_OErYxmvraaTbSsr6Hzjk2sBy1Q-egyxJ8GvgJjydQmhlr-U/s418/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="356" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnsibvCvvh9DaXBfRqn6bRN-BVwPZTzuqKbUG6dq4OxJ0wI0Y1RmMpQ3Cvhm85ARqVwLTiv2_u-CvOOpX8uVhTz43LYeSNuQtG5n-yvz60eNus8cwRN8IbbEpAos38CChJ6udOyaRn6Q_OErYxmvraaTbSsr6Hzjk2sBy1Q-egyxJ8GvgJjydQmhlr-U/w182-h213/Picture7.jpg" width="182" /></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good old “<b>Family Matters</b>”, it was one
of ABC’s most successful family sit-coms, running from 1989 to 1997, and ended
up becoming a staple of TGIF. In the beginning, the show followed Officer Carl
Winslow, played by Reginald VelJohnson, and his African American family, the
Winslow’s, in all the humorous, yet heart felt and somewhat relatable offerings
one would expect from a family sitcom. Things changed when the goofy, and nerdy
next door neighbor Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, came on the scene to steal
the show. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamrJbYAZWfd083b5PezDMHUw5hPkh5wVuXwd-GLjkUmPSusMrCZ2v9TfKM9wYTYCl6ImlSv15Tlnv4fsJMOIha-oHk-HlDPlzV-6FmtBjrGfrEm2_D6pKIqtVnntEcc8_MyAJId1DTK_o2FEaR8CMtYoQh7ACq2FpPiVkvjYz_g0RyZVsPqdV5EPv_4Y/s1024/Picture9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamrJbYAZWfd083b5PezDMHUw5hPkh5wVuXwd-GLjkUmPSusMrCZ2v9TfKM9wYTYCl6ImlSv15Tlnv4fsJMOIha-oHk-HlDPlzV-6FmtBjrGfrEm2_D6pKIqtVnntEcc8_MyAJId1DTK_o2FEaR8CMtYoQh7ACq2FpPiVkvjYz_g0RyZVsPqdV5EPv_4Y/s320/Picture9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Originally meant as one-off character, he became a main stay in
season 2, and eventually became the shows main character. Not only did the show
become a full-on comedy series, but it also got re-tooled into a Science
Fiction series, with Steve coming-up with all kinds of outlandish contraptions,
and goofy oddities ensuing. This made the shows frequently annual Halloween
episodes all the more fun to look forward to, because with Steve Urkel, and the
shows unpredictable nature … there was no-telling what kind of tricks and
treats you’d get along with all the laughs. So, I thought it would be fun to go
through each of the shows individual Halloween episodes, and see how they
hold-up.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Dog Day Halloween</span></b>”
(Season 2, Episode 7) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHzIl2mm_i9xhDP_xGZtRjh_eoNcUkxrYGZuAaY1UdrkVXNPEGi3HIdYK5HeHy7KD4x1Kz1l1CCS3D7lVgVCS_9Ys-ggfapqxnz5msOQ5ALWzwxwSz1vk5Tepogs2ljPw3SZLOYxXyf_dyOBuxkBL1WKDa6ptCoffSQyLbZ39JWm8LkBS4EV3wC6f11Y/s400/gdre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHzIl2mm_i9xhDP_xGZtRjh_eoNcUkxrYGZuAaY1UdrkVXNPEGi3HIdYK5HeHy7KD4x1Kz1l1CCS3D7lVgVCS_9Ys-ggfapqxnz5msOQ5ALWzwxwSz1vk5Tepogs2ljPw3SZLOYxXyf_dyOBuxkBL1WKDa6ptCoffSQyLbZ39JWm8LkBS4EV3wC6f11Y/s320/gdre.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY7JVDsa4d5el8GnRV0W1liASx_AD1IQScm7_2THLNQLQmqOXTN6h1HDvMDb7mqM_w5BVWb9ka-WdfbtlKG_Snpu10gs9_YuA4UlTPLjtp3fsSfWLUJyHY87uW9XDeZjp6y36DAu43zxjZ_Ss5Ek68o78_KHgWRQLiO3um5omg_B4dDjgsKYmqTHThEQ/s232/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="217" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY7JVDsa4d5el8GnRV0W1liASx_AD1IQScm7_2THLNQLQmqOXTN6h1HDvMDb7mqM_w5BVWb9ka-WdfbtlKG_Snpu10gs9_YuA4UlTPLjtp3fsSfWLUJyHY87uW9XDeZjp6y36DAu43zxjZ_Ss5Ek68o78_KHgWRQLiO3um5omg_B4dDjgsKYmqTHThEQ/w172-h239/Picture3.jpg" width="172" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s the first Halloween night for the Winslow family
with Steve Urkel joining them … however, before any Trick r’ Treating, Steve
(dressed as Superman) along with his young crush <a name="_Hlk148004862">Laura
Winslow </a>(dressed as Tinna Turner) have to make a quick stop at the bank.
The night takes a dangerous turn when the bank gets robbed by a crook dressed
as Abraham Lincon, and the two find themselves in a hostage situation.
Outside, officer Caral Winslow, with his police force organizes a plan to
rescue them, and … it’s impossible to watch this without thinking of another
holiday related situation in “<b>Die Hard</b>”. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">While being spooky is the name of the game for a Halloween venture, this is a rare case in which the characters are in real danger.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_o-vyUTPLNUEZoevkTwxe1YaKfgzmNN75KquM1c4MVvwWU6p8h6OynG9JpW3o-dvQ5jo2I2poxFOHHOI0-cEx-kquse9AU3koY5E3H2y_zeNA2OdD0lx5OiXI1W2IDnbLCHeJrtKCLRNuo3_mtKX9ecvIY5X3gJiljtzNoo5Xo8G7BBuXDHF-0Y_lHY/s500/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="500" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_o-vyUTPLNUEZoevkTwxe1YaKfgzmNN75KquM1c4MVvwWU6p8h6OynG9JpW3o-dvQ5jo2I2poxFOHHOI0-cEx-kquse9AU3koY5E3H2y_zeNA2OdD0lx5OiXI1W2IDnbLCHeJrtKCLRNuo3_mtKX9ecvIY5X3gJiljtzNoo5Xo8G7BBuXDHF-0Y_lHY/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I can picture kids watching this and thinking … wow, this is kind of a serious situation for a Sit-com
Halloween episode. However, the main highlight, and one of Urkel’s most memorable
moments of the show is when he fantasizes about saving the day, and we get
Super Urkel vs Abe Lincoln. It’s the first of many goofy fights in the show,
and for a Halloween episode, it’s the icing on the cake. All around, this was a
winning first Halloween episode for the show, with a memorable action
highlight, a decent message at the end, and is well worth viewing.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #7030a0;">Whose Kid is it Anyway?</span></b>” (Season 4, Episode 6) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifedv83iGgWTvPqYAmSP-fSD5l0Zazw20-NGuamujTF5xhyphenhyphens6VRDfBAVD-MSYpIJ1XwNB1-ZsySqvKxoMvaOGfZGORRmM4ilTQI0hJUngO93FbP4G2kf7TLKkWhOaos3XFvcMvzmlLSlZs3XV5X0m11fVo39c0h4idV4eUWIkxGxOabDjE7-L9HMB9iJ4/s1080/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifedv83iGgWTvPqYAmSP-fSD5l0Zazw20-NGuamujTF5xhyphenhyphens6VRDfBAVD-MSYpIJ1XwNB1-ZsySqvKxoMvaOGfZGORRmM4ilTQI0hJUngO93FbP4G2kf7TLKkWhOaos3XFvcMvzmlLSlZs3XV5X0m11fVo39c0h4idV4eUWIkxGxOabDjE7-L9HMB9iJ4/s320/Picture5.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAj0Zc7VCbEIqQZJotPMdX_HPScJ6Xy8Mov-oHAWrnzzH7oJUy37OVyjFpkWba2Iz3Sflhx9bS7CcOsfk7mibxJ2mSMkJJOMf0pXKAxTpjVyYOu0mhCzw29XvIx0yJp4uss1BHuaBxGDRQq3dASm5sWaqtN4AA9Sg5phZJZFsWuzfdv95pOEuihsVKf1k/s250/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="250" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAj0Zc7VCbEIqQZJotPMdX_HPScJ6Xy8Mov-oHAWrnzzH7oJUy37OVyjFpkWba2Iz3Sflhx9bS7CcOsfk7mibxJ2mSMkJJOMf0pXKAxTpjVyYOu0mhCzw29XvIx0yJp4uss1BHuaBxGDRQq3dASm5sWaqtN4AA9Sg5phZJZFsWuzfdv95pOEuihsVKf1k/w173-h212/Picture8.jpg" width="173" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Eddie is the eldest of the Winslow kids, and his closest family friend is his
little cousin Richie, who along with his Aunt Rachel have been living at the
house sense the passing of her husband. For a special Halloween treat, Eddie
promises to take Richie out trick-or-treating … Eddie as a vampire and Richie
as a little Spider-Man … always got to have someone dressed as a superhero. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Things take a turn for the worst when an attractive young lady dressed as Elvira shows-up at the door, asking for directions to a costume party on the block. In a selfish move on Eddies part, he passes little Riche off to his absent-minded best friend Waldo to go trick-or-treating with instead, while he elects to escort the lovely Elvira to her dance, and by extent have a date with her.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQP3ziCM0w6oyq_ONY8kFE_cLjZpARAgx31dE1xGEuzSYjNZQCEC-VpCvmXW-PbV4I2MzxzBuqwCkblDihk3xNl5OmeMMcWR2btZ1U6Ml5U8XhCD8fZBzHQ18OTEOAOFDW5vLBKasKfE9GK2_3UWSsf94cjOqICTgwE37BiOqqVdhcJ5wAP13_ShFSVQ/s960/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQP3ziCM0w6oyq_ONY8kFE_cLjZpARAgx31dE1xGEuzSYjNZQCEC-VpCvmXW-PbV4I2MzxzBuqwCkblDihk3xNl5OmeMMcWR2btZ1U6Ml5U8XhCD8fZBzHQ18OTEOAOFDW5vLBKasKfE9GK2_3UWSsf94cjOqICTgwE37BiOqqVdhcJ5wAP13_ShFSVQ/s320/Picture6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Things take a serious
turn when Waldo returns with a different little kid who’s also dressed as
Spider-Man, leaving the family worried that Little Riche might be lost outside
on the spookiest night of the year. The issue gets resolved rather quickly,
which is my only reservation with this episode, as I was hoping they’d go out
looking for the kid, with Eddie finding him, leading to a dramatic reunion and
apology. The actual ending is still suitably touching, albeit not as strong as
I feel they were going for. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XK366vbDRhIuhYwMF0K4-uPk2xIk-WiM1s9mP_uPgbwYN3DC5ijEmyC7p5TllRnKcs87IQXvbFNZq3aaMTMfGlS13FmofRR13JghLZG9GlCxkKMcR0AcAaXNsylssHv6dqDXQuxIfgFZMCFhSVmiQ8YdGe3sXApm17HPKtTUxkyQOX9_NYGdrgduI_w/s269/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="269" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XK366vbDRhIuhYwMF0K4-uPk2xIk-WiM1s9mP_uPgbwYN3DC5ijEmyC7p5TllRnKcs87IQXvbFNZq3aaMTMfGlS13FmofRR13JghLZG9GlCxkKMcR0AcAaXNsylssHv6dqDXQuxIfgFZMCFhSVmiQ8YdGe3sXApm17HPKtTUxkyQOX9_NYGdrgduI_w/s1600/Picture4.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Overall, while this episode doesn’t feature any
memorable highlights on par with the first Halloween adventure, it’s still
another good one, and worth checking out. As usual, the highlight is just seeing
the Winslow family showing-off their distinct costumes, with Carl getting into
his Zorro act, and Aunt Rachel looking very attractive as the Queen of the
Nile. We also have Steve Urkel and his crush Laura Winslow paired together
again, this time as the Frog Prince and Princess. As a foot note, seeing Laura
dressed as the Princess from the fable almost feels like a coincidental prelude
to Disney’s animated African American take on the character.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #0070c0;">Best Friends</span></b>” (Season 5, Episode 6) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMn5KWoNyA9FoQGy5B2UxtMBo8NtceEFJNonQJ8hb3QWGWgmJJ-d1khb5BRZTuQMBnd6b8uS8Ep8b_wVS2emfAadp7Yms8iSHTLs6hZCEaaQ8J6hqXlzmod44CUC215dn-bcHctFb7uyz10mwWkNQSWFloJKtsznhzUUU1wvijtbgEnCBBdZAFv6AcW8/s540/iuouy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="540" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMn5KWoNyA9FoQGy5B2UxtMBo8NtceEFJNonQJ8hb3QWGWgmJJ-d1khb5BRZTuQMBnd6b8uS8Ep8b_wVS2emfAadp7Yms8iSHTLs6hZCEaaQ8J6hqXlzmod44CUC215dn-bcHctFb7uyz10mwWkNQSWFloJKtsznhzUUU1wvijtbgEnCBBdZAFv6AcW8/w207-h175/iuouy.jpg" width="207" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6N8zLdpAqqOwrNn3OGsAFVpfj2zk88T01LvPJyXvzjdWqo2vE93szLnQR3pzmhWWPbTaw2VAMB_3c8tsJBuLmczMspaHPSiQfPnGcaRYpB-QwnPD-Sz17QqrXqlmGyT2qcGPemTcPjxk-iUgIdFAtnb6xGJ-U6saS4enHgMhtEIHfoNv-4LaBoWtcTs/s600/erwtwtw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6N8zLdpAqqOwrNn3OGsAFVpfj2zk88T01LvPJyXvzjdWqo2vE93szLnQR3pzmhWWPbTaw2VAMB_3c8tsJBuLmczMspaHPSiQfPnGcaRYpB-QwnPD-Sz17QqrXqlmGyT2qcGPemTcPjxk-iUgIdFAtnb6xGJ-U6saS4enHgMhtEIHfoNv-4LaBoWtcTs/w287-h175/erwtwtw.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Laura feels
embarrassed that her mother is constantly butting into her group activities
with her friends, as well as stealing all the attention. Meanwhile, Eddie gives
his friend Waldo a job at his fast-food restaurant Mighty Wings, and he mucks
it up fast. Thus, Eddie debates weather or not he needs to fire his best
friend, and all the while I ask … where’s all the Halloween in this Halloween
episode? While this is a perfectly passable episode on its own, it utterly fails
as a Halloween special. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8WfIbjkZTMZpKaQ2XMkGNrNukXFqBbQhac_UfYToGclqeTO9u1bCAbdWDtUMf3V_nQKNEP9fJTyJdCqgJbjkuFMGUIKK1gYi0EgP_ifdRqcioteXAPIWJoDvMkhcwSQhKlt8J5H1P-yjwVkkU_3nOgy1SmpE3MeRgVzDmv00CPKGZgiZf8nNOQVXWR8/s225/iuyoy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8WfIbjkZTMZpKaQ2XMkGNrNukXFqBbQhac_UfYToGclqeTO9u1bCAbdWDtUMf3V_nQKNEP9fJTyJdCqgJbjkuFMGUIKK1gYi0EgP_ifdRqcioteXAPIWJoDvMkhcwSQhKlt8J5H1P-yjwVkkU_3nOgy1SmpE3MeRgVzDmv00CPKGZgiZf8nNOQVXWR8/s1600/iuyoy.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ve never actually looked this up, but my theory is
that this episode was written without the holiday in mind, then the network
said “hey, we need a Halloween episode, so throw fifteen dollars worth of decorations
in the background, as well as a random opening with a single character in
costume, and it can pass as our Halloween special for the season” … but again,
that’s just my theory. Like I said, there’s clearly good intentions with this
episode, the acting between Laura and her mother is effective, and there’s a
quirky little dance … but as far as this shows Halloween episodes are concerned,
this one is my least favorite by a mile, and one that I just don’t recommend. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: #7030a0;">Dark and Stormy Night</span></b>” (Season 6, Episode 6) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2_VpoCgZGK-bTJpdm4MzzDr4-6roSg7R8o5vUPQCCH73zsVz8Y9_Vpug4UsjulfD8NJtH4fo9o6w3kg29-np1JVCsGJrQ6t0fNeD3RtRijXXasJsUE9obLZrGdBjJc0fFR6fYELLAB-Rc2kVoJxSlJLGx-VrEngzLD7G0FK4cojfBRS4jCfLOGzD5t0/s618/oiuuy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="618" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2_VpoCgZGK-bTJpdm4MzzDr4-6roSg7R8o5vUPQCCH73zsVz8Y9_Vpug4UsjulfD8NJtH4fo9o6w3kg29-np1JVCsGJrQ6t0fNeD3RtRijXXasJsUE9obLZrGdBjJc0fFR6fYELLAB-Rc2kVoJxSlJLGx-VrEngzLD7G0FK4cojfBRS4jCfLOGzD5t0/w256-h190/oiuuy.jpg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKF6KF3OWjMfgRX8gRSxNXtnMvNOUmmbphiE9_cLbugGmlbuSzA2Nxhkr7CDFVA8CX6tPvy8uvxHElK6BV-rsPKuMuXJOcYB5Z9jj5S2v5BEgpsgW8jGLna6MFUuRZI4HcGCa4NrkLaozA8Ob2RnhCBtRj-9he-dDf_Tbd3loPNRcFdGF67pktFB-gzL8/s265/Picture13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="265" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKF6KF3OWjMfgRX8gRSxNXtnMvNOUmmbphiE9_cLbugGmlbuSzA2Nxhkr7CDFVA8CX6tPvy8uvxHElK6BV-rsPKuMuXJOcYB5Z9jj5S2v5BEgpsgW8jGLna6MFUuRZI4HcGCa4NrkLaozA8Ob2RnhCBtRj-9he-dDf_Tbd3loPNRcFdGF67pktFB-gzL8/s1600/Picture13.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Right from that title, it’s a sign that this will be a superior Halloween episode,
and speaking personally … this is my favorite of their special October holiday offerings
by a mile. The Winslow family is all dressed in costume (Laura standing out in
her Cat-woman costume), everyone’s ready for some trick-or-treating, but unfortunately
for them … the event is called off on a count of heavy rain. That was my
all-time biggest childhood fear of Halloween, that Trick-or-Treat would be
called-off due to bad weather. To make things worse for the Winslow’s, a
black-out kills all the power, leaving both the family and a visiting Steve
Urkel stuck inside, with only one means to pass the time … telling scary
stories. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdnNyGBx8L9M2tw8AaLZF8Du8pALOL3MqT-1N2R2lAinXtV3JTHlO-VnzTE1qK2YOwQ1JUoZDKntGqSdOmAf2tQkMLchtGVACReKotFSpxmePhETEyw2i1s7CtHmLWkesNURe13HmvBqyUOYqFkyJ6s0LVaPRDLeWA6yJKNBxMB3u311Ohyphenhyphen8TFRcAXCw/s1110/Picture10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1110" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdnNyGBx8L9M2tw8AaLZF8Du8pALOL3MqT-1N2R2lAinXtV3JTHlO-VnzTE1qK2YOwQ1JUoZDKntGqSdOmAf2tQkMLchtGVACReKotFSpxmePhETEyw2i1s7CtHmLWkesNURe13HmvBqyUOYqFkyJ6s0LVaPRDLeWA6yJKNBxMB3u311Ohyphenhyphen8TFRcAXCw/s320/Picture10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In a 19<sup>th</sup>-Century setting, the Winslow family depict
themselves as a family of vampires living in a Gothic castle, and Steve Urkel
is the unfortunate house guest who stumbles in during feeding time. With no way out, he has to utilize
his quick wits and skills to stay alive. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">There’s also a subplot with Laura being a damsel chained to a wall … a situation that prompts a very funny reaction from Urkel, and an even more amusing forth-wall break from Laura.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Everything culminates into a sword fight
between Urkel and Count Winslow. Once again, the big </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">highlight is a climactic action scene, this time with Urkel and vampire Caral sword fighting in the castle.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWidt1SOYlOkQl4qPka0BdD6OOI_Tr5Nrr3VC7F7Su6fCkIrzR725kylqKb9IlZb-ycvtjPIie9reTtuyTQxVDG1TrHGMyplL98-3JJ1G14GDM916JPaTaYOCef4wX4OvpL1-C8sbLGgjvXCs3911H8c4W0j7RSenjJ7OKDfXevydx36wExyUKYFcsgU/s400/Picture11.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="400" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvWidt1SOYlOkQl4qPka0BdD6OOI_Tr5Nrr3VC7F7Su6fCkIrzR725kylqKb9IlZb-ycvtjPIie9reTtuyTQxVDG1TrHGMyplL98-3JJ1G14GDM916JPaTaYOCef4wX4OvpL1-C8sbLGgjvXCs3911H8c4W0j7RSenjJ7OKDfXevydx36wExyUKYFcsgU/s320/Picture11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I get the impression the cast was having a lot
of fun with this outing, and that fun transcends onto me every time I watch
this. Visually, this is the best-looking Halloween episode by far, with the
castle set-design hitting all the right details … including stone-headed busts that
are sentient beings … very reminiscent of Disney’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Haunted Mansion</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. It’s all over-the-top, but great fun to go along with all the tricks
and treats of the season … and it gets my highest recommendation as the best of
the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Family Matters</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” Halloween episodes. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"<b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Stevil</span></b>" (Season 8, Episode 7) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1zKTBe5H90XkI27vmcURmdV8HrgsbRnvokOSU61q_DgpsHuBaz1CC1AjHydA4FMy6O4mYbQWrbf19LxNsCZTbURT5AcLW7BzARQLs0ab1YCbF2YDekpWlFA7QxFOYpb9VeBivVTpRJ1djLmvNxTRsT0kqiXZtqwAAmu4PrwT9WC8GDLxNuAl1607cgQ/s1000/Picture16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1zKTBe5H90XkI27vmcURmdV8HrgsbRnvokOSU61q_DgpsHuBaz1CC1AjHydA4FMy6O4mYbQWrbf19LxNsCZTbURT5AcLW7BzARQLs0ab1YCbF2YDekpWlFA7QxFOYpb9VeBivVTpRJ1djLmvNxTRsT0kqiXZtqwAAmu4PrwT9WC8GDLxNuAl1607cgQ/w302-h192/Picture16.jpg" width="302" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNV0aNY9RC-PCnZjXl-8fr2U3Ro6ukkgQ6cLiJrnuDJiV36uAnTfz35-MYsjjdc0oKSOratKu2ADzTNmAdNilqTWciwIIPATw1brOPzD2nWVnkL6sxJ5EX_EwdVAvLgFq2s8iqAb16qJ761rlXTE9Qwz_pULCENK6a4Eui7ylxGQ48mi8qDCL9bvcvvH4/s225/ytur.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNV0aNY9RC-PCnZjXl-8fr2U3Ro6ukkgQ6cLiJrnuDJiV36uAnTfz35-MYsjjdc0oKSOratKu2ADzTNmAdNilqTWciwIIPATw1brOPzD2nWVnkL6sxJ5EX_EwdVAvLgFq2s8iqAb16qJ761rlXTE9Qwz_pULCENK6a4Eui7ylxGQ48mi8qDCL9bvcvvH4/w193-h193/ytur.jpg" width="193" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Just when it seemed this show hit the
peak for their Seasonal offerings, they deliver another memorable episode, and
my second favorite of their Halloween specials. At this point, the show was
leaning into it’s Science Fiction esthetic, with an anything goes sense of fun …
you can only imagine what kind of goofy insanity comes about during Halloween
at this stage of the series. Well, things get absolutely unhinged when we meet
a ventriloquist's dummy adorning the looks of Steve Urkel … one that just
happens to be alive ... and very evil. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowJFxOGW9OqIlS7T7CIiICzBjMU-pS2kfe8FpjfnWKFRr5p1HiXhXCbUCeTeyA_xj4OylHpBQN-RLTneVJkSc-vk8THx9fsgk4nyRIEPEZMvOCChs2Kku43jU-xfDcB2dvTtGFwi-xaLuv90lHaf13Wg8On1JyvtrXw3aBA7Tfr7qb4EmjQ7kGj_JoGc/s1080/hgjh.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowJFxOGW9OqIlS7T7CIiICzBjMU-pS2kfe8FpjfnWKFRr5p1HiXhXCbUCeTeyA_xj4OylHpBQN-RLTneVJkSc-vk8THx9fsgk4nyRIEPEZMvOCChs2Kku43jU-xfDcB2dvTtGFwi-xaLuv90lHaf13Wg8On1JyvtrXw3aBA7Tfr7qb4EmjQ7kGj_JoGc/s320/hgjh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Yeah, how about that … an evil Urkel
dummy that’s terrorizing the Winslow’s on Halloween, leaving Steve the only one
who can stop the nasty puppet. It’s as goofy and over-the-top as it sounds, but
that’s why it stands out as one of the most memorable of the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Family Matters</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
Halloween episodes. Urkel naturally has his funny highlights, but the wicked
dummy named Stevil is equally amusing with his share of looney quirks. His
methods of disposing the Winslow’s are both creative, and enjoyably silly. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqX-1-MIEr2DcJ5GO29ORIDzrFXsLIb0T4X9Y3-BAws4ZqfNDD0v7K66RHkR3lW3u8SRUAEhnkl_fJtEn48468IsNLtGsoJqNJiX9TVE0TG-pLAZGkn4I2-tgwgcObyqTx-Ds89ITv2M26i8Ay3GLEa5IxnRJXKhyphenhyphenRv5cJ9zWQmU0hEiGW6y1cQbk_Vo/s480/Picture15.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="480" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqX-1-MIEr2DcJ5GO29ORIDzrFXsLIb0T4X9Y3-BAws4ZqfNDD0v7K66RHkR3lW3u8SRUAEhnkl_fJtEn48468IsNLtGsoJqNJiX9TVE0TG-pLAZGkn4I2-tgwgcObyqTx-Ds89ITv2M26i8Ay3GLEa5IxnRJXKhyphenhyphenRv5cJ9zWQmU0hEiGW6y1cQbk_Vo/s320/Picture15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There’s a nod to the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Twilight Zone</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” with one family member getting
transformed into a Jack-in-the-box, and there’s even a mildly disturbing moment
in which Carl Winslow becomes a puppet himself. This is how I like my Halloween
specials the most, cartoony, over-the-top, and completely breaking away from
the norm. If your up for something wild and out of the norm, I give this
episode another high-recommendation, and Evil Urkel Dummy has his place among Urkel’s
most classic, memorable moments.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b><span style="color: red;">Stevil 2: This Time He’s Not Alone</span></b>” (Season 9,
Episode 7) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_cBVMpFrPdLWeuqc0kfRxNLFr8Fajma7rqZKIOJqfzRfQmlvT5MXsETJzvh4QZgwY9SKsaILNDx5xDDz4lqE2Fhpktwv0ZW3QsZX2M4cHPxSsqyEmf00ZZ5a3goHy2Z9Q6rp-mKifenpj8vSKtfYVruaepEBqUBcTwjMB2k0kg2_G1O41vAMJ-ge4YQ/s656/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="656" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_cBVMpFrPdLWeuqc0kfRxNLFr8Fajma7rqZKIOJqfzRfQmlvT5MXsETJzvh4QZgwY9SKsaILNDx5xDDz4lqE2Fhpktwv0ZW3QsZX2M4cHPxSsqyEmf00ZZ5a3goHy2Z9Q6rp-mKifenpj8vSKtfYVruaepEBqUBcTwjMB2k0kg2_G1O41vAMJ-ge4YQ/w215-h166/Picture1.jpg" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmyrK9hZLBlCsZGhWyOeam2_zKo9RhSyBWxF3xnFPcLd99zQuMU31CmAC0LWXNc7yNQsCVwuC9ZcwWgZ0brkeR06_sRkxiGD_awlZzJMAnuVNSMAhRnydAhIJrAt1-Jkjf_R-p-0LhMDedo-uyPVLMClKlUoAHr4Qy2wrWZCSuMa1HvDSZl77O9UT8lU/s1280/Picture19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1280" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmyrK9hZLBlCsZGhWyOeam2_zKo9RhSyBWxF3xnFPcLd99zQuMU31CmAC0LWXNc7yNQsCVwuC9ZcwWgZ0brkeR06_sRkxiGD_awlZzJMAnuVNSMAhRnydAhIJrAt1-Jkjf_R-p-0LhMDedo-uyPVLMClKlUoAHr4Qy2wrWZCSuMa1HvDSZl77O9UT8lU/w275-h167/Picture19.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Oh Boy … if you thought one outing with Evil Urkel Dummy was
insane … just wait till the sequel. It’s been one year sense the events with Stevil,
and now Urkel can’t sleep, fearing his wooden nemeses would return. Naturally,
he does come back to torment Steve, but this time around, Officer Winslow
shares in the abuse, all in part of a second evil dummy named Carl’s Bad … that
name alone is the best thing about this whole episode. In general, I do admire
this episode for creating an atmosphere of a spooky fun house, with both our players
on the run, lightning flashing, objects popping out of the corners, and axe
wielding invaders. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQKlqjFav4gvGL6YaXTs7NxQIVmgLkxfdQ3nGpg0W0kQXvWBBprwlrHgAVqygX_Mz32nj9v06NA7C0L8ruO85tpa-Dahbmk4b_NiehUJtK9oyHrXJAKzzRL43rsOMaosj4Bk3zLyd-qvgUA1uoV3eTs9HQGNm1Clxyjl32hekpRZtWMpIHCt0sfmpxok/s600/Picture18.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQKlqjFav4gvGL6YaXTs7NxQIVmgLkxfdQ3nGpg0W0kQXvWBBprwlrHgAVqygX_Mz32nj9v06NA7C0L8ruO85tpa-Dahbmk4b_NiehUJtK9oyHrXJAKzzRL43rsOMaosj4Bk3zLyd-qvgUA1uoV3eTs9HQGNm1Clxyjl32hekpRZtWMpIHCt0sfmpxok/s320/Picture18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Just guise what horror movie they reference when they axe
through the door ... if you said "<b>The Shining</b>", then you know your horror movies. There’s also a moving cabinet, which might be a visual nod to
“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Exorcist</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. With all that said, this one pushes the over-the-top
presentation to the limit, and might be too much of a fun thing. Personally, for
the very last Halloween episode of the show, I would have preferred something
original, as opposed to a repeat of what we had before. Still, I do enjoy it
for the goofy romp that it is, and while I don’t think it was the best note to
close the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Family Matters</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” Halloween episodes on, it was still memorable
… in only for the novelty of Carl’s Bad.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, concludes my rundown of all the “<b>Family
Matters</b>” Halloween episodes, and if I were to quickly rank them from my
personal favorite, to my least favorite, it would go like this … <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxynUmBTTXSQxTpYleJ8qybxnBZj7j_OhmebrWbSF_7LHyJ3bTotpcCXJUbcMNg_mS3e_CIuMCmoIYeN2q3uDXpe_IBLwRiCasBhyg7CUBO5t5MfzA6bSW15E8eZ9mpSxoLGlJpoKUfhnIe2S494d5eamn3APyTNFYzFpyNLEhQaGC2b7o230tKxO_Is/s492/Picture12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="492" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxynUmBTTXSQxTpYleJ8qybxnBZj7j_OhmebrWbSF_7LHyJ3bTotpcCXJUbcMNg_mS3e_CIuMCmoIYeN2q3uDXpe_IBLwRiCasBhyg7CUBO5t5MfzA6bSW15E8eZ9mpSxoLGlJpoKUfhnIe2S494d5eamn3APyTNFYzFpyNLEhQaGC2b7o230tKxO_Is/s320/Picture12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#1 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Dark and Stormy Night</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Stevil</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b><span style="color: #7030a0;">Dog Day Halloween</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Whose Kid is it
Anyway?</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b><span style="color: #7030a0;">Stevil 2: This Time He’s Not Alone</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Best Friends</span></b>”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It's certainly
been a nostalgic little throw back, and for anyone who also grew up with the
series, I hope it was fun looking back. If your someone just looking for any
random Halloween special, maybe this will give you something to look into this
Halloween season.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ew4lyHbQ8eYBvtOqCvAH7NpZgEk6_RjdvnFDKBblw0jv5imtucDXbqI-fQy44zhP25k9H7Gd8EUjU9DQvAc12KVp2cPsteDNwDZ70EwtyOd0fiWoA1k-IL7t9plbmfJPW6n6iuEBbJBtqlNkBrXFaDhyUBAWd3Bv0j2qS9WG4-ueQj5YHG3ERz-0IVc/s684/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="684" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ew4lyHbQ8eYBvtOqCvAH7NpZgEk6_RjdvnFDKBblw0jv5imtucDXbqI-fQy44zhP25k9H7Gd8EUjU9DQvAc12KVp2cPsteDNwDZ70EwtyOd0fiWoA1k-IL7t9plbmfJPW6n6iuEBbJBtqlNkBrXFaDhyUBAWd3Bv0j2qS9WG4-ueQj5YHG3ERz-0IVc/w247-h190/Picture1.jpg" width="247" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSR342xNrn1LX-aiOLJgspSGp5dSITKI0SkwSSuOyadic7Ow6YfFFhIAVm7R0lnoYOdWQyCExPPOwDnILhk2z2tiVl_trYCkfSeMRJXM3XnSMg_xMpoyl_GkiFALwW8mGxscjk0nJyptX0oBpALehoU7HWkl9CDyqFBxw6ZGuxZs4W7vq5hpSZiz8phA/s871/Picture17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="871" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSR342xNrn1LX-aiOLJgspSGp5dSITKI0SkwSSuOyadic7Ow6YfFFhIAVm7R0lnoYOdWQyCExPPOwDnILhk2z2tiVl_trYCkfSeMRJXM3XnSMg_xMpoyl_GkiFALwW8mGxscjk0nJyptX0oBpALehoU7HWkl9CDyqFBxw6ZGuxZs4W7vq5hpSZiz8phA/w270-h191/Picture17.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my retrospective count-down ... and let’s make every day in October
feel like Halloween!</span></p><br />Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-77315073738039574502023-10-04T22:31:00.018-07:002023-10-05T14:52:13.811-07:00The Halloween Franchise ... but with Variety!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZZplXwJm0Td8yaZSf3DcoukUYikmXb_sj1Pn94Jh8QiwodDFSGXkv9z9uFL1d-A989-zuC3s5AqyZejf_9UQCsD6RpIATlbLw6-v3iXPlFA2nVlkfaSdrUzVm99xbvVeyWVW59h4T-8/s834/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="834" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZZplXwJm0Td8yaZSf3DcoukUYikmXb_sj1Pn94Jh8QiwodDFSGXkv9z9uFL1d-A989-zuC3s5AqyZejf_9UQCsD6RpIATlbLw6-v3iXPlFA2nVlkfaSdrUzVm99xbvVeyWVW59h4T-8/w296-h150/Picture3.jpg" width="296" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpejFeOi5phBRomGy5MKHBZH_8VbWw7gRUPoWdhcCx2O-v_z4ZB0vNI1Dl7F6jx5rgVCy-tJD-worAYaxOg-siUekGjVxBi1oFmK3LZ3sl-7MIiA0T5ZXXl3ZsR2D7oNRAZxUI3RIcLi0/s761/Picture11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="761" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpejFeOi5phBRomGy5MKHBZH_8VbWw7gRUPoWdhcCx2O-v_z4ZB0vNI1Dl7F6jx5rgVCy-tJD-worAYaxOg-siUekGjVxBi1oFmK3LZ3sl-7MIiA0T5ZXXl3ZsR2D7oNRAZxUI3RIcLi0/w200-h148/Picture11.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> 1978’s “<b>Halloween</b>” is one of the great horror movie classics, and one of my favorites to re-visit during the season. Having said that, I always felt that a movie baring the title of the holiday could have … should have … more to offer, beyond just a killer in a mask. While the “<b>Halloween</b>” franchise has expanded with 13 movies total, they mainly (and unfortunately) continued to revolve around the exact same formula of a single masked killer with a knife. In my personal opinion, it’s a complete waist, as I feel a series baring the title <b><span style="color: #c55a11; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #C55A11; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: lumm=75000; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: accent2; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">HALLOWEEN</span></b> should have so much more variety to it. Thus, I thought it would be fun to go through each instalment in the series, give each film a different terrifying Halloween themed story, and each with a different premise. Now, if you’re a fan of the series as it already is, then please continue to enjoy it, and don’t let me spoil anything. This is just me having fun, and experimenting with the variety this series could have had if it was more anthology based. There are thirteen movies in total, and I’m going to present each with a different frightening premise for the holiday season. Also, as a quick side note, I'll be using photo's from various other movies to visually represent my story thoughts, and at the end, I'll list where all the Images come from. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The First Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO780-tqPF_qbe9Ra3V5Wrrd1tbCNP4T6lvYRrINxcZ1U2qmyzQMSETLHz0CIj6mCSiPoluZjDR_cXqXtUWDc2cvEaBu7oOGOlJDlpOUB9_mbeAr3hwer80L97JCdbKjn1N7R0skaW0jo/s400/zasw.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO780-tqPF_qbe9Ra3V5Wrrd1tbCNP4T6lvYRrINxcZ1U2qmyzQMSETLHz0CIj6mCSiPoluZjDR_cXqXtUWDc2cvEaBu7oOGOlJDlpOUB9_mbeAr3hwer80L97JCdbKjn1N7R0skaW0jo/s320/zasw.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">It goes without saying that I’ve always loved the original 1978 “<b>Halloween</b>” classic, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Escaped mental patient Michael Myers takes on the look of a masked killer, adorns the title of the towns “Boogie-Man”, and stocks a group of baby-sitters on Halloween night. It’s so simple, yet executed perfectly, and has rightfully become a classic. Both Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence are iconic in their respected roles of Laurie Strode and Dr. Sam Loomis. Also, John Carpenters score is personally my favorite horror movie track of all time. It’s just a great classic, and not a single thing needs to be changed. However, much like how the first “<b>Star Wars</b>” eventually got a title to differentiate it from other films in its lengthy series, I think it would be interesting to give this film its own sub-title, just to separate it from the following films. I’d always refer to it as “<b>Halloween</b>”, but for the sake of individual titles, I’d call it …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<b><span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 1: <span style="color: #674ea7;">Night of the Boogie-Man</span></b>” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Second Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCdHSdYZPRgqahAt73uU4fQb79p3f9zeSz_rK8qDAH0kD76mwX2asDt4AIh09RAuLFMaCxGPCZdNMO-t2rgLuYKkDA4pTycCXQctv5H4NTBa5AWIUGMvQvTReSqI53JjvzLkabaBqXHk/s1600/bvfdre.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCdHSdYZPRgqahAt73uU4fQb79p3f9zeSz_rK8qDAH0kD76mwX2asDt4AIh09RAuLFMaCxGPCZdNMO-t2rgLuYKkDA4pTycCXQctv5H4NTBa5AWIUGMvQvTReSqI53JjvzLkabaBqXHk/s320/bvfdre.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">While the 1981 sequel “<b>Halloween 2</b>” is regarded by fans to be one of the better films, it’s important to establish variety from the start, as well as introduce new villains, and bring in supernatural terror. That’s not to say the villainess Michael Myers is gone for good, he could still appear in other sequels … just not the first sequel. Also, it’s important to have variety in our main hero’s/victim’s. Sometimes it can be teenagers like in the first film, other times adults like in the soon to be mentioned third film, but for this spooky outing … it’s going to have kids take center stage. Still an R ratted horror movie, but with kids as the leads, just like in Steven Kings "<b>IT</b>", as it gives the film a different personality. </span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6RqtW3GI1gdDNMmOoEyShWdGiwU9VXIPv3RoAGMlsUDrcAM-hxapLZ_kbSsN2cqQ_WjOdUsf3V2zwPjtjpHYOmOzzwUZr8reZJJ8lajXMiXQYjbYk5OwZSIwjSvwBRaIpJ7-fnB-3o0/s617/xzcdsfhj.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="617" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6RqtW3GI1gdDNMmOoEyShWdGiwU9VXIPv3RoAGMlsUDrcAM-hxapLZ_kbSsN2cqQ_WjOdUsf3V2zwPjtjpHYOmOzzwUZr8reZJJ8lajXMiXQYjbYk5OwZSIwjSvwBRaIpJ7-fnB-3o0/s320/xzcdsfhj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">This tale will revolve around a group of four young friends between fourth and fifth grade, one girl and two boys, who are about to have their first trick r’ treat with a mysterious, yet friendly new student, who's also a boy. Both excitement and dread are in the air, as the kids are naturally excited, yet also leery of the night. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Still, the four get together for trick r’ treat, each dressed as the main characters from “<b>The Wizard of Oz</b>”, and our first clue to the mysterious new villain comes in the form of one of the parents dressed as The Wicked Witch of the West. As the night takes many dark and frightening turns, it’s revealed that the mother in the Wicked Witch costume is in-fact … a real witch … one who’s kept herself alive over hundreds of years ... by draining the essence of children. </span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieg1ZxJlgmrNWqNYZa5dnnMjttuDib0t-enBJLVTbkMSVWH1BDqd26Qzr8MpQqHaBNpXGVMt2KKKBIn5zvDViMjxAHRV6Y9n1-d7vTcEPgFbaZBJm8fxjxnx5fZhsRtFuwwN-_RGla4EI/s570/cvxsdfyut.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="570" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieg1ZxJlgmrNWqNYZa5dnnMjttuDib0t-enBJLVTbkMSVWH1BDqd26Qzr8MpQqHaBNpXGVMt2KKKBIn5zvDViMjxAHRV6Y9n1-d7vTcEPgFbaZBJm8fxjxnx5fZhsRtFuwwN-_RGla4EI/w331-h174/cvxsdfyut.jpg" width="331" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Think of it as Disney’s “<b>Hocus Pocus</b>” … but actually scary. Further dark twists reveal that her son … the mysterious new friend, who went out as the scarecrow ... is in-fact a creation of the Witch, and one meant to round-up a small number of “friends” to be her offering. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">One last hurdle is that only the kids can see her for what she is, while the adults can only acknowledge her as an ordinary mother in an Oz costume. As an extension of her terrifying abilities, she erases the memories of all her victims, making is seem like they never existed in the first place. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">This leaves the kids on their own to survive the Halloween night, with a real Witch chasing after them, and their new friend acting as a wild-card who could either help them or betray them.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZBPMMb1LPM6VZmIGVxoKtoOwJXWf_FB8Vd5_StoKIjoDXARBAnvMls79YvdvYMCt0JMS7uYK0abIe5D1iz2JfkmODl-7E50166M8moE4K1OGKUsnVuMitln2rFW_tF-zRrqGyvPPiilR-NR83uxP12RJRvgvEasAAnl6v0uncsqoQjrqckFJxJLs/s772/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="772" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZBPMMb1LPM6VZmIGVxoKtoOwJXWf_FB8Vd5_StoKIjoDXARBAnvMls79YvdvYMCt0JMS7uYK0abIe5D1iz2JfkmODl-7E50166M8moE4K1OGKUsnVuMitln2rFW_tF-zRrqGyvPPiilR-NR83uxP12RJRvgvEasAAnl6v0uncsqoQjrqckFJxJLs/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">In general, I’ve always loved the look and design of The Wicked Witch of the West, and always felt that she could have been a Halloween horror mascot. With the premise of a real Witch dressed up for Trick r’ Treat, it would allow her to act with the personality of the Oz character, and recreate select visuals, like hurdling fire from the top of a house roof, but she'd also be an original character at the same time. In short, while the first was about teens trying to survive the night with a masked killer, this sequel will be about kids trying to survive from the grasp of a witch ... one who just happens to be dressed as the Wicked Witch. That would be the premise of the second film in the series, and it should be titled … </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<b><span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 2: <span style="color: #674ea7;">Season of the Witch</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Third Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5XIXh-Fisr0fgeahfJgq2avMe76VsHxyJxfms8SApMd5z_PkFzACRKnFwlpuVz3v0z93U2FfckUJVcTZkRHQCkufsmZOZDp1Xx29fhoocemiwO6r7mpgbMtL39UZABv0hQViSvptatQ/s853/Picture01.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="853" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5XIXh-Fisr0fgeahfJgq2avMe76VsHxyJxfms8SApMd5z_PkFzACRKnFwlpuVz3v0z93U2FfckUJVcTZkRHQCkufsmZOZDp1Xx29fhoocemiwO6r7mpgbMtL39UZABv0hQViSvptatQ/w400-h169/Picture01.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">The 1982 sequel titled “<b>Halloween 3: Season of the Witch</b>”, is that rare instalment in this series that actually did something different with the franchise. It revolved around two adults unraveling the mystery of a Halloween costume factory, and they discover it’s the base of a cult. Their leader aims to use their company Halloween masks in a plot to sacrifice a number of children as part of some pagan ritual. While I’ve never been a fan of this film, I’ll leave it just the way it is, simply because it still gives the series some variety. The only alteration I’d make is with the title. Obviously, I just used “<b>Season of the Witch</b>” as the title of the second movie, as that was more fitting, and this film really has nothing to do with Witch’s at all. Thus, I feel a more appropriate title for this entry would be …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<b><span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 3: <span style="color: #674ea7;">Mask of Death</span></b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Fourth Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgoJayRVZD_WTfwjAd2mVIO-dMH7gcidyqrNJelwX9EO-MP-UBnyHKwHeY_MKNYrijMqpYwwe288AH-Nzd9qSkLeiEjQPidsTC7K8nBxzYFIApVfs0LfGFcGmdD5dK9fvt1cARpD31JU/s1280/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgoJayRVZD_WTfwjAd2mVIO-dMH7gcidyqrNJelwX9EO-MP-UBnyHKwHeY_MKNYrijMqpYwwe288AH-Nzd9qSkLeiEjQPidsTC7K8nBxzYFIApVfs0LfGFcGmdD5dK9fvt1cARpD31JU/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">The 1988 sequel titled “<b>Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers</b>” went back to the basic formula, and tied back to the continuity set by the first. This film is often regarded by fans as one of the better films. It introduced Danielle Harris in the role of Michael Myers niece Jamie, and once again … I don’t mind leaving this film the way it is. After two different stand-alone anthology films, it’s nice to have the franchises original villain return for another outing. It would just have to make slight tweaks to only reference continuity from the first film as I’ve replaced the second. Also, I’ve never liked the popularity of the name Michael Myers, and how that was the title always associated with the villain. The first movie already referred to him as the figurative Boogie-Man, so why not make that the name associated with the character. As such, lets change this title to …</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 4: <span style="color: #674ea7;">The Boogie-Man Returns</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>The </b><b>Fifth</b><b> Halloween Movie …</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDl5F6jmlMsQdVA9KE6cItATIKs7_oaudcqMUkm8nwmbO2_cZyObDf-JZrPi-vjq2xcy5zwWhUIOQeXU6W9CogkPZKQfsj0LGgP-eQuxFeb9kbuCPdTbf_EmppKnI9VcItfCahsXvvkw0MfnAvk32TlO53yJDBCVsouWAj2TB0Y_Ifz51M88vsvH0u=s500" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="500" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDl5F6jmlMsQdVA9KE6cItATIKs7_oaudcqMUkm8nwmbO2_cZyObDf-JZrPi-vjq2xcy5zwWhUIOQeXU6W9CogkPZKQfsj0LGgP-eQuxFeb9kbuCPdTbf_EmppKnI9VcItfCahsXvvkw0MfnAvk32TlO53yJDBCVsouWAj2TB0Y_Ifz51M88vsvH0u=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">The 1989 sequel “<b>Halloween 5: Revenge of Michael Myers</b>” once again continued the story of Michael Myers chasing after his </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">niece Jamie ... been there, done that. So</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, I’ll go ahead and craft another new idea for this fifth Halloween sequel, which will be another simplistic stand-alone horror anthology story. For this instalment idea, I’ll be taking a page from “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Die Hard</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and making this spooky venture set in the confines of building that’s hosting an all-night Halloween Party. The horror takes shape when the building gets locked down, with the party guests trapped inside, unable to contact anyone, and lurking in their midst is a mysterious masked killer. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju9-nym0XrzSStsFTF_ZpP5UDvskrNkkb0T89xu-LTLpHk5nZNwbnDOLwRbUh3GHs2rfMYG4EfxTNbXD8tpjA6XJ7wwJ2zE4REem7BIpEDs-lNbEIsVQ7lgjniZm9HqllMNfipTE-n_sZlL9qWfqjFzjByzOb6HEfoYNgnx0d9v1rR19lN7ELTyC9c=s620" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="620" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju9-nym0XrzSStsFTF_ZpP5UDvskrNkkb0T89xu-LTLpHk5nZNwbnDOLwRbUh3GHs2rfMYG4EfxTNbXD8tpjA6XJ7wwJ2zE4REem7BIpEDs-lNbEIsVQ7lgjniZm9HqllMNfipTE-n_sZlL9qWfqjFzjByzOb6HEfoYNgnx0d9v1rR19lN7ELTyC9c=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">The added touch to this set-up is that the killer is switching between seven different costumes, to throw off his identity, place the blame on similarly dressed gusts, and making it harder to speculate which costumed character in either the background or even front in center could be the killer. Along the way, clues are discovered and secrets will be unlocked as to who the possible culprit could be, and where his motivations stem from. I’ve always liked the idea of a night-long Halloween party as the center place for a thriller, as well as the idea of a villain who could blend into the crowd. Instead of one image to identify the threat, I wanted to change-up the format with the villain changing his appearance through several different costumes, as it would keep the audience on their toes, as well as lending to a number of creatively spooky costume designs. That would be the premise of this fifth instalment, and I’d call it …</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 5: <span style="color: #674ea7;">The Killer with Seven Faces</span>”</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Sixth Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEe8jAUsY8NzdQsbJmga1UY8PDsgQTaB8oKEvM2wrtSZg3jrSHUyZyBcUpmhnCuKUga-L3palgzKiHJke_wW4VBiNVVfaWQGCtHd4j-jP6xuQFdwy30x2WgzyPCzsXpqQlcbANTqYXp4/s1440/cxvsdfewr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEe8jAUsY8NzdQsbJmga1UY8PDsgQTaB8oKEvM2wrtSZg3jrSHUyZyBcUpmhnCuKUga-L3palgzKiHJke_wW4VBiNVVfaWQGCtHd4j-jP6xuQFdwy30x2WgzyPCzsXpqQlcbANTqYXp4/s320/cxvsdfewr.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">1995’s “<b>Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers</b>” brought finality to a figurative trilogy revolving around the niece Jamie … and achieved deeply negative results, as it’s often regarded as the absolute worst of the franchise. While I will get back to both Jamie and Michael further down the line, I still feel content to just put a book mark on their stories. As such, I feel this sixth instalment needs to continue with my anthology format, but this time back to more supernatural terror, with a brand-new villain. Turns out, there’s one such character I’ve always wanted to see physically present as the main threat in a horror film … none other than the hooded Gryme Reaper himself . </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4M-1n8bdmDdKV6pK20Qkz0h_DuCuawDgogEMKb0Em3kdiTFgzWgyP-iknYLeDjrwyBfJ_aUoWqHGCgL2IAXZtv5do391NXYmw_nUUOjv5KhJUYFXUQ84Lw0x1aBBRF1800Iw_IXnK5nNkxxN-0exHbwIg5XCZtvqAIIsvK-5_wHqez65g_2-x6lJP1A/s1200/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4M-1n8bdmDdKV6pK20Qkz0h_DuCuawDgogEMKb0Em3kdiTFgzWgyP-iknYLeDjrwyBfJ_aUoWqHGCgL2IAXZtv5do391NXYmw_nUUOjv5KhJUYFXUQ84Lw0x1aBBRF1800Iw_IXnK5nNkxxN-0exHbwIg5XCZtvqAIIsvK-5_wHqez65g_2-x6lJP1A/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">For this set-up, death has taken it upon himself to assume the physical form of the Gryme Reaper on Halloween night, and go's out to claim select victims all over the world. This would mark the first chapter of the series that won't be </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">isolated in a single location … this time it's a global concern. Also, the events will cover more then a single </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Halloween night. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The story will focus on a family-man (an African-American, just to give some variety in ethnicity), who’s a scholar, and he’s analyzing mysterious deaths that have been regularly accruing on Halloween. </span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NPu46HZ9U-Ij65ehh4XuiWGBro2-5fzezLSMCArG-cH8BxnuiLIxXd4lj_TAtths08Fgr6le584O9tW6JHqA92fnuwq6-17KK7xyF_DFIIJa_F76rOnTUfoeKr8bPk6kVLGhPYAwjQI/s1280/pokliu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4NPu46HZ9U-Ij65ehh4XuiWGBro2-5fzezLSMCArG-cH8BxnuiLIxXd4lj_TAtths08Fgr6le584O9tW6JHqA92fnuwq6-17KK7xyF_DFIIJa_F76rOnTUfoeKr8bPk6kVLGhPYAwjQI/s320/pokliu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After much investigating, tense build-up, and even witnessing one of the kills ... he discovers that the Reaper is marking people for death all over the world, and he’ll claim their lives on the witching hour of Halloween. Thus, he along with his accomplices must solve the mystery of how and why the Reaper is selecting his targets, and if anything can be done to spare the Reapers proclaimed victims. Things get more intense when our Scholar discovers that a member of his family may be marked for death by the reaper, which makes this a time sensitive dilemma, as he needs to find his answers before Halloween night. I think this would make for a fascinating change-up to the formula, it would be awesome to see the Gryme Reaper as a villain, and the title of the movie should be … </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 6: <span style="color: #674ea7;">When the Reaper Comes Calling</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Seventh Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhpTEHUKdif9MV5Rh0DxWp8z7gEnu1e_ybhNcwmYisgmTTyfyphbkPS8rqtfUeihGZVlcxkcr9dGGVY0eKWY5cwuApY-SOXWfjV_AnrpkBSdZ24ZHwbOy9BUKtXXra8T-t94YLeWAz5s/s267/xczdspo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhpTEHUKdif9MV5Rh0DxWp8z7gEnu1e_ybhNcwmYisgmTTyfyphbkPS8rqtfUeihGZVlcxkcr9dGGVY0eKWY5cwuApY-SOXWfjV_AnrpkBSdZ24ZHwbOy9BUKtXXra8T-t94YLeWAz5s/s0/xczdspo.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">The 1998 sequel titled “<b>Halloween: H20</b>” is often regarded as one of the better films, and brought back Jamie Lee Curtis in her signature role of </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Laurie Strode </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">from the first movie. Oddly enough, this film actually ignores all the previous films, except for the first, making it a direct sequel set twenty years later, and putting the original lead against the original villain. For the most part, I once again don’t mind leaving this film just the way it is. I think for every two movies that don’t feature </span><a name="_Hlk52473438" style="font-size: 12pt;">Michael Myers</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, another will occasionally bring him back as the frequently reoccurring mascot. I’d only make two changes to this film. First, I’d at least mention some continuity, like Myers little niece Jamie, who in my continuity has gone missing after the events of her last film. Second, I’ve always hatted that title, and thus I’d change it to …</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 7: <span style="color: #674ea7;">Twenty Years of Fear</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Eighth Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKPuqxT2IdXxXiyesxjpUjnyBT2cex-9HhirFm78DkgKAwSnO47AucfnUHEret4Sb7dlS3vipqIi46mo-TWfFRd1YYI9z9lNAy-R8wW5_Ppjv0TCqIgj5pooAWQjuSo5YFZ7eIMsapR8/s1068/decf.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1068" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKPuqxT2IdXxXiyesxjpUjnyBT2cex-9HhirFm78DkgKAwSnO47AucfnUHEret4Sb7dlS3vipqIi46mo-TWfFRd1YYI9z9lNAy-R8wW5_Ppjv0TCqIgj5pooAWQjuSo5YFZ7eIMsapR8/s320/decf.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">In 2002, there was another sequel titled “<b>Halloween Resurrection</b>”, which brought back both the main villain, and main hero for another appearance. It also had its own style, set in an abandoned house, and done in the style of a reality based found footage movie, just with a horror mascot thrown in the mix. Universally regarded as one of the worst, it goes without saying this film needs to be replaced. Obviously, I want to go back to the stand-alone anthology format, but not without taking some inspiration from the actual sequel. I like the idea of College students spending a Halloween night in an abandoned old house, and hosting a live broadcast on the internet. The found footage style gives the film its own identity, but drop all ties to the previous films, and have more of a mystery building. As the broadcast goes on, mysterious deaths begin to take shape, leaving our group to follow clues, and leave the audience in the dark as to what’s going on. It could be supernatural oddities tied to the abandoned house, or maybe it’s an elaborate scheme set in motion by one of the students to increase both ratings and viewership on their live broadcast. That would be the premise of the film, and it would be called …<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 8: <span style="color: #674ea7;">Dead Live!</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Ninth Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqP47gtUm2MLmmPgiLYyIctNFhNdEbPYFEjUYdVDmD3J6khOC1bS4lTSJcJOsiFE4HlL46VL3wF6_e-eqk9iZeE_kiw_TjZ2JhXBp-Wju60Nuh2BVBekWbQkuFSQRtYVF9AlxbmcissUM/s2048/xcvdsfuy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqP47gtUm2MLmmPgiLYyIctNFhNdEbPYFEjUYdVDmD3J6khOC1bS4lTSJcJOsiFE4HlL46VL3wF6_e-eqk9iZeE_kiw_TjZ2JhXBp-Wju60Nuh2BVBekWbQkuFSQRtYVF9AlxbmcissUM/s320/xcvdsfuy.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Director Rob Zombie remade “<b>Halloween</b>” in 2007, which had mixed results from fans. Some liked the changes to the killer’s origin, while others found it pointless to remake a classic. Personally, I’d keep this new story the way it is, but with one huge difference … all the characters names are different, and this was the origin to a new masked killer. Yeah, why not have more then one iconic killer in a mask for this series. In fact, we see this guy in an Orange mask … let's make that his signature look. Also, sense the original killer was named Michael Myers, it's only appropriate that this one should be named Dan Carvey ... its a nod to "<b>Wayne's World</b>". Of course, he also needs a spooky nick-name, and this one will simply be referred to by locals as … The Ghoul. Likewise, all the other character names should be changed, that way it can coast on the familiar, but stand apart as its own character story without the baggage of being a remake. Lastly, the appropriate title of the movie would be …<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 9: <span style="color: #674ea7;">The Ghoul comes at Night</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Tenth Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHBq1qh7Z7xMLopLmITu8jtrwomz3ZdKStQtN1QKvjM5qxVr1VV2O1NKvaZ4Mli7-N0-ndl9OafTZm_5eys7-KeaGygvtYasBBqfdXYW-hEG7-zuAKWkzeluuz6I2Xwn-QhNklIGMvEQ/s1154/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHBq1qh7Z7xMLopLmITu8jtrwomz3ZdKStQtN1QKvjM5qxVr1VV2O1NKvaZ4Mli7-N0-ndl9OafTZm_5eys7-KeaGygvtYasBBqfdXYW-hEG7-zuAKWkzeluuz6I2Xwn-QhNklIGMvEQ/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Naturally, Rob Zombies remake had a sequel in 2009 titled “<b>Halloween 2</b>”, and it was more of the same old, same old, same old … so, no thanks. Instead, here’s a new anthology story to take place on Halloween, but this one will be a little different, as it will be a stand-alone story ... yet still tie-in with the continuity of a previously mentioned film. It’ll start on Halloween night, and we see a little costumed girl being rushed into a hospital. Both her identity and condition are kept vague at first, and as the doctors begin performing an emergency procedure, we travel into the dark unconsciousness of her mind … and that’s where we’ll be for the entire film. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6uxqEyrzYdZ1Vb7IAqlvTrSyQ-_pWN3UpXv63M2YTSWbsmfhMb3OHZFLskppQmfgjNx6rHC8ppfxZEgvS4FnLAuXubLoh0PmPukjvsScU6O_5Hk0uhFPrH2Voegi7TbKH4xkbbzsYqfTBEOUk7KK6S2FZznkZMYxNIORROc6owMhjgdFsQapb6l3YO0/s744/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="744" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6uxqEyrzYdZ1Vb7IAqlvTrSyQ-_pWN3UpXv63M2YTSWbsmfhMb3OHZFLskppQmfgjNx6rHC8ppfxZEgvS4FnLAuXubLoh0PmPukjvsScU6O_5Hk0uhFPrH2Voegi7TbKH4xkbbzsYqfTBEOUk7KK6S2FZznkZMYxNIORROc6owMhjgdFsQapb6l3YO0/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Think of it as “<b>Alice in Wonderland</b>”, except set inside a girl’s twisted and disturbed mind. It’s a place filled with nightmarish visuals, but there’s also subtext to the imagery, as this girl is figuratively facing her inner demons on an astral plane. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As we discover more about this girl, her regrets, and her personal horrors, we discover that it’s none other than Michael Myers little niece Jamie, and we’re finally picking-up where her story left off after the events of the fourth film. </span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfu_4EbJFcPhQKE85JnRpx-nBH5CZrMWkUToWib9KCToxQ76FSL6ja4mRkF2w-bd3XuukbE5lv_TY41S71XjSus5Py5M0-i3UduThRvBuNxwAy9BPejodrIy-GWACygFsiJiZgxnqasM/s1910/xvc.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="1910" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfu_4EbJFcPhQKE85JnRpx-nBH5CZrMWkUToWib9KCToxQ76FSL6ja4mRkF2w-bd3XuukbE5lv_TY41S71XjSus5Py5M0-i3UduThRvBuNxwAy9BPejodrIy-GWACygFsiJiZgxnqasM/s320/xvc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now, Michael Myers himself won’t take any form in this film, and instead, Jamie will come face-to-face with herself … a deranged killer child that’s lying dormant in her subconscious. In the end, she finally emerges from her nightmare, it’s still Halloween night … but there’s one last twist … she’s now older, and played by a grown-up Danielle Harris. Apparently, she’s been in a comma for several years, it started on a Halloween night, and was bookended by the same holiday when she finally awoke. This way, we can have a movie that still ties into some set-continuity, and develops a character further, but’s it’s also a stand-alone experience from the other films, and what title would be more perfect then …</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 10: <span style="color: #674ea7;">Night of the Eternal Nightmare</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #c45911; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>The Eleventh Halloween Movie …</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8QDy7_gtwpQx8RVGpVL-HrXzOfDlEpyhsdlCEmw3b2TwIPLADAmsutTR_KVeQKNXtBmDvVveW8V4eh9TeuATOulOERFKJFtEALmAfZFqDNzyKSLcHfUWrj4DttZfvKQGrZok39fn9Ec/s1280/po.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8QDy7_gtwpQx8RVGpVL-HrXzOfDlEpyhsdlCEmw3b2TwIPLADAmsutTR_KVeQKNXtBmDvVveW8V4eh9TeuATOulOERFKJFtEALmAfZFqDNzyKSLcHfUWrj4DttZfvKQGrZok39fn9Ec/s320/po.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Nine years after Rob Zombies remakes came yet another reboot simply titled “<b>Halloween</b>”, but this outing one once again brought back Jamie Lee Curtis in her signature role of Laurie Strode, and she's back to battle her arch foe Michael Myers. This film once again stayed in continuity with the first movie, but ignored every other sequel in the franchise. Sense I’ve had three movies without Michael Myers, I once again don’t mind leaving this one as is. Besides, it’s the very first “<b>Halloween</b>” sequel to get mostly positive reviews from critics. The only things I’d change again are … keeping previous films in continuity, but only lightly mentioned, and finally ... change that stupid and unoriginal title. Instead, how about we call this movie …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 11: <span style="color: #674ea7;">The Vengeance of Lorry Strode</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The </b><b>Twelfth</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> Halloween Movie …</b></span></p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5ibe_x8LbempEAkinUhsusCMMZrNQDD_tXfh2EGvfwQjtXxiySyZ9heOeYt-r74T2-p1gXPN4Kso7tBcA13SabpfBXr7nn-puv7bNCWMMJybcCgKm-j3yqgSM7JTVpWNo7HeJXV-Yu6dJVQQwfDA6czCAPLyp4yuuwSMwue7onTN1d6TDEyfZfJKP60/s634/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="634" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5ibe_x8LbempEAkinUhsusCMMZrNQDD_tXfh2EGvfwQjtXxiySyZ9heOeYt-r74T2-p1gXPN4Kso7tBcA13SabpfBXr7nn-puv7bNCWMMJybcCgKm-j3yqgSM7JTVpWNo7HeJXV-Yu6dJVQQwfDA6czCAPLyp4yuuwSMwue7onTN1d6TDEyfZfJKP60/w338-h172/Picture1.jpg" width="338" /></a></div></span></div>As expected, the 2018 reboot was a hit, and a sequel came out soon after in 2021 titled "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Halloween Kills</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">". Guess what, the plot revolves around Michael Myers going on a killing spree ... in other words ... the same old shtick. So, to keep the variety going, I'm once again going to bounce away from continuity, and dive into something different ... and I mean really different ... like, outside of a contemporary setting. This twelfth instalment will be the first of the series to go back to ancient times, and focusing on the very origins of the holiday, as well as the original haunts of twilight superstitions. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I'll admit, I'm not sure how to construct a narrative around that, but ever sense the third movie mentioned "the Festival of Samhain", I was always interested in a Halloween movie set during those archaic times. That would be the general concept of a </span>twelfth<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> instalment, and I’d call it …</span></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 12: <span style="color: #674ea7;">The Dawn of Terror</span>”</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The </b><b>Thirteenth</b><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> Halloween Movie …</b><o:p style="font-size: 12pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ99P0aIS-uJtoPCQRHx7ukeE7RAJKldjCRt7sGhzyn7r9wC4hl8soeOVQPOXHT3AEi5bBbxtIALK9EAAFsBNPhKEDWnX895N8piWCtMjrbEoz3M_CN2DNCdY436XvAwr5CNb8Wc6G8Mc/s590/Picture5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ99P0aIS-uJtoPCQRHx7ukeE7RAJKldjCRt7sGhzyn7r9wC4hl8soeOVQPOXHT3AEi5bBbxtIALK9EAAFsBNPhKEDWnX895N8piWCtMjrbEoz3M_CN2DNCdY436XvAwr5CNb8Wc6G8Mc/s320/Picture5.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">At last, we come to what is currently our final instalment. In 2022, there was another sequel titled “<b>Halloween Ends</b>”, making it the thirteenth instalment overall ... surprise, surprise … it featured </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Laurie Strode finishing off </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Michael Myers again ... but for my continuity, he died for good back in the eleventh film . Thus, for this one, I'll still make it a big event ... but this time crossing over with multiple established characters over the previously established films. </span>This story will open with Tom Atkins reprising his signature role as an aged Dr. Daniel Challis from the third film. In the years sense that story, he’s been following-up on different cults that are likewise trying to bring back pigeon sacrifices on Halloween night. <span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHBj8ZuJd_O6BlqSvrUUlQAjVjGnybuJZPNiMeBpIYJIDkClT3fycrGNAWhxuqa5KO30qNuFsFRx544RDP0Rhd3_cSm4FwQwFP82QfVle8JDrGDtzVRCg2IWjBfmACxGdCiiQw_bBnfk/s933/Picture7.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="933" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHBj8ZuJd_O6BlqSvrUUlQAjVjGnybuJZPNiMeBpIYJIDkClT3fycrGNAWhxuqa5KO30qNuFsFRx544RDP0Rhd3_cSm4FwQwFP82QfVle8JDrGDtzVRCg2IWjBfmACxGdCiiQw_bBnfk/s320/Picture7.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">One such group he’s been investigating is the illusive Thorne Cult, who are a little more subtle in their approach with seasonal sacrifices, but still very disturbed. Basically, they have their own personal masked executioner who they send out on Halloween night, and in a surprise twist … it’s the second masked killer I created for Rob Zombies ninth film … the one I called Dan Carvey, or The Ghoul for short. While the Ghoul is serving the Thorn cult well, they know he's unpredictable, and can’t live forever. Thus, they aim to plant the seeds of a new evil descendent to carry on after him, and one they'd control from the ground-up. Their target comes in the form of none other than Michael Myers grown-up niece Jamie, who’s played again by Danielle Harris. After finally awakening from her coma in my previous tenth film, she’s at long last concurred her inner demons, is married, is with child, and is finally meeting Laurie Strode for the first time. This will mark a special case in which both the franchise’s female leads are together on screen for the first time.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin363dNy3Psrspk1g5leIV41tqmRz2G1Yp6CYb4ZP1G1ky9wtoIOyGLJQvGOHQynUZ9ZfqfplJqHIZg6-e-wuywrGPLIsu8nZpz8P2ZmEDJqarN-S16fK2F3t8SPHAnWZ-q2RdHmSakyo/s506/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin363dNy3Psrspk1g5leIV41tqmRz2G1Yp6CYb4ZP1G1ky9wtoIOyGLJQvGOHQynUZ9ZfqfplJqHIZg6-e-wuywrGPLIsu8nZpz8P2ZmEDJqarN-S16fK2F3t8SPHAnWZ-q2RdHmSakyo/s320/Picture6.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Meanwhile, the Thorn cult believe Jamie’s figurative family curse may still linger on her child, and thus, they send their mask fiend to kidnap her, and ensure that she gives birth in their secret inner circle. Laurie soon after teams up with Dr. Daniel Challis, which will be another exciting meeting between two different aged hero characters in this franchise. The two naturally set-out on Halloween to rescue Jamie, come face to face with the latest masked killer, and hopefully bring an end to the Thorn Cults rain of terror. In the end, Jamie goes through with the birth, and while she promises to raise the child well, the question still remains … will the child be good, or has a new evil seed been planted? That would be a fitting way to close the franchise, and all that remains is the title … how about … <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 22.8267px;">“<span style="color: #c45911; mso-themecolor: accent2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Halloween</span> 13: <span style="color: #674ea7;">The Night Evil Dies</span>”</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Few” … that was a fun project. Again, if you’re a fan of the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Halloween</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” franchise as it already is, then keep enjoying it, and have a good time with further sequels down the line. As for me, I still wish this series followed my anthology layout, as I still feel a series baring the name of the holiday could have so much more variety to offer then one continuously repeated formula.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNzd0_YZflYEC6-sVQ-UJvb6Ua8uJVBkYHbRxB3KeOhAQhD6IN0c97MXBuSwucO5IKqWVSbKbuLzf6HC0hy3eI3DYkuk6HPyMosjQj5XTljtFEMy-4iLSZq-LA72kQwYqzUHyZlOOUbk/s1300/xzcweql.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1300" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNzd0_YZflYEC6-sVQ-UJvb6Ua8uJVBkYHbRxB3KeOhAQhD6IN0c97MXBuSwucO5IKqWVSbKbuLzf6HC0hy3eI3DYkuk6HPyMosjQj5XTljtFEMy-4iLSZq-LA72kQwYqzUHyZlOOUbk/w305-h153/xzcweql.jpg" width="305" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKB08x6mNcD-DgnigdPx-7nbJ-hAJpv_AmujaxyJehtQSpzSDerAHlMcB0OFhXYT59Z92fr95OvOlI6dnebGnQxtsmR-oHqa8F7j6Z86wAagNvbtB64x6aIZEDOwJlp0jzqa4XW8XpZc/s280/xczdsaqwe.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="280" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKB08x6mNcD-DgnigdPx-7nbJ-hAJpv_AmujaxyJehtQSpzSDerAHlMcB0OFhXYT59Z92fr95OvOlI6dnebGnQxtsmR-oHqa8F7j6Z86wAagNvbtB64x6aIZEDOwJlp0jzqa4XW8XpZc/w200-h152/xczdsaqwe.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Either way, October has come again … and let’s make every day of the month feel like Halloween.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">All additional Movie images not from the "<b>Halloween</b>" Franchise were from </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Trick r' Treat</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" (2007), "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Oz the Great and Powerful</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" (2013), "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Oz on Ice</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" (1996), "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Wizard of Oz</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" (1939), </span>"<b>Cemetery Man</b>" (1994), "<b>The Frightners</b>" (1996), "<b>Se7en</b>" (1995), <span style="font-size: 16px;">"</span><b style="font-size: 16px;">[Rec.]</b><span style="font-size: 16px;">" (2007), "<b>Hocus Pocus</b>" (1993), "<b>The Phantom of the Opera</b>" (1925), </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">"<b>L</b></span><b>abyrinth</b>" (1986), and "<b>Red Riding Hood</b>" (2011).<span style="font-size: 16px;"> <br /></span></p></div></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-48827532512776314712023-09-24T17:43:00.040-07:002023-09-24T21:49:38.639-07:00My Top 10 Sean Connery Films <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5x6LFo2rdFoRGh11mTrNm09tsuym0VBLy0BJhXRbRLIxH-Eu2kyAsXqLfSh5gw2jT6x40X2KpTcr16PkuJHYMoBpFVKQXLxsCJWC4UTM69T0Vh3AARIMnU9CR6H6tbUWVCg4Vrcec9CjPjc7TDykQ3jglfjhu97XIYGB1hJu6Sx3W-4eFTMUw-1dooFI/s720/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="657" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5x6LFo2rdFoRGh11mTrNm09tsuym0VBLy0BJhXRbRLIxH-Eu2kyAsXqLfSh5gw2jT6x40X2KpTcr16PkuJHYMoBpFVKQXLxsCJWC4UTM69T0Vh3AARIMnU9CR6H6tbUWVCg4Vrcec9CjPjc7TDykQ3jglfjhu97XIYGB1hJu6Sx3W-4eFTMUw-1dooFI/w176-h193/Picture2.jpg" width="176" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtR-TYH310SWv7IvD17p-BQ-IFZcbOQLJbk4oPmUNVR4v1JTHS2a_SACIram5Do6QUc-tLVFBZwXVWxFHp8IJFW1eB8iF5l2M1iTNp5OAXkrvm64P-il0i3DzLUwQgbpwapTdT6SnYZUEa6PXBYbJexWCm3wiQnis8N33SQtGnxacoKm_vpf9kJFH4dk/s1280/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtR-TYH310SWv7IvD17p-BQ-IFZcbOQLJbk4oPmUNVR4v1JTHS2a_SACIram5Do6QUc-tLVFBZwXVWxFHp8IJFW1eB8iF5l2M1iTNp5OAXkrvm64P-il0i3DzLUwQgbpwapTdT6SnYZUEa6PXBYbJexWCm3wiQnis8N33SQtGnxacoKm_vpf9kJFH4dk/w307-h192/Picture1.jpg" width="307" /></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good old Sean Connery … the Scottish actor
charmed audiences as the first theatrical portrayal of James Bond, and for
decades after, he continued to charm audiences with his distinct personality and
screen appeal. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMH7hYu90eSsHZb16WNrsL0Iksoo88RHVE2VQD5UOs5mWtpbGvp6u2xkL5nW_3fxrvj5o9donNIePIOlLYsuIcJ1O0Iq7ti5E5xN4fSIlHM5tLgTIcqVNoXTUX5wmwsk4McNlI34gKDvoa1JntoO5N_KdxeXy2WbDsikKA0xMaV7VD6p9SpFResr9dJY/s680/Picture3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMH7hYu90eSsHZb16WNrsL0Iksoo88RHVE2VQD5UOs5mWtpbGvp6u2xkL5nW_3fxrvj5o9donNIePIOlLYsuIcJ1O0Iq7ti5E5xN4fSIlHM5tLgTIcqVNoXTUX5wmwsk4McNlI34gKDvoa1JntoO5N_KdxeXy2WbDsikKA0xMaV7VD6p9SpFResr9dJY/w147-h200/Picture3.jpg" width="147" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For me, Sean Connery was one of the first actors I knew by name
when I was a kid, and while he had range in playing different characters, he
always had this distinct charm and screen presence that was all his own. I also
have fond memories watching Sean Connery films with my dad, making him one of the few actors he and I bonded over. Thus, ever sense the tragic passing of Sean
Connery back in 2020, I felt I was finally ready to pay some tribute to the
late talent. While I’m not trying to make any official best of Sean Connery
film list, I do still want to count down my own personal Top 10 favorite Sean
Connery pictures.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 “<b>The
Man Who Would be King</b>” (1975) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgSrN6AugD9khWiZsyQrOSeoUUzRmp7PFr9wzqixeSAqYLrxuODzmEl3aCLKHocyv3OVHVrVwyVjCrm2-qMIqrr1TTjbGP--sDbKBmnvrwhkDJ97rdlLjMaLaLR0MLF61BQ_kMdBzRd4okZGSouc-bVXEUonW8kmZDfp5xu0eSE_g7pkYabjvhD-i_sA/s898/vngf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="898" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgSrN6AugD9khWiZsyQrOSeoUUzRmp7PFr9wzqixeSAqYLrxuODzmEl3aCLKHocyv3OVHVrVwyVjCrm2-qMIqrr1TTjbGP--sDbKBmnvrwhkDJ97rdlLjMaLaLR0MLF61BQ_kMdBzRd4okZGSouc-bVXEUonW8kmZDfp5xu0eSE_g7pkYabjvhD-i_sA/w259-h203/vngf.jpg" width="259" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAFOfMmXP7lp3ezMa5Oq2GRDmkDqPVODhdbpVRQIH6Qt53cgR0rIJE2GrRPAjrqzJ97yOG4_JQeN-N32iPM8frJMkwhXyeQHB5-FRQHDAU6EV3JPszEt0uRMIdYbOV1y1YoF7wrUeiBDaAl5iz_wXeRcf_8Y4D6ceUhMKdi6wpJeOI8EtTEuck-rzEpo/s600/rder.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAFOfMmXP7lp3ezMa5Oq2GRDmkDqPVODhdbpVRQIH6Qt53cgR0rIJE2GrRPAjrqzJ97yOG4_JQeN-N32iPM8frJMkwhXyeQHB5-FRQHDAU6EV3JPszEt0uRMIdYbOV1y1YoF7wrUeiBDaAl5iz_wXeRcf_8Y4D6ceUhMKdi6wpJeOI8EtTEuck-rzEpo/w226-h202/rder.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8qsVbP4fYNMOamxb2MdMclN0EOshbOdOlLGFV65oo8-pItlgWB-HiBVh85T6Zr5Cf6Rny9UTMIHeJQxH3z7JCw7DabxZAlv5AgX7Hr5-xKFULUxWAmw0BBTvKEj5nBUFkL7wQwFXGIg2LRUgB8fwOUGC9LdRGrghi4sn1dWa2cfmP8VTYFoy2XutCos/s426/Picture13.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8qsVbP4fYNMOamxb2MdMclN0EOshbOdOlLGFV65oo8-pItlgWB-HiBVh85T6Zr5Cf6Rny9UTMIHeJQxH3z7JCw7DabxZAlv5AgX7Hr5-xKFULUxWAmw0BBTvKEj5nBUFkL7wQwFXGIg2LRUgB8fwOUGC9LdRGrghi4sn1dWa2cfmP8VTYFoy2XutCos/w278-h400/Picture13.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Based on the Novel by Rudyard Kipling, this
film follows Sean Connery and Michael Caine as two rouge ex-soldiers, who
set-off for adventure in India. The pair land in Kafiristan, in which Connery’s character ... Daniel Dravot ... is mistaken for a God, and made King of the Land. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This film
stands as one of Connery’s most critically acclaimed films, and is often cited
as a classic of the Adventure genera, and for me … I’ve always wondered if it
was an influence on one of my childhood favorite animated pictures “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Road
to El Dorado</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. Writer and Director John Huston was a long time fan of the
original Kipling novel, sense he read it as a kid, and for years, this movie was a big passion project of his. It’s always a treat to see an artist bring one of
his favorite stories to life. Sean Connery and Michael Caine make for a great
pair of friends, and by extent, both actors have claimed </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">this film as their
favorite movie they’ve worked on.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>#9 “<b>Darby O’Gill and the Little People</b>”
(1959) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJtJUazxdhHGUYPyHDWuHcNQZYYSfP9nc2vw0N-wiosTKZa9lO3mYTh3vbJ3xzbbYmyvqffdPl3TbhPImv_9zVnf-wk1WVZJLPNC4bFNFBdppEU9EJq6srzO2z0MTWnJ5wT-B47VCCKH4qchaC4ZGRCLqgxJgvYYKoIYUB6q3u3Ow4t9OYp62bn32N9g/s400/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJtJUazxdhHGUYPyHDWuHcNQZYYSfP9nc2vw0N-wiosTKZa9lO3mYTh3vbJ3xzbbYmyvqffdPl3TbhPImv_9zVnf-wk1WVZJLPNC4bFNFBdppEU9EJq6srzO2z0MTWnJ5wT-B47VCCKH4qchaC4ZGRCLqgxJgvYYKoIYUB6q3u3Ow4t9OYp62bn32N9g/w259-h172/2.jpg" width="259" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFfS0knYdlgbewMnlk_xoCNPX8uRmV8Fm7ORaA8p_uw6UHHOSLbysfwkR65d0g7a5U1Mk-q9pKc1ztCqZJIYf4POPO09-LKpy8bX1bseDV9BwY1ZSpzzq559QMf3Sx00S5fmGHfNrE2sC8EAHVs_PwqmTeUB3qOc52b25ulPu8M4dInxA6Gv5NCm67Mw/s625/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="625" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFfS0knYdlgbewMnlk_xoCNPX8uRmV8Fm7ORaA8p_uw6UHHOSLbysfwkR65d0g7a5U1Mk-q9pKc1ztCqZJIYf4POPO09-LKpy8bX1bseDV9BwY1ZSpzzq559QMf3Sx00S5fmGHfNrE2sC8EAHVs_PwqmTeUB3qOc52b25ulPu8M4dInxA6Gv5NCm67Mw/w232-h172/Picture5.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Walt Disney’s “<b>Darby O'Gill and the Little People</b>” revolves
around a gardener named Darby, who meets with a clan of Leprechauns, and forms
a friendship with their King Brian.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjInBjupOjQ7QPKA7GYfP0Dt2K19sVSMwSmoktJU3QRT4tFLda3ixBmNNgnPKoh6EfI7yfV7dGJlH3sRCM8-TmhAklVg4XLop3jaqdmoO2ExmrtuHqUrEq11KmgJ15EqCXTOvjVHrOzAeyj5W3h0J4TlgBsPpiKQNqPBpUBnZpitmOuIcPlGjsRtV_14/s500/Picture14.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="349" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjInBjupOjQ7QPKA7GYfP0Dt2K19sVSMwSmoktJU3QRT4tFLda3ixBmNNgnPKoh6EfI7yfV7dGJlH3sRCM8-TmhAklVg4XLop3jaqdmoO2ExmrtuHqUrEq11KmgJ15EqCXTOvjVHrOzAeyj5W3h0J4TlgBsPpiKQNqPBpUBnZpitmOuIcPlGjsRtV_14/w279-h400/Picture14.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">Despite their mutual friendship, the two try to outsmart one another to claim a magical pot of gold. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This marked one of Sean Connery’s very first movies, before his most recognizable role as James Bond, and even though it’s a supporting role, he’s still plenty charming on screen. In general, this is personally one of my favorite movies to watch
around St. Patricks Day, as it’s a very simple experience, and the individual
highlights are just too good to pass-up on. We have an underground world full
of Leprechauns, goofy magical mayhem, a frightening Banshee that haunts our
main heroes, and all kinds of charming little adventures that take place in the
beautiful Irish country side. The effects for the time are incredible
spectacles, there’s some upbeat musical numbers, the characters are likable,
the atmosphere is heavy, and it never fails to put me in a happy mood to
celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#8 “<b>First
Knight</b>” (1995) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUA0EwvAlYR15QEC062YrcthMOMXrMb0NDmhEGfCXaa5ClLs18DRmrWE23iM1XGvb5wkGH6Ejo5FQjdV0mZ7Susw3XWANqVe79w5i4HeLdgEIP_abOnYRh7CdISV6ec37doXxBw56ns3KZsfKrtBsbtAkrCM5efQNiAKi0cQn1eeXw0a7FMp5PYr_RvY/s1524/sewe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1524" data-original-width="1016" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUA0EwvAlYR15QEC062YrcthMOMXrMb0NDmhEGfCXaa5ClLs18DRmrWE23iM1XGvb5wkGH6Ejo5FQjdV0mZ7Susw3XWANqVe79w5i4HeLdgEIP_abOnYRh7CdISV6ec37doXxBw56ns3KZsfKrtBsbtAkrCM5efQNiAKi0cQn1eeXw0a7FMp5PYr_RvY/w137-h206/sewe.jpg" width="137" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9exBzYarvhk9uc2bQYlAjCKqpKUts1f4yVVDWZJSiupKGSwQWMA6xX3mNoAKRNYXt7MIibMX81msnzMy2WJYGzhQTgTODzrtxHCkbi8ovxyN98eq6E4gVOjhqv8zBKyH0OA7IvWHZZpbboBDpIqG6ZGifLjUm1T-PEagokMjbBgRyUC5JIqj3Qfb-lP0/s1280/Picture6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1280" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9exBzYarvhk9uc2bQYlAjCKqpKUts1f4yVVDWZJSiupKGSwQWMA6xX3mNoAKRNYXt7MIibMX81msnzMy2WJYGzhQTgTODzrtxHCkbi8ovxyN98eq6E4gVOjhqv8zBKyH0OA7IvWHZZpbboBDpIqG6ZGifLjUm1T-PEagokMjbBgRyUC5JIqj3Qfb-lP0/w337-h204/Picture6.jpg" width="337" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In this Medieval adventure, Sean Conry plays King Arthur
of Camelot, who’s wagging war against his former brother in arms, the Prince
Malagant. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBiliTwUk17Od3Xz2qyAH79_nLumIHNrnaBnL24eKJQpxUfnPO6IhNbIs4g7wPpIEaH_WSyZzhgudxFfKkGthCY2c7LEO7YcWY9xfxT_YFKaPDHLZWz-VGn5uHKFqS3h_qBo3U2RI3eaj5Bfwd2UKrqpj1IlIt6XewTd36RUU1JsBxOOH6YDxJshwOZY/s626/uyiy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="420" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBiliTwUk17Od3Xz2qyAH79_nLumIHNrnaBnL24eKJQpxUfnPO6IhNbIs4g7wPpIEaH_WSyZzhgudxFfKkGthCY2c7LEO7YcWY9xfxT_YFKaPDHLZWz-VGn5uHKFqS3h_qBo3U2RI3eaj5Bfwd2UKrqpj1IlIt6XewTd36RUU1JsBxOOH6YDxJshwOZY/w269-h400/uyiy.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Amidst the fighting, he also pursues a marriage with Lady Guinevere
of Leonesse, only to discover that she’s already being pursued by the rouge
swordsman Lancelot … who will either bring honor to Camelot, or betray the King
for his love of the Queen. Right along with other 90’s films in the vein of
1991’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (which also featured Sean Conry
as a King), “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">First Knight</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” admittedly isn’t perfect, but it’s comfort
food, and one that I easily enjoy for what it is. For me, there’s something to
savor in seeing Sean Conry’s devoted portrayal of the famous King Arthur. Julia
Ormand likewise conveys a comforting screen presence as Lady Guinevere, and even
though there’s a substantial age difference between the two, I still feel
chemistry between the two actors. While again, not one of the all-time great
Medieval adventures, it’s still an entertaining watch, and one of Conry’s
better roles of the 90’s. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#7 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">You
Only Live Twice</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (1967) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_XV8CRqnn0t6swfz3gvFOa-KnzKz9Bd8LiNHStTcOjWInV6AIEkubWLIOe82mVbos5B3it7vOuQaOBOiQa8Ju1GJPVhvfSlP8dVVgr7CC2mzny_CcLJbxl_S7VozAOx2_wFua-2UvGL8rieHBqlDoI9swwF1LPUuGMofnUi-DL8CqcHmNjRnfYNzODg/s460/vcds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="460" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_XV8CRqnn0t6swfz3gvFOa-KnzKz9Bd8LiNHStTcOjWInV6AIEkubWLIOe82mVbos5B3it7vOuQaOBOiQa8Ju1GJPVhvfSlP8dVVgr7CC2mzny_CcLJbxl_S7VozAOx2_wFua-2UvGL8rieHBqlDoI9swwF1LPUuGMofnUi-DL8CqcHmNjRnfYNzODg/w220-h202/vcds.jpg" width="220" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUF_gMHR8IItZhwlqcB5GtZyKlHKi9ZQijgSb1RbEfrUyOV6TgZNasKFNMfglayrl8VF5M_nrp2vDVVjf0eZhzKazf6R-Cx9a_PTeJ6kkyF8H0vMl1z90Q1TeyA7edkroiDZtVJ8mwC7t3t0Skk-HePjQRmBTjv9SFLT2Ewa6RBILxlKrYmbSE37cKuFc/s736/Picture15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="736" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUF_gMHR8IItZhwlqcB5GtZyKlHKi9ZQijgSb1RbEfrUyOV6TgZNasKFNMfglayrl8VF5M_nrp2vDVVjf0eZhzKazf6R-Cx9a_PTeJ6kkyF8H0vMl1z90Q1TeyA7edkroiDZtVJ8mwC7t3t0Skk-HePjQRmBTjv9SFLT2Ewa6RBILxlKrYmbSE37cKuFc/w272-h203/Picture15.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">James Bonds most elusive enemy SPECTRE is up to no good again, and is secretly plotting in Japan.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnR_jFHNA7vK1dE3kmQ0iaPYjvytTt5-PZm-M4SIdD3iAkh6rk7BuXwHru_iZEXZnBeaAsGwlTLevrv_zTtyWx0ZleFWrWBJOJuxrExRnEK-zIAZR7aOf1bnzj_7ACA-BHWECDGPO6WESglbbtBU-9y86TPCeOTMz621dvYjNfCbM95uRDI0Ole_yHTQ/s426/Picture9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="297" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnR_jFHNA7vK1dE3kmQ0iaPYjvytTt5-PZm-M4SIdD3iAkh6rk7BuXwHru_iZEXZnBeaAsGwlTLevrv_zTtyWx0ZleFWrWBJOJuxrExRnEK-zIAZR7aOf1bnzj_7ACA-BHWECDGPO6WESglbbtBU-9y86TPCeOTMz621dvYjNfCbM95uRDI0Ole_yHTQ/w279-h400/Picture9.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now Bond must go undercover, and
find out what his arch nemeses Blofeld is planning. To make sure his deception
is full proof, he fakes his own death to throw off his enemies. This is personally
one of my all-time favorites of Sean Connery’s classic Bond films, as it’s fast
paced, the effects are quite impressive for the time, and it put Bond face to
face with one of his most iconic villains. Blofeld had been present in previous
Bond films, but he was always in the shadows, and identified only by his
signature pet cat. This was the movie that changed the game by putting him in
the spot-light, and in my view, no-one tops Donald Pleasence in the role. I
especially love the films setting of Japan, because it provides the movie with
beautiful locations, armies of ninjas that will follow 007 into the most
bombastic of fire fights, and there’s no shortage of appealing Asian girls …
just ignore that one controversial moment with Connery disguised as an Asian,
and it’s still a solid film.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b>Highlander</b>”
(1986) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJjVZFPYW_70nHMNrjlmIluEcHhmyCoCDH604rL5n5kAMygjEs1XyiWAL8hc0r_Oi5_CfyhGghV-8eY0Nvy_j_ww6hjZOSDSaooYvkXDiAFPoFkZkoVBnJBiGc30hyTZuWwYu-RU7ggKAGvrGguMEXWfaPIwv85xsmUXzvOL52iQXdcdXbcHDya0iRJ0/s1275/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1275" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJjVZFPYW_70nHMNrjlmIluEcHhmyCoCDH604rL5n5kAMygjEs1XyiWAL8hc0r_Oi5_CfyhGghV-8eY0Nvy_j_ww6hjZOSDSaooYvkXDiAFPoFkZkoVBnJBiGc30hyTZuWwYu-RU7ggKAGvrGguMEXWfaPIwv85xsmUXzvOL52iQXdcdXbcHDya0iRJ0/w307-h207/Picture7.jpg" width="307" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlHKgKSdlMkyIN7rvp97a9Ajvo-XOMPbEOdY_Zx05Qz7LTlsbCH_fy72zav7LeZQgDfepWXLDe4zxqeHx2D5rl2SqQ2tHdsjV-Si6JS7EiDJUkaXyiivLk7h-IfWUHtroU-dm7_K1qKBxsdF-4PSV-czdvgsxottrQvROWgdOFTPGJO-snvKdMV5DkJU/s2504/yr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2504" data-original-width="1658" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlHKgKSdlMkyIN7rvp97a9Ajvo-XOMPbEOdY_Zx05Qz7LTlsbCH_fy72zav7LeZQgDfepWXLDe4zxqeHx2D5rl2SqQ2tHdsjV-Si6JS7EiDJUkaXyiivLk7h-IfWUHtroU-dm7_K1qKBxsdF-4PSV-czdvgsxottrQvROWgdOFTPGJO-snvKdMV5DkJU/w137-h207/yr.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3yW2A_WUbiMgPSI6BQSCvYPtqtrohzXMQW7afqdhZlG1lQSRNNCZdLdeax7ssFbant7rhmLYXRTbZMdqhTWB23td4nMwxzz3f6gB7Rk8U7xiSju-ryLJCKRUvaruUJ88DA6Hsan6-8JrKf3uRx6vQpe-_6TyKEluq30P04UZqTYEIPLYIWvg_6nGDlc/s655/Picture8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="474" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3yW2A_WUbiMgPSI6BQSCvYPtqtrohzXMQW7afqdhZlG1lQSRNNCZdLdeax7ssFbant7rhmLYXRTbZMdqhTWB23td4nMwxzz3f6gB7Rk8U7xiSju-ryLJCKRUvaruUJ88DA6Hsan6-8JrKf3uRx6vQpe-_6TyKEluq30P04UZqTYEIPLYIWvg_6nGDlc/w290-h400/Picture8.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s the cult favorite fantasy action picture in-which sword fighting
immortals duel through-out the ages for supremacy, and the title of champion.
Sean Connery plays Ramirez, the trainer of the young Swordsman named Connor
MacLeod, of the Scottish Highlands, who’s destined to slay the evil Kurgan, and
be the last in a line of immortal fighters. Despite being a smaller supporting
role, Ramirez stands as one of Connery’s most memorable characters, and aside
from James Bond, is the only character he’d ever reprise in a sequel. More then
anything, it’s his on-screen chemistry wit his student, played by Christopher
Lambert, that really makes this one stand-out. The film overall is one of those
cheesy action films, that somehow has a charm and appeal all its own, with a
unique premise, sensational music, and a memorable cast that makes the whole
film worthwhile. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b>The
Untouchables</b>” (1987) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhiocRA4mxCZfztnYas3plcdxoKoyk2GZAv8Q3yIMQ6pbhhWQuEOxswSjwOFD5Uimr7U3ozTmGTRO-cjaAQgqYsWcUpt1rby-phDBPQnEhPrSOlicLBBlB9p-NYMTzG1detd1IvmuZX3XDC4XbMcJjyrqSysvF2uRj8RkciY5-MSBB_5qA7oveV9eKyw/s1080/Picture10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhiocRA4mxCZfztnYas3plcdxoKoyk2GZAv8Q3yIMQ6pbhhWQuEOxswSjwOFD5Uimr7U3ozTmGTRO-cjaAQgqYsWcUpt1rby-phDBPQnEhPrSOlicLBBlB9p-NYMTzG1detd1IvmuZX3XDC4XbMcJjyrqSysvF2uRj8RkciY5-MSBB_5qA7oveV9eKyw/w242-h166/Picture10.jpg" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VKCtDYnFbLx2Ke9KVDgoyEIGLK02FTE20JlAOyL-XOPeqSqwKqFy37sMzFM1sOVC0loehbFXTavsypj3dRliv2RePJKJ5JBy2dS78RAE_aDGkLgaMSNWzPHb72sHcciIgEXR55k9iJ1CxWpPgUoR97V9HJNkLgdh7WxZ7jExpQnjNvkJlZ9U19QsiPw/s5377/vbnte.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="5377" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VKCtDYnFbLx2Ke9KVDgoyEIGLK02FTE20JlAOyL-XOPeqSqwKqFy37sMzFM1sOVC0loehbFXTavsypj3dRliv2RePJKJ5JBy2dS78RAE_aDGkLgaMSNWzPHb72sHcciIgEXR55k9iJ1CxWpPgUoR97V9HJNkLgdh7WxZ7jExpQnjNvkJlZ9U19QsiPw/w248-h166/vbnte.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJE2nsP8moYrLyUvGNbBhSSS-rxkDEozfex54SWTezCtWHji38IATVIoExkEb-1m70sho7FLkWTDFU3BKvT293RViL8vTTyOhPjSiRvlCQTz5gYbBAM0kzPSByFjLQop12l7wqoaBVvu7OwyUNUCOqrRLkUge3XmzGDfQZ6pDcOc5lAvSLhVW4z_uvVA/s393/rtf.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJE2nsP8moYrLyUvGNbBhSSS-rxkDEozfex54SWTezCtWHji38IATVIoExkEb-1m70sho7FLkWTDFU3BKvT293RViL8vTTyOhPjSiRvlCQTz5gYbBAM0kzPSByFjLQop12l7wqoaBVvu7OwyUNUCOqrRLkUge3XmzGDfQZ6pDcOc5lAvSLhVW4z_uvVA/w259-h400/rtf.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s 1930’s Chicago, and Al Capone rules an empire
of Crime with an iron fist. Special Agent Eliot Ness, played by Kevin Costner, is determined to bring him down, and with the aid of the Irish-American cop
Jimmy Malone, played by Sean Connery, he might just have the winning edge over
the nefarious Kingpin. Again, it’s another supporting role for Connery, but a
stand-out role in his filmography, as it marked the actors only Oscar Win.
Aside from that, this is simply one of the all-time gangster classics of the
genera, and I would highly recommended on its own merits … but with that said,
Connery’s presence certainly elevates the quality of the experience. It's got the iconic scenes, </span>suspenseful<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> encounters, and an all-star cast, with Sean Connery's Oscar winning performance stealing the show.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b>The
Wind and the Lion</b>” (1975) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc2m_gESJg-YaD55nbBn7Oe4iTp-5tuISxe6xPKT2U_EiiiSeNYTHbWaqMeTOu4gqkTjiM7SGqwZuqg8vAA6QcxpRLliL4hQXCt3aCVao-EWWJLKf9pRKQLfWOir5I256MR8UGLOqHZT-ZXd6zRzONoXLxR4vgq0slmLsXpU6CvWowrjKe9EweWU77Lo/s400/Picture16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="400" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc2m_gESJg-YaD55nbBn7Oe4iTp-5tuISxe6xPKT2U_EiiiSeNYTHbWaqMeTOu4gqkTjiM7SGqwZuqg8vAA6QcxpRLliL4hQXCt3aCVao-EWWJLKf9pRKQLfWOir5I256MR8UGLOqHZT-ZXd6zRzONoXLxR4vgq0slmLsXpU6CvWowrjKe9EweWU77Lo/w265-h162/Picture16.jpg" width="265" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0KCNp83jwu8LQfpW-GNy_AKZw8vS14dVOVgUhpFOhZcOCIKZO0vKGmhp7hHroEDvlCxssrJcRY-qVAeyCNHFLP2Vi8XJhCY9dFVDFngiYih0EhpRRvT8i2pHfpO4C6jrcrmM_64GjWL5Yd9jZYFZ2rZHxWHnLRe0qn1i-FUhk6Vf15EHMPTKkIK3u7E/s606/rtgedrh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="606" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0KCNp83jwu8LQfpW-GNy_AKZw8vS14dVOVgUhpFOhZcOCIKZO0vKGmhp7hHroEDvlCxssrJcRY-qVAeyCNHFLP2Vi8XJhCY9dFVDFngiYih0EhpRRvT8i2pHfpO4C6jrcrmM_64GjWL5Yd9jZYFZ2rZHxWHnLRe0qn1i-FUhk6Vf15EHMPTKkIK3u7E/w238-h162/rtgedrh.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8LLgcngAFk6iCG1VOmyQpbsvJVO_b6ySYoAm8-qLx39DxeT6GFG5vyDrz82_U16iB93kBHi5Ugw3RuWjTXTvzCyXNykSGRff1c_iUfaLAuKWO6oXl0DIS7X_EJka5c_e4kI7IdIESYWW2ykesJ0om_AEC5rZEYjZv9UpxoZGB5l2QUmCe2iuBk5d7CI/s500/bnygku.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="354" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8LLgcngAFk6iCG1VOmyQpbsvJVO_b6ySYoAm8-qLx39DxeT6GFG5vyDrz82_U16iB93kBHi5Ugw3RuWjTXTvzCyXNykSGRff1c_iUfaLAuKWO6oXl0DIS7X_EJka5c_e4kI7IdIESYWW2ykesJ0om_AEC5rZEYjZv9UpxoZGB5l2QUmCe2iuBk5d7CI/w284-h400/bnygku.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In this Epic American Adventure picture, we see
President Roosevelt’s efforts in dealing with the kidnapping of American
citizen Eden Pedecaris, along with her two kids, by a band of Berber
insurrectionists, who are opposing the young Sultan of Morocco. Sean Connery
plays the Raisuli, who leads the band of rouges, and by extent forms a close
friendship with his captured American family. This was it, the movie experience
that introduced me to Sean Connery for the very first time, and it was also the
role that achieved him status as one of the most attractive actors of his time.
Despite being a fictionalized presentation of the historical story of 1904’s
Perdicaris Affair, I’ve always looked back fondly on this film as a genera
classic, and for me is one of Connery’s iconic roles. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b>Goldfinger</b>”
(1964) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrGqFj6KTgv80gKJ14AVpFlVDVNReRqOjKWgiRmYOquKN7p9WoGNSwLxhbqyrNKV7wJS9Gr6fp2AfnWY6GjAvxTmTOOl6e6ntH7_H5Fw-GQPqHbDyD8UXFUAPegVTRG1ruFFoiWhZqD0qq7Zg2w6Azk-ZTWg_W06wscvkILbKn5rTEp2rTxUbjcqAKOo/s1000/hjyuiy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrGqFj6KTgv80gKJ14AVpFlVDVNReRqOjKWgiRmYOquKN7p9WoGNSwLxhbqyrNKV7wJS9Gr6fp2AfnWY6GjAvxTmTOOl6e6ntH7_H5Fw-GQPqHbDyD8UXFUAPegVTRG1ruFFoiWhZqD0qq7Zg2w6Azk-ZTWg_W06wscvkILbKn5rTEp2rTxUbjcqAKOo/w268-h151/hjyuiy.jpg" width="268" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDLTDaBv0F4jzUWdRup0-1mvn_kanVzQo2Mk5oYxt988GpPoch0UM4jYxLCw6Gk5xD1j0Er_OCnjBWEJd6osk7Qbg591ymH6aACyiXPppSFN0rZis54ov4y3s7C3Sckp6qG5gKVeCt2NCTmHgIToah9rUL1VDZq_vsoy5sEPzME9mfzZEs48CaDyVoGk/s461/xczrwe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="461" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDLTDaBv0F4jzUWdRup0-1mvn_kanVzQo2Mk5oYxt988GpPoch0UM4jYxLCw6Gk5xD1j0Er_OCnjBWEJd6osk7Qbg591ymH6aACyiXPppSFN0rZis54ov4y3s7C3Sckp6qG5gKVeCt2NCTmHgIToah9rUL1VDZq_vsoy5sEPzME9mfzZEs48CaDyVoGk/w202-h151/xczrwe.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">People often associate Sean Connery as the absolute best actor to play
James Bond, and while I certainly wouldn’t call him my personal favorite, he is
unmistakably the most iconic. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFGV3OOIDBLCh569LBVMmVooiOCl78l9DKp4PrBy8KaVLYQXBwhAmkuy-TLNhLh-5i4911k-gTfTb56a0xsW_ZbONNGgucz_9DHBeIs7aoNG8qZZERN13X9AmnvPa4K6UscglwR-7r1nCBVweB7PZQ46dqv-iuQrJCeQp_d8XSnwCbfhc6Nf1Os6fLZY/s720/tyr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFGV3OOIDBLCh569LBVMmVooiOCl78l9DKp4PrBy8KaVLYQXBwhAmkuy-TLNhLh-5i4911k-gTfTb56a0xsW_ZbONNGgucz_9DHBeIs7aoNG8qZZERN13X9AmnvPa4K6UscglwR-7r1nCBVweB7PZQ46dqv-iuQrJCeQp_d8XSnwCbfhc6Nf1Os6fLZY/w260-h400/tyr.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No-one else is quiet as sly, witty and charming
as him. Admittedly, I always felt mixed on Sean Connery’s 007 film series
overall, as some still work, while others just feel a little dated for my
liking. This does not apply to his third film “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Goldfinger</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which I feel
absolutely deserves its status as one of the franchises greatest. This is “the classic” 007 movie that brought all of his famous
trademarks, and phrases to the screen. This is the one that exploited all of
his fancy gadgets, this is the one with the most memorable imagery (like the
naked gold girl on the bed), this is the film that Bound coined his famous line
“A Martini, Shaken, not stirred”, and this is the film with the all-around most
famous leading villain … as well as an equally memorable supporting villain.
Even though “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dr. No</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was the first Bond film, I feel that this one will
last as the classic of the genera.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b>The
Hunt for Red October</b>” (1990) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclC2sPYSnRuASRy2FdB1zxnGOHTLw2rmcusApX7-hqMp9EmDaohDgjaDrwY68GjClv0MK1xvK8y7q_HuSglmvaQsUUU-22HWpdiJE43zxbCKOnVbRiwujynNVzZSFD-39fXcqB8U2OeaBOL9-H7y2RlVOr7fY_ixXOwjoYEGEIA9v0iuE0syAnxewFpw/s1280/Picture11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclC2sPYSnRuASRy2FdB1zxnGOHTLw2rmcusApX7-hqMp9EmDaohDgjaDrwY68GjClv0MK1xvK8y7q_HuSglmvaQsUUU-22HWpdiJE43zxbCKOnVbRiwujynNVzZSFD-39fXcqB8U2OeaBOL9-H7y2RlVOr7fY_ixXOwjoYEGEIA9v0iuE0syAnxewFpw/w258-h155/Picture11.jpg" width="258" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiKdKiVN-xq_DCr1E3YZ0JwZJbR8U_z3R-En2sIhMPelAGoU5PqUnXKiSyzpXcpjDVQmWx2PXJs8TmEDqLcfZTikRNQAC-Ur58szm4IXYpwq7Zsnei1p04_E-ZD4paw1cTk6u6PtIpqGZoOZYk_p2KXGRVY6Q4KfRU5P5V0LCqNNzdEIRbN1gGjNCsnE/s4780/vbgfdh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3071" data-original-width="4780" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiKdKiVN-xq_DCr1E3YZ0JwZJbR8U_z3R-En2sIhMPelAGoU5PqUnXKiSyzpXcpjDVQmWx2PXJs8TmEDqLcfZTikRNQAC-Ur58szm4IXYpwq7Zsnei1p04_E-ZD4paw1cTk6u6PtIpqGZoOZYk_p2KXGRVY6Q4KfRU5P5V0LCqNNzdEIRbN1gGjNCsnE/w236-h156/vbgfdh.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLic3K2oYj9Hn_-LqL1u95osSJqQGfbv2ShPCQ6H_bt-sSUvAcTEvkt5NtcGCXtug6afGkL2Sje6Fz4l4jgdj2IZw0Ho6D-KarS0A9G_tuskGpfIH3GxBVFgrGZzmy9gjEnQqgF0s7VEmBB-RxOWMJoLBtIlDkkKgPCPvxjFVjs9-pnLUPFDKIYp4cI8/s720/Picture12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="475" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLic3K2oYj9Hn_-LqL1u95osSJqQGfbv2ShPCQ6H_bt-sSUvAcTEvkt5NtcGCXtug6afGkL2Sje6Fz4l4jgdj2IZw0Ho6D-KarS0A9G_tuskGpfIH3GxBVFgrGZzmy9gjEnQqgF0s7VEmBB-RxOWMJoLBtIlDkkKgPCPvxjFVjs9-pnLUPFDKIYp4cI8/w264-h400/Picture12.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Based on the Tom Clancy Novel of the same
name, Sean Connery plays a rouge Soviet Navel Captain named Marko Ramius, who
aims to defect to the United States, along with their most advanced ballistic
missile submarine. The catch is that, to avoid the Russians, he has to run
silent, which raises alarms for the Americans. Following a string of hit action
movies, director John McTiernan hit it out of the park again with this film, and personal, my favorite Cold-War thriller. The cast all-around is spectacular, with Sean
Connery front in center. While this wasn’t his last picture, I always viewed “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Hunt for Red October</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” as Connery’s magnum opus. If you ever wanted to see
the actor in his prime, and in one of his absolute best pictures … this is the
one to check-out.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I
reveal my Number One favorite Sean Connery picture, here are some quick
honorable mentions that just couldn’t fit on my list … <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Robin and Marian</b>” (1976)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7KvVAzQjJDSmpheyctJchkijLi6KKH-2zcJVlN0BxpmuPLAg5I34JYYp4W1bm1130VeBLcl-oFQsOdROZHNbvxZ3OQ33-lH__Ek8lbOzugbJ8nDapHhtAkb38a6A2GWOkYhgZbZuRI7rRhH9rvTfgRKcA_1wzAv62Mw30Cs7_rE2I80adrP_A0ydLew/s1420/ytut.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1420" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7KvVAzQjJDSmpheyctJchkijLi6KKH-2zcJVlN0BxpmuPLAg5I34JYYp4W1bm1130VeBLcl-oFQsOdROZHNbvxZ3OQ33-lH__Ek8lbOzugbJ8nDapHhtAkb38a6A2GWOkYhgZbZuRI7rRhH9rvTfgRKcA_1wzAv62Mw30Cs7_rE2I80adrP_A0ydLew/s320/ytut.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A Bridge
too Far</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (1977)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Shalako</b>”
(1968)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Dragon
Heart</b>” (1996)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Dimond’s
are Forever</b>” (1971)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#1 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (1989) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOftDmMk6IrAros5Mfpb7xrLhVSnDI8YS5H9yG-6eNN8KF61J02ofBLNyrQOkpKCmw4EHORSNBvIaCoMLyUhDvYCr3zc9rG6i0ykiMEcPTSZmYdXFUZls5vs4Mc3c1Tek3WRrXxypqL9vTC7SFSKy2V0ge1GESdeIJP8HqWWJtulGAospyRjExjPmcGaI/s971/bcvc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="640" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOftDmMk6IrAros5Mfpb7xrLhVSnDI8YS5H9yG-6eNN8KF61J02ofBLNyrQOkpKCmw4EHORSNBvIaCoMLyUhDvYCr3zc9rG6i0ykiMEcPTSZmYdXFUZls5vs4Mc3c1Tek3WRrXxypqL9vTC7SFSKy2V0ge1GESdeIJP8HqWWJtulGAospyRjExjPmcGaI/w146-h222/bcvc.jpg" width="146" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnoZ-Nci8X7WrwXcSHlq5Wf6S1mdQ25iCNd5Jg2fraAxgh850F1lkBOx7HLpoV5OV0Jva99A36EeInCa6WiAvDGvWokTpEVMj8De981mw5894LgdBtK-VGMZFzPpG-vsJO-XesrgjwnGbIX9g0joCcKrfy9K96tYldeYkm12nqtRgBoL2l7CJwYptm5oQ/s1200/bnyt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnoZ-Nci8X7WrwXcSHlq5Wf6S1mdQ25iCNd5Jg2fraAxgh850F1lkBOx7HLpoV5OV0Jva99A36EeInCa6WiAvDGvWokTpEVMj8De981mw5894LgdBtK-VGMZFzPpG-vsJO-XesrgjwnGbIX9g0joCcKrfy9K96tYldeYkm12nqtRgBoL2l7CJwYptm5oQ/w320-h221/bnyt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For Indiana’s third adventure, he
teams-up with his father on a quest to protect the Holly Grail from the German
Army. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC21DMF0uZmMgu8r-Zs-vKlDaWXoMRCcjGOZnkaQ6kTM16GfBFlpOPa2EZMAMMPf3KMmVSxp0PfjDdKKaq7iWCOJHFILSHtPxObEF66EIFU3BcIp6Ry4ZKAWp4cmf-s0jkzR3RbV5oZ3UXncf9Brqtuawi0C_F_0kNwlCGaglNA9pQUf_vLUjYai5innk/s672/tru.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="464" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC21DMF0uZmMgu8r-Zs-vKlDaWXoMRCcjGOZnkaQ6kTM16GfBFlpOPa2EZMAMMPf3KMmVSxp0PfjDdKKaq7iWCOJHFILSHtPxObEF66EIFU3BcIp6Ry4ZKAWp4cmf-s0jkzR3RbV5oZ3UXncf9Brqtuawi0C_F_0kNwlCGaglNA9pQUf_vLUjYai5innk/w276-h400/tru.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Harrison Ford already conveyed a larger-than-life presence in his
signature role as Indiana Jones … but pair him with Sean Connery in the role of
Indy’s dad, and it firkin breaks the sound barrier! These two have dynamite
chemistry, their personalities off-set each other beautifully, and it’s all
around a great on-screen father-son relationship. In their first seen, they
both bond over how giddy they both get when on the subject of uncovering lost
items, and I instantly feel the connection between the two. Of course, James
Bond was the main inspiration for Indiana Jones in the first place, so there’s
great novelty in seeing the original James Bond in the role of Indy’s dad. While
“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Wind and the Lion</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was the movie that introduced me to Connery, "<b>Last Crusade</b>" was the film that made me a long-time fan of the actor, and it still
stands as my personal favorite in his long line of memorable roles.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmxvarPOy5vpfA26tCumvvhjgaYfMVl6UkmcjUTQd5jxxm91_3RZXIk58UUu6utgrg3zTz9aopm9X7mkxb6WNhbVFzoDhULvOTm90VNDawMBfahxKqKatOqOv8TWSiZnVFqhwlVKHsHIHUOLpItGQUibqKvVZ9K2AsQYCPhwNo1TluhmS7v0RbKvrosY/s1050/bv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="1050" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmxvarPOy5vpfA26tCumvvhjgaYfMVl6UkmcjUTQd5jxxm91_3RZXIk58UUu6utgrg3zTz9aopm9X7mkxb6WNhbVFzoDhULvOTm90VNDawMBfahxKqKatOqOv8TWSiZnVFqhwlVKHsHIHUOLpItGQUibqKvVZ9K2AsQYCPhwNo1TluhmS7v0RbKvrosY/w400-h225/bv.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-55137915000295062812023-08-14T15:48:00.034-07:002024-02-29T21:53:27.861-08:00All Theatrical Ninja Turtles Movies Ranked <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9z6tVWJ7kTb6T3mKvTp6hdCazGHV0XBUVsDoMnuqI4-TrZJ1dlnbkvyCDvu0_CxWhh3tVIcxnonZwe1teR4EY39RX8Z1SXfQ6WUiMb78MuBpJ3FvJXJ_1rBp43KHvTbGF8cTPjFBf9wHWZ5HNlyI6cY0bKpHHsfKL9rwaxAKRV_Grz-UpXahRiD0cjk/s1200/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9z6tVWJ7kTb6T3mKvTp6hdCazGHV0XBUVsDoMnuqI4-TrZJ1dlnbkvyCDvu0_CxWhh3tVIcxnonZwe1teR4EY39RX8Z1SXfQ6WUiMb78MuBpJ3FvJXJ_1rBp43KHvTbGF8cTPjFBf9wHWZ5HNlyI6cY0bKpHHsfKL9rwaxAKRV_Grz-UpXahRiD0cjk/w251-h132/Picture2.jpg" width="251" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcN9bBRjsqvHGIwhwKeKBeoh-xQWr7Np7eoOTHHi5mRgskYtIVYMm0tdVfOGuefwm5nayEppzoIn-uW2ax8-Asuu1KfBiHDGJhIhZFd95gRvg___v_QHQ_PvggzhPtwhtoeqrm_dCIxl8T98ASeGVYPyukHC4ZtYn9nMJteYRhTU3FXBdYX7L87WWZEA/s300/uyoyo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcN9bBRjsqvHGIwhwKeKBeoh-xQWr7Np7eoOTHHi5mRgskYtIVYMm0tdVfOGuefwm5nayEppzoIn-uW2ax8-Asuu1KfBiHDGJhIhZFd95gRvg___v_QHQ_PvggzhPtwhtoeqrm_dCIxl8T98ASeGVYPyukHC4ZtYn9nMJteYRhTU3FXBdYX7L87WWZEA/w228-h134/uyoyo.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As far back
as I can remember, my childhood love of the comic-book and superhero genera
began with the Ninja Turtles. While I’ve never called myself a die-hard fan of
the series ... I still haven't seen a single episode of any TV show ... but with that said, I still collected the toys when I was a kid, I adored the first two
live-action 90’s movies, and I’ve been consistent with watching every new movie
that’s come out sense. They’re like a special group of old friends who
occasionally return to say “hay, remember us … lets go have some fun like back
in the old days”. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5nEBqkRFfPsljOw5HIA4BjoDwszY9ZDYsfG4_c6ae-_AsYhWkEYIDgeD8LrZfJkHij6vtC8SqfobcKAzZqfN5WObVevI-VfM3sJIJ6Bvwpm0a_IUsSeColE8X25tHiKIVgFVgNjO6kiNi2LX8FDk3UYv5gQoV-4FgxIdiwcPvK_usdoMHElVSPii2PU/s820/vbngf.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="820" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5nEBqkRFfPsljOw5HIA4BjoDwszY9ZDYsfG4_c6ae-_AsYhWkEYIDgeD8LrZfJkHij6vtC8SqfobcKAzZqfN5WObVevI-VfM3sJIJ6Bvwpm0a_IUsSeColE8X25tHiKIVgFVgNjO6kiNi2LX8FDk3UYv5gQoV-4FgxIdiwcPvK_usdoMHElVSPii2PU/s320/vbngf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As such, I feel I’m long overdue to stop and rank every
theatrical Ninja Turtle movie, based solely on my feelings, from my least
favorite, to absolute favorite. As a side note, I’ve seen many of the direct to
video Ninja Turtle Movies, including “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Turtles Forever</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Batman vs
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” … which I like more than most of the actual
films … but still, I want to keep this list consistent with their official,
theatrical productions.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">(Notice: I
still need to see “</span><b style="font-size: 16px;">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: </b><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Mutant Mayhem</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, but I will update this ranking once I
see it)</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b>Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles 3</b>” (1993)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGetHWbKhxecsVrNZmgP763RMD0zrCp_TSpZfvpKXWAHwUt_h1sR8xN2EPU1KuMQgmqlMJwtcea3VQFbjH_JMAPG35kv57XRuTX1Nol8fBDJM-XAJ3CEtidCGDQiF1PF9-nXUTzJuWU7mr1C_UP1nwn9_lyWqfBvzvlFLgGI1i_vgpsYlMmE-gi9z2yyo/s640/nbtr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGetHWbKhxecsVrNZmgP763RMD0zrCp_TSpZfvpKXWAHwUt_h1sR8xN2EPU1KuMQgmqlMJwtcea3VQFbjH_JMAPG35kv57XRuTX1Nol8fBDJM-XAJ3CEtidCGDQiF1PF9-nXUTzJuWU7mr1C_UP1nwn9_lyWqfBvzvlFLgGI1i_vgpsYlMmE-gi9z2yyo/w260-h146/nbtr.jpg" width="260" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r_eNy0e0WxbE4sQKIEMlWFji4XtHC03v5iuLepLNP4OtyYcp-rozQzvXalcjcmnkMB9IxZJl74AKc-e6icNsmh529MqxTqN_-n1wNIPzafOXAGEYKA1fSGUN03U7UZSsfMMjnHeBCfUm2I4zzkIPs3SAu5kqsUc9ZpoZmDloTnShGCOFLbR1nLfMoSo/s600/tgfc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r_eNy0e0WxbE4sQKIEMlWFji4XtHC03v5iuLepLNP4OtyYcp-rozQzvXalcjcmnkMB9IxZJl74AKc-e6icNsmh529MqxTqN_-n1wNIPzafOXAGEYKA1fSGUN03U7UZSsfMMjnHeBCfUm2I4zzkIPs3SAu5kqsUc9ZpoZmDloTnShGCOFLbR1nLfMoSo/w234-h145/tgfc.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Back when I was a kid in the 90’s, I owned the
first two live-action Ninja Turtles movies on VHS, and a re-watched them in my
house quiet frequently. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">However, for the longest time, I thought there were only those first two movies, and it honestly wasn’t until my high-school years that I discovered this third film, which is part of my original 90’s series.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-8631g_OppghG1d-3s658KxGg3wOPO7SPZyTI-EYKon4kKwFmQo3FkLSMBbDhrJULH8nsr9nz93NTma00GgqVi5Ps7U3Bd1qD7qSd0XZZTUWL5TC8BjczeLCq6nslZvyj2xPaDX0geW0mcTcYf00iFmCttMr57_muUGTyhhbfWUFdrN9DJB7EP_D27k/s1500/tfyryt.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-8631g_OppghG1d-3s658KxGg3wOPO7SPZyTI-EYKon4kKwFmQo3FkLSMBbDhrJULH8nsr9nz93NTma00GgqVi5Ps7U3Bd1qD7qSd0XZZTUWL5TC8BjczeLCq6nslZvyj2xPaDX0geW0mcTcYf00iFmCttMr57_muUGTyhhbfWUFdrN9DJB7EP_D27k/w266-h400/tfyryt.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was
surprised I missed this one, but I wasn’t disappointed either … as I got the
impression that I wouldn’t have liked this, even back in my childhood years.
Our heroes in a half-shell go back in time to Feudal Japan, and find themselves
protecting villagers from a wicked Samuri, and a nasty British Officer, who aim to colonize the locals. While the concept of the Ninja Turtles in a Samurai
venture isn’t a bad idea on paper … the execution just did everything wrong. It’s
very slow, not much action, the premise is one-note, it’s full of cringe gags, as
well as disposable foes, and features some distractingly awful puppet effects. There’s
a reason it continues to appear on lists of the worst comic-book movies … and
for the turtles … it was their lowest point by far.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b>Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles</b>” (2014) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIT-Keakvw1mgm1xRhNvuUMRuKaB2dWGA6T4tCTcYE8Q6a2IpkDzvL9ygrgQMCxVfti7wKFtbJPgSqnYjXmBA7jzI__Xye2Szkgp9Q6khdu7zDGjDby4Tv091QdbxkCOUpqEQpmcLzN-zI-1qyVx3WE7V0aoCmCiM5CooVokDwFY7zGwTyl0WAgoM9Pc/s800/bvf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIT-Keakvw1mgm1xRhNvuUMRuKaB2dWGA6T4tCTcYE8Q6a2IpkDzvL9ygrgQMCxVfti7wKFtbJPgSqnYjXmBA7jzI__Xye2Szkgp9Q6khdu7zDGjDby4Tv091QdbxkCOUpqEQpmcLzN-zI-1qyVx3WE7V0aoCmCiM5CooVokDwFY7zGwTyl0WAgoM9Pc/w272-h151/bvf.jpg" width="272" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7HR_yR3ManX1HGFoxLZdOqs1JXQTjdMMrIoTUX6ZQrVG7-gQ4kcLVIKkVjsQpJ_LfATSPLFhS7h2haDI45aFs4MgmRVY1DV3G4gpxWBnui5_aqbeavep7YV5rsrIVbEX9IUgKliFcQFO_dKXaTq0i4PJv7g3E7VIv-A0dzhJdgrwUQhU8z4PiWSyiMU/s478/vcfg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="478" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7HR_yR3ManX1HGFoxLZdOqs1JXQTjdMMrIoTUX6ZQrVG7-gQ4kcLVIKkVjsQpJ_LfATSPLFhS7h2haDI45aFs4MgmRVY1DV3G4gpxWBnui5_aqbeavep7YV5rsrIVbEX9IUgKliFcQFO_dKXaTq0i4PJv7g3E7VIv-A0dzhJdgrwUQhU8z4PiWSyiMU/w243-h151/vcfg.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After the resurgence of superhero movies in
the two-thousand-teens, it was time for the Ninja Turtles to return to live
action … with mixed results. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjutz6LOUg8ogoQhorJZsuJceaz8iHsDBpr_Did3k2jT1vJV_1Na5HN-xSdoSkMJ9eZFs0JKVVpEmAE5nXEQ8EiH7rFqgRCV_WZJ6aEH0nNnTJlXg5GfLVM0_8IabZo0uizLJqUY5I5GIA9CPUE5GQdawKffPWOy6GIy3C28pWyBYmv42w3J0GAVf8uc/s305/rtye.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="206" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjutz6LOUg8ogoQhorJZsuJceaz8iHsDBpr_Did3k2jT1vJV_1Na5HN-xSdoSkMJ9eZFs0JKVVpEmAE5nXEQ8EiH7rFqgRCV_WZJ6aEH0nNnTJlXg5GfLVM0_8IabZo0uizLJqUY5I5GIA9CPUE5GQdawKffPWOy6GIy3C28pWyBYmv42w3J0GAVf8uc/w270-h400/rtye.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In a decent change-up, TV reporter April O’ Neil is
the focus point of the film, as she reunites with four turtles that used to be
her childhood pets, and have sense been mutated into giant, crime fighting
heroes. Perfect timing, as their just what the city needs to face off against a
heavily armed group of terrorists, and their lethal robot leader … the </span><a name="_Hlk142735880" style="font-size: 12pt;">Shredder</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. While a perfectly watchable film, it’s not
too memorable an experience either, and has no real hold on me as something I
want to re-watch again. It's basically a bare-bone origin story that hits all the
check marks for setting-up a franchise, without much substance on its own. Along
with a disjointed script, it just makes this an “in one ear and out the other”
experience. With all that said, some well-placed set-pieces do make it somewhat worthwhile
for fans of these characters.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b>TMNT</b>”
(2007) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DEmxRDGC8UZsqxKand98qgHhC5bsehwia-PfsGVUSJJQsnTGHhzBknOpv8wPxbsc_GrW7kJv9SGvmFa8UAmSvGRdzKcIpuktXMCY3eNp8N8E0nQCEbv8VCBnfLxRPUBuiD114diTcSG1-i_dqNBpXlYERHqLH-ynkXs4-njocaWIfVv61twAaSbAv_Q/s1408/fdrye.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1408" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DEmxRDGC8UZsqxKand98qgHhC5bsehwia-PfsGVUSJJQsnTGHhzBknOpv8wPxbsc_GrW7kJv9SGvmFa8UAmSvGRdzKcIpuktXMCY3eNp8N8E0nQCEbv8VCBnfLxRPUBuiD114diTcSG1-i_dqNBpXlYERHqLH-ynkXs4-njocaWIfVv61twAaSbAv_Q/w249-h145/fdrye.jpg" width="249" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4ux0BOME2UH4KZnuiTnFMACqffNYUj-w94fo8r7C0zdVb4l6aIzPZ3ANkI7ugjAiRNKxcwm_daqoBbNfGgkC1h8iy6ryOBNcX4-X6r2i5A4o8PM_8pxkA7EAcmTxnNURCdrrpid8tEDPVqWNjFgFR9Vo4fvBJ-OyZ2a8QhZdbflGG62vpLczCvi7tbU/s800/etre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4ux0BOME2UH4KZnuiTnFMACqffNYUj-w94fo8r7C0zdVb4l6aIzPZ3ANkI7ugjAiRNKxcwm_daqoBbNfGgkC1h8iy6ryOBNcX4-X6r2i5A4o8PM_8pxkA7EAcmTxnNURCdrrpid8tEDPVqWNjFgFR9Vo4fvBJ-OyZ2a8QhZdbflGG62vpLczCvi7tbU/w232-h145/etre.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Fifteen years after the original 90’s movies ended, this film marked
the debut of their very first animated theatrical outing … and I’ve always
viewed it as a somewhat underrated instalment in their long running series. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Set one year after the Ninja Turtles broke-up and went separate ways, a new threat in the form of immortal soldiers and giant monsters bring them back together for one of their most challenging adventures yet.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEqiSxSVfKKrL7wtriN2Qz4iDKSz-xWyO-cAxt5d4C2snBBS-42ZKTnviGZavi8ToSXHb_0Vgqe-nBo4XrWhYN34-62fwJ9gDJM6kbsZ26KaMEh7YWskzg0BB9YqoBctkYlmNZ6KinJF-0nMfK4MzHp-86ETVAWLkUwTCOAxdfzX9bO9CylBgvRh2kCA/s351/Picture8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="259" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEqiSxSVfKKrL7wtriN2Qz4iDKSz-xWyO-cAxt5d4C2snBBS-42ZKTnviGZavi8ToSXHb_0Vgqe-nBo4XrWhYN34-62fwJ9gDJM6kbsZ26KaMEh7YWskzg0BB9YqoBctkYlmNZ6KinJF-0nMfK4MzHp-86ETVAWLkUwTCOAxdfzX9bO9CylBgvRh2kCA/w295-h400/Picture8.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For me, it’s the outlandish
villain plot that keeps this Ninja Turtle movie from achieving greatness, and
yet, I feel it still remains one of the superior entries in the series. There’s
an admirable effort to bring some grounded character complexities to the Turtles,
and while the execution can be a little slopy at times, I still apricate the
effort. There’s also a great voice cast, with talents including Patrick
Stewart, Sarah Michell Geller, Mako, Chris Evans, and others. More than
anything, this film holds-up with energized set-pieces, and a stellar art
direction that was different from other animated movies of the time … and still
looks unique all these years later.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b>Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze</b>” (1991) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe25r5zkzwIOBote7cpONWVGr9DIzTpnZFq2jvhYsPPkf2IxdkFdXKOxNZk-3IKHAk07p-XDFITwSfPAKSiefk0WJvWSn5LTdxiA16-c8Wayq54DnAL8GwPvzeLuWTOXphsR2mulTAFw6iYmFNRtNJj9DPxMsEvS5Oe4nabmqQTFjYDdDI5xVrUlSMBs/s672/Picture4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="672" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe25r5zkzwIOBote7cpONWVGr9DIzTpnZFq2jvhYsPPkf2IxdkFdXKOxNZk-3IKHAk07p-XDFITwSfPAKSiefk0WJvWSn5LTdxiA16-c8Wayq54DnAL8GwPvzeLuWTOXphsR2mulTAFw6iYmFNRtNJj9DPxMsEvS5Oe4nabmqQTFjYDdDI5xVrUlSMBs/w291-h172/Picture4.jpg" width="291" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HcKxX3DD6jh_GUBr3lW5l3HAXPv8wldbkPg-0f8cNdtXdE2pPWsjy5EqyocPHPL4Jn0deRZZ9ao5acchfv4YmaJYJK4EDs6iAxN2qDzc2vuE9l91wjbsRkXV9lbMICEOB4oYM1TWWayafOlHCEQgsaDSumDChywnmPmSVFq8VA0vCD3_IZgUqJBXa2o/s363/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="363" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HcKxX3DD6jh_GUBr3lW5l3HAXPv8wldbkPg-0f8cNdtXdE2pPWsjy5EqyocPHPL4Jn0deRZZ9ao5acchfv4YmaJYJK4EDs6iAxN2qDzc2vuE9l91wjbsRkXV9lbMICEOB4oYM1TWWayafOlHCEQgsaDSumDChywnmPmSVFq8VA0vCD3_IZgUqJBXa2o/w184-h171/Picture5.jpg" width="184" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOi7QmVkMcpYHc_U1zA9mmPM_QuZhu_PBqfAd670Wrq1EZOalud9kJzOrAOmEcdT5AA9C7KO9U_rXAhpZwJYW6YfA3youXDlLAOSRxU6TSfLUVdzvBdlZ5_t_i074ADjggoPu9-mp4tLXwy7yME1LMGssijG0VTh4Vd6eFtfNFMWW668hck9D4oySoNU/s2801/mpoi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2801" data-original-width="1793" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOi7QmVkMcpYHc_U1zA9mmPM_QuZhu_PBqfAd670Wrq1EZOalud9kJzOrAOmEcdT5AA9C7KO9U_rXAhpZwJYW6YfA3youXDlLAOSRxU6TSfLUVdzvBdlZ5_t_i074ADjggoPu9-mp4tLXwy7yME1LMGssijG0VTh4Vd6eFtfNFMWW668hck9D4oySoNU/w256-h400/mpoi.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The evil Shredder has returned, and is out for revenge against the Ninja Turtles, and this time, his methods involve using a mysterious green ooze to create two mutant monsters strong enough to defeat our green heroes. Back when I was a little kid, this
was my favorite Ninja Turtle offering by a mile, and it’s out of pure nostalgia
that this film ranks as high as it does, and occasionally holds-up for
re-watches.</span> It’s one of those films that easily appealed to kids of a
certain generation, and it still feels like a novelty item to those of us who
are still <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">young at heart. The
film also features admirable creature effects and puppet work … arguably the
best of any live-action film. Being realistic, this movie is still a far cry
from high-quality entertainment, and is quite ridiculous all around … but it’s
comfort food, and that will always have its place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b>Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows</b>” (2016) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCTDlPgDSBK8som-683Qkyj-4l19EBIz6VQVXECtfzOyD41Ez4iVgAb4WA9sWFrOkfSs6PHr5l8yerJpdhZJypHXm7FXihE58AskyKnhfVrRl5wFx2K-sVuGKfXMrO5njOcUw-Aml1S5-Ho0Jvkv53T8V5CpzFh9Cm8hRHxW4TNUVMzcxSqVP-oknY8w/s1440/oiuty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1440" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCTDlPgDSBK8som-683Qkyj-4l19EBIz6VQVXECtfzOyD41Ez4iVgAb4WA9sWFrOkfSs6PHr5l8yerJpdhZJypHXm7FXihE58AskyKnhfVrRl5wFx2K-sVuGKfXMrO5njOcUw-Aml1S5-Ho0Jvkv53T8V5CpzFh9Cm8hRHxW4TNUVMzcxSqVP-oknY8w/w270-h187/oiuty.jpg" width="270" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduirkB1mCUaRo1n-79X32EcQNuFjJpvth1xTnIy2Qy3aIYjkoaZDHjCkXUzMRfDiTvb2cxw4CeCaVtCUcIn4LHR03Mh22oP9a4EA7UakYxOcAJAxO4mldhHcNkAdcVRItIeWRQ_OocKdJbvOPUIGoejFf0-U4f1aHrV-kv4UCMKu0dTsuqIJD1I7nqLI/s734/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="734" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduirkB1mCUaRo1n-79X32EcQNuFjJpvth1xTnIy2Qy3aIYjkoaZDHjCkXUzMRfDiTvb2cxw4CeCaVtCUcIn4LHR03Mh22oP9a4EA7UakYxOcAJAxO4mldhHcNkAdcVRItIeWRQ_OocKdJbvOPUIGoejFf0-U4f1aHrV-kv4UCMKu0dTsuqIJD1I7nqLI/w246-h187/Picture7.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYm1z5dU0UHvur3f8H23_CJP0CS2LIJMIi0rzF9FFuDF015IXHKjAr0q1Un9rWPSuUSci4Cxn6UuYez41U3VhGhz1-zC2Ld3IGMql9IIcRGsIRA6FmBVGgo4DrM-26HUZJirZPZGgac1WS8bxrNIGzq-SwGFTQ-vdBC5SR44aG02sWQ38QMo2fo2uvxk/s675/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="574" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYm1z5dU0UHvur3f8H23_CJP0CS2LIJMIi0rzF9FFuDF015IXHKjAr0q1Un9rWPSuUSci4Cxn6UuYez41U3VhGhz1-zC2Ld3IGMql9IIcRGsIRA6FmBVGgo4DrM-26HUZJirZPZGgac1WS8bxrNIGzq-SwGFTQ-vdBC5SR44aG02sWQ38QMo2fo2uvxk/w312-h400/Picture6.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After saving New York
from the Shredder, the Ninja Turtles are committed to being watchful guardians
over the city, but are eager the emerge from the confines of the sewers, and be
excepted topside. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Their chance to step out of the shadows finally comes when
New York faces an even greater threat, this time in the form of an alien conqueror
named Krang. While there are certainly better options for superhero movies, this
is one of the easiest Turtle movies to just go in and have some fun with. It’s
clearly devoted to pleasing longtime fans, with focus on popular animated
iconography coming to life in live-action, along with recognizable characters
from the TV shows, and bombastic action sequences, which all go a long way in
making this one of the simplest, yet genuinely fun Ninja Turtle outings.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b>Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie</b>” (1990) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfrSyVN9BZzzy8IRYiHL_WorxootwQ8pjP-zcfaowVv650X7bTDdF3aEUIAXXnXix-YGa0YZEnPQwGM2Jk1VHDOfXL0lXpoc2gGLa_sI152-yT28WOyQXRSsNBtUOL58lmMVqEDHQu_HqQdxWHbH3L9jtj86bU8o7olKg-KPOWsifFp_MXEXp3iyvGk8/s470/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="470" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfrSyVN9BZzzy8IRYiHL_WorxootwQ8pjP-zcfaowVv650X7bTDdF3aEUIAXXnXix-YGa0YZEnPQwGM2Jk1VHDOfXL0lXpoc2gGLa_sI152-yT28WOyQXRSsNBtUOL58lmMVqEDHQu_HqQdxWHbH3L9jtj86bU8o7olKg-KPOWsifFp_MXEXp3iyvGk8/w228-h166/Picture1.jpg" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCwahBT6dMB7FX7mRfUUARfhMq4XH78x08UuGmjrvZw_rG6ggNmsH0_ZVeJS1Ia_RzUdmSIiaEsVEbkblX8Or-Il9mZrSs7xGCYUK_1Cbmj87nx1srSak3IR0GBS4maaSHVCaXLjxR69dAkxHPP6loJVbOAogu89NF9B_RXb1WOEK06C0k4rV7mlz9zQ/s1280/ghfg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCwahBT6dMB7FX7mRfUUARfhMq4XH78x08UuGmjrvZw_rG6ggNmsH0_ZVeJS1Ia_RzUdmSIiaEsVEbkblX8Or-Il9mZrSs7xGCYUK_1Cbmj87nx1srSak3IR0GBS4maaSHVCaXLjxR69dAkxHPP6loJVbOAogu89NF9B_RXb1WOEK06C0k4rV7mlz9zQ/w280-h167/ghfg.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When a clan of Ninja’s, led by
the ruthless Shredder, operate an underground crime-ring in New York, hope emerges
in the form of four mutated Ninja Turtles. Along with “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Superman</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Batman</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
I consider this film one of the original pioneers of the superhero genera, and
as far back as I can remember, this was the very first comic-book movie I ever
saw. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2jrv4fwyhZDkANlEJf8soUzFTZkRhZtjCei3a-aC34k5s1UrWQHHZQTj03mg7o6sTROvb-M_YdoY1qTno8j0BKYF4zAPLeWRcY42Z3kVFASSaSXXSoqOpAf5w0Q-t-_B7wwmKJx-Owak5z0zFcnb5Ilmed9iCAmqODDsjCIh_TKJGrfa9qOKyZY0PF4/s1500/yugh.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1010" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2jrv4fwyhZDkANlEJf8soUzFTZkRhZtjCei3a-aC34k5s1UrWQHHZQTj03mg7o6sTROvb-M_YdoY1qTno8j0BKYF4zAPLeWRcY42Z3kVFASSaSXXSoqOpAf5w0Q-t-_B7wwmKJx-Owak5z0zFcnb5Ilmed9iCAmqODDsjCIh_TKJGrfa9qOKyZY0PF4/w269-h400/yugh.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While I really can’t make a persuasive argument for this first Ninja
Turtle movie as any kind of meaningful cinematic achievement … it's still undeniably
a nostalgic delight to watch, with top-tier puppet work, catchy theme music,
just enough layers to the characters to make me care, an imposing main villain,
and thrilling action brawls that are still just as riveting all these years
later. It even has a little bit of a dark edge, which is all the more admirable
when watching this film as an adult. With its commitment to adapting the best
of both the comics and 80’s cartoon, we end-up with a product that’s honestly better
than it had any right to be. The action scenes really are quite good for people
in costumes, the music gets me so pumped, and the Shredder is still one of my
favorite villains to ever come from a comic book adapted film. All in all, its
cheesy fun, and it remains my absolute favorite of the Ninja Turtles at the
movies.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-4TAequlOC31C5pOggEAzlOcYcGtqIRNzJ_35toZSdwrC5FlQ6Lx1nqUmDWsLfIyBp8G5Sh5u14Dn4iJd9GaSebHqrlBgYVDvkjWzbSrWj8rD4EOKqBzMkO5ud9CmyMay4mUypdmrS8DxRFMc_Hn6l7eEC6-PnekpZNCZI5sDcgVdAxErZE83dwlm_M/s1200/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1200" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-4TAequlOC31C5pOggEAzlOcYcGtqIRNzJ_35toZSdwrC5FlQ6Lx1nqUmDWsLfIyBp8G5Sh5u14Dn4iJd9GaSebHqrlBgYVDvkjWzbSrWj8rD4EOKqBzMkO5ud9CmyMay4mUypdmrS8DxRFMc_Hn6l7eEC6-PnekpZNCZI5sDcgVdAxErZE83dwlm_M/w400-h217/Picture3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you love! <o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-10311059861298833602023-08-04T14:00:00.019-07:002023-08-04T14:32:32.027-07:00Troy (2004) Movie Review <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSN0jdBmPNwqdC2naS7gPMwhjUeYdgtPgFWvl534CqJiSTifFF-NDZB9M9CP6lKvc_HznW3jAnm-CPPo45rmjl5zgVvBY0uU-_LDAVtjoGxMq_jw7HIbNib5t1lEzOkyw2vSBx_IeNISlNxXPpTyhtUx2Spih6vh8HmGFK6bk7D47XVYBiJfjHphBvp0c/s450/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="305" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSN0jdBmPNwqdC2naS7gPMwhjUeYdgtPgFWvl534CqJiSTifFF-NDZB9M9CP6lKvc_HznW3jAnm-CPPo45rmjl5zgVvBY0uU-_LDAVtjoGxMq_jw7HIbNib5t1lEzOkyw2vSBx_IeNISlNxXPpTyhtUx2Spih6vh8HmGFK6bk7D47XVYBiJfjHphBvp0c/w271-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following after Ridley Scott’s runaway
success with the 2000 picture “<b>Gladiator</b>”, there was a short influx of
movies in the early 2000’s that tried to bring back the genera of the "Ancient Epics", with movies like “<b>Kingdom of Heaven</b>”, “<b>Alexander</b>”, and “<b>King
Arthur</b>” being notable efforts at the time … but never quiet met the same
high-marks of “<b>Gladiator</b>”. The 2004 Epic “<b>Troy</b>” was admittedly
another genera film riding the coat tails of “<b>Gladiator</b>”, but I feel
endures a little stronger than others of its time, and speaking personally, it
has a special place ranked among my favorites of the genera. Call it a guilty
pleasure, but it was one of those special little movie experiences that came
out at just the right time for me, and has stuck with me over the decades.
While I wouldn’t call this one of the all-time greats, I’d argue it’s a minor
classic of its respected genera, or at the very least a memorable product of
its time. So, I felt the time was right to look back on this film, and see what
it’s like after two decades. Lastly, throughout the review I’ll also be
highlighting the 2007 Directors cut of the movie, which many regard as the
superior version.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokjbudxP1tq95KgqTicKa6DJ1ljITUk4J1tye6KcnhLI5AIG-OnPaGLkdjkmTdp_duUTIcrMAg5q7Ug91kVPwuLXh19zdIlDclYHIDyO2uPcTVwp76jsqSRprFJgm4QgxOiYLOyouLnOnKk8TuWVrFtq1eOEYVb2t7xHTWjs0cZA4yXXR9JSGiVPzVtw/s1598/cvxfs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1598" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokjbudxP1tq95KgqTicKa6DJ1ljITUk4J1tye6KcnhLI5AIG-OnPaGLkdjkmTdp_duUTIcrMAg5q7Ug91kVPwuLXh19zdIlDclYHIDyO2uPcTVwp76jsqSRprFJgm4QgxOiYLOyouLnOnKk8TuWVrFtq1eOEYVb2t7xHTWjs0cZA4yXXR9JSGiVPzVtw/w272-h147/cvxfs.jpg" width="272" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQImPUyfj-mQTZl23h8Nb7yQhKp-CxPA7Yg-Jm9V8xBmZEnfWXghGGshPO1ykeog1hkqAWOTJsz5ilM64e_sFr2TxwhSIIPBwohlPVpkfEr5bbtaS9iSUgvG3dsoUzxxoc4smu4R4Xh9-J01pGGAGNC53DGhhkCAsaBaJtoUpdrQYc0iH3DZLZsZrZ2e8/s460/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="460" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQImPUyfj-mQTZl23h8Nb7yQhKp-CxPA7Yg-Jm9V8xBmZEnfWXghGGshPO1ykeog1hkqAWOTJsz5ilM64e_sFr2TxwhSIIPBwohlPVpkfEr5bbtaS9iSUgvG3dsoUzxxoc4smu4R4Xh9-J01pGGAGNC53DGhhkCAsaBaJtoUpdrQYc0iH3DZLZsZrZ2e8/w230-h147/Picture2.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loosely based on Homer’s epic poem “<b>The</b>
<b>Iliad</b>”, along with inspirations of Quintus Smyrnaeus’s epic poem “<b>Posthomerica</b>”,
the movie is set in Ancient Greece of 1193 B.C., and King Agamemnon of Mycenae
has finally united all the kingdoms of Greece under his rule, with the Kingdom
of Troy being the last great one for him to concur. Things are put in motion
when Helen, the young Queen of Sparta, runs off with Prince Paris, to his home
kingdom of Troy. It’s just the thing to spark turmoil across both kingdoms of
Grease and Mycenae, who combine their armies into a massive invasion force, to
lay siege to the land of Troy in a brutal campaign. At the for front of the
invasion is Greece’s greatest hero Achilles, who finds himself at odds with
Troy’s Prince Hector, as the two match the value of honor versus a soldier’s
loyalty to his country. After several wins and losses on both sides, the
ultimate turn of victory in this war comes in the form of a famous, giant
wooden sculpture … the Trojan Horse. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_-5B3XBZn6VmOvqJ4VPyQf2eSeDinTEFAXKFsuE2lP68X8L-a0LGvxp4do-QrpESBjxcKcELq0Q6fbSzHPjmgXPv2VquBVQyvhcLGArCOCeL_YoOAYvW2FQhf4cqbBGNtvEAp2eYQtSQlV3OkCQu5WZqrxNUxMKUoxjDz8O8v8lmg93tCClTFcay2T8/s500/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="500" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_-5B3XBZn6VmOvqJ4VPyQf2eSeDinTEFAXKFsuE2lP68X8L-a0LGvxp4do-QrpESBjxcKcELq0Q6fbSzHPjmgXPv2VquBVQyvhcLGArCOCeL_YoOAYvW2FQhf4cqbBGNtvEAp2eYQtSQlV3OkCQu5WZqrxNUxMKUoxjDz8O8v8lmg93tCClTFcay2T8/w242-h151/Picture7.jpg" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZaFymk5g1xc8q5IZw_qvPpuopHBi-VT60MXcD0ZKKvSlEV7eeOWMDFpcQoQ-eeckp-5EjPoluS3S9R-mtDf48_T3ivfQcq2M9cPLDnlB5REiE9iQZItbN94RlgY6QqwknLdRUWBAj9eg6aXjES7MGDi97U0Fi66swXAuz0_5tPQv1hYURXTqDbkXSCc/s1024/estrdt.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="1024" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZaFymk5g1xc8q5IZw_qvPpuopHBi-VT60MXcD0ZKKvSlEV7eeOWMDFpcQoQ-eeckp-5EjPoluS3S9R-mtDf48_T3ivfQcq2M9cPLDnlB5REiE9iQZItbN94RlgY6QqwknLdRUWBAj9eg6aXjES7MGDi97U0Fi66swXAuz0_5tPQv1hYURXTqDbkXSCc/w274-h150/estrdt.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
legendary battle of Troy was actually one of the first epic tales I was exposed
to at a very young age, and by the time I reached middle school, the movie “<b>Troy</b>”
was just hitting the cinema, and I was beyond ready for it. This actually
marked one of my earliest exposures to the “Ancient Epic” genera, and predated
my first viewing experiences of other classics in the category like “<b>Braveheart</b>”
and “<b>Gladiator</b>”, making it a special coming of age experience for me at
the time. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q3lMPy5cFBFTnRNC4Q4S14bqXm2YeF2XeaEx07-M3GkWSwYdmvR08EkMYmiZL0XXt3dzdujgKbr1y8_WlCiHPJcB2LElFkm71L5AsthQRM0OsFNQ6E-GHkQ3cmk6I3xCZIvBcxAccYrfZXsvyS1ACech9tbAWKW2K75exs01tTSBFZXZigA8aEkYY-8/s602/gjytiy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="602" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q3lMPy5cFBFTnRNC4Q4S14bqXm2YeF2XeaEx07-M3GkWSwYdmvR08EkMYmiZL0XXt3dzdujgKbr1y8_WlCiHPJcB2LElFkm71L5AsthQRM0OsFNQ6E-GHkQ3cmk6I3xCZIvBcxAccYrfZXsvyS1ACech9tbAWKW2K75exs01tTSBFZXZigA8aEkYY-8/s320/gjytiy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As I continue with the review, I’ll mainly be focusing on the movie
as is, and not so much in comparison to its source material of Homer’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Iliad</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
… which by the way is the superior work, and one of the great pieces of
literature. For me, they’re both so different, I feel it’s best to look at them
as individual works. It was the decision of the films late Director, Wolfgang
Petersen, to focus on the movie in a more grounded, historical context, and
without any appearances of Greek Gods, who in Homers poems were frequently
depicted as the masters controlling all the humans, like game pieces in an epic
battle of wits. It can be debated on whether or not this was the right choice,
but personally, I don’t mind the more grounded approach without any fantastical
elements. However, whether it be the poem, or historical basses, the invasion
of Troy has always been depicted as a decade long campaign … whereas the movie
condenses all the events to roughly around ten days … which is a glaring detail
that stood out to me even in my young teenage years. Regardless, this movie
gave me everything I wanted at the time, and I feel it has more strengths on
display then it’s reputation would suggest.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzxCQd8Xw2RMI1Z3xFuyaDCdJLippEYLMG4UWSrLeiLsJSUXgWgOueTIS4nLmHnHlSEr2gxJU18xWX7X5z17cfnFWIL1HfWMITk4M9jTc5DKrAu-HWSoyVy8MaGhJmdp-5Ewxf71P0a11O5P-P0CswQyUdDVKBQAGDNc7sgGTdq0cEmTyKz195qsnH2A/s900/vght.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzxCQd8Xw2RMI1Z3xFuyaDCdJLippEYLMG4UWSrLeiLsJSUXgWgOueTIS4nLmHnHlSEr2gxJU18xWX7X5z17cfnFWIL1HfWMITk4M9jTc5DKrAu-HWSoyVy8MaGhJmdp-5Ewxf71P0a11O5P-P0CswQyUdDVKBQAGDNc7sgGTdq0cEmTyKz195qsnH2A/w245-h163/vght.jpg" width="245" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAQRDR1D9DjgegSzMjwtY0paJpeKEa7_NACd9ctD90uIYkKbD8PpY9hZcX9JEkwJE8e-wuDZHOfhndjGoEuWU_CTuTCul4OwPZCZDPHA3D9T1GTPc0VcqNWH2URlx8y4oYIoZoBGq8jD2S8peOJlv82V2Qs4rvlPLYqlJEwuPW9h0hcuLZD3Du3hDD0o/s1600/dryrdy5.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1600" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAQRDR1D9DjgegSzMjwtY0paJpeKEa7_NACd9ctD90uIYkKbD8PpY9hZcX9JEkwJE8e-wuDZHOfhndjGoEuWU_CTuTCul4OwPZCZDPHA3D9T1GTPc0VcqNWH2URlx8y4oYIoZoBGq8jD2S8peOJlv82V2Qs4rvlPLYqlJEwuPW9h0hcuLZD3Du3hDD0o/w265-h162/dryrdy5.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cast all around is great, with Brad
Pitt’s engaging star power leading the charge. While this wasn’t the first time I had seen him in a movie, it was the first time I took note of his name, and
focused my attention on him in further movies I’d see afterword’s. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFnsb0g5cbmW-qxKZjAKLnL34RLzqqFuVfgEOAP3ZB3iAihR74PBVMkVv_IwUc8aoaFKs-tPFkVEC07YdsLekokeAi2prq9sINPC37YcD92zDT2jamWHcHLhhfpMyKFsvklTxSn2jNrfC94vamejTk3CgRGuz3pQ4fyIdy2wbTuQre76oCLKwmLUt2dc/s1000/jliuoui.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFnsb0g5cbmW-qxKZjAKLnL34RLzqqFuVfgEOAP3ZB3iAihR74PBVMkVv_IwUc8aoaFKs-tPFkVEC07YdsLekokeAi2prq9sINPC37YcD92zDT2jamWHcHLhhfpMyKFsvklTxSn2jNrfC94vamejTk3CgRGuz3pQ4fyIdy2wbTuQre76oCLKwmLUt2dc/s320/jliuoui.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While the
character of Achilles is a straight forward stoic soldier, who chooses to fight
for a living, only to achieve immortality through recognition, Brad Pitt
succeeds in giving him a presence that’s engaging to watch. Eric Bana is also given
the chance to redeem himself after his leading role in the disappointing 2003
picture “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Hulk</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and genuinely shines as Troy’s Prince Hector. Easily one
of the better characters, with all the smart ideas, and everyone would be
better off it they just listened to him. Orlando Bloom plays his brother,
Prince Paris of Troy. While the actor was at the height of his power, staring
in the biggest franchises at the time, his character never left much of an
impression, and I could never get past him being responsible for both the war
and downfall of his kingdom.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWdg7NRa5IOKp_pK5xYou4nylubQkkmJaVFjxHWCTPg3mYJR0ZpRCL3MM4TFIoRMpkw7_6Z6C63f95lJdGr9dtzH2K7UaH-HOMYPkdrX2MNo0AcEzVv4j21DhZPma2oalTt5_MxMgF3KeMqhSpC0zKYgk7JAkZFmTIeNwgOq_RZxVyI33yUGhfgYm8t8/s1280/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWdg7NRa5IOKp_pK5xYou4nylubQkkmJaVFjxHWCTPg3mYJR0ZpRCL3MM4TFIoRMpkw7_6Z6C63f95lJdGr9dtzH2K7UaH-HOMYPkdrX2MNo0AcEzVv4j21DhZPma2oalTt5_MxMgF3KeMqhSpC0zKYgk7JAkZFmTIeNwgOq_RZxVyI33yUGhfgYm8t8/s320/Picture3.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6HDcEb_5VdgQfgfKl5mEu6vfVXx1_m66SJun446_HNUvWmrilee1RwF7jGKwJmDk5dLcqLdFffopPC0vi2fyzUjsWJrvuO_6HiW7kBcw7x3lZqJA86Y-cIk17jOJgHmy4nTNooJ93tjJ7D2P3CVPFmLHDlxcodnu3nrC09xAOFZYF1BvfcpWilb2R0M/s500/gfuftu.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="430" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6HDcEb_5VdgQfgfKl5mEu6vfVXx1_m66SJun446_HNUvWmrilee1RwF7jGKwJmDk5dLcqLdFffopPC0vi2fyzUjsWJrvuO_6HiW7kBcw7x3lZqJA86Y-cIk17jOJgHmy4nTNooJ93tjJ7D2P3CVPFmLHDlxcodnu3nrC09xAOFZYF1BvfcpWilb2R0M/w136-h158/gfuftu.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His love interest, Helen of Troy, who’s
equally responsible for all the cause, at least has some emotional moments in
which she regrets bringing all this death and pain to Troy. Helen was played by
a young Diane Kruger, who was still early in her career, and hadn’t yet stared
in her more memorable roles in “<b>National Treasure</b>” and “<b>Inglourious
Basterds</b>”. While she played the part of Helen of Troy well, I still feel she
was underutilized for a character that ignited this massive war. Honestly, I
think more attention was given to another Trojan Princess named Briseis, played
by the Rose Byrne, who gets captured by the Greeks early in the siege, and
develops Stock-Home-Syndrome when she falls in love with Brad Pitts Achilles. I
suppose she gave him someone to talk with, but their romance just felt a little
overplayed. Also, upon my latest re-watch, I had completely forgotten that Sean
Bean was a lead in this movie … maybe because his character didn’t die, which
is something of a staple for the actor’s career. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyxuYfkD0kwqSsfHW8qgsYYZw1a4xS3xB8OXUmtkDC-mA7sOCXCzzyHj3auP4hIqocfzgkm4epMM1LBaZqSeYrDk0XcL1gavxbrK-sl1J48Vov31csJRwRg8mgw-dsJbmlWH49TU1VvtuopJp3-7C61NvUVF96nYAYvSgXLThwaglaLLW7QiV61Pkz-E/s408/fydty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="408" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyxuYfkD0kwqSsfHW8qgsYYZw1a4xS3xB8OXUmtkDC-mA7sOCXCzzyHj3auP4hIqocfzgkm4epMM1LBaZqSeYrDk0XcL1gavxbrK-sl1J48Vov31csJRwRg8mgw-dsJbmlWH49TU1VvtuopJp3-7C61NvUVF96nYAYvSgXLThwaglaLLW7QiV61Pkz-E/w234-h174/fydty.jpg" width="234" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfWYr1_VxWC_BYizoqjNKchvr-190K6zOx_b7oisC7JgaOFH1vCDHT-VgKIRL81n9fH1r878nmo2utkHC69K-jeyOaKTtieM04Xyd5kHbS4lEBt5fkM1UyC3vvQJhgQgZWdTIkxJ7oiSkkO3iV2BYGeEL1kOI4R7xr8aLuJY6MwKoBbdMdostujsaho4/s734/tyrt.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="734" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfWYr1_VxWC_BYizoqjNKchvr-190K6zOx_b7oisC7JgaOFH1vCDHT-VgKIRL81n9fH1r878nmo2utkHC69K-jeyOaKTtieM04Xyd5kHbS4lEBt5fkM1UyC3vvQJhgQgZWdTIkxJ7oiSkkO3iV2BYGeEL1kOI4R7xr8aLuJY6MwKoBbdMdostujsaho4/w280-h173/tyrt.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A more genuinely memorable performance in the
film is Brain Cox as the boisterous and vial King Agamemnon. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6ATmo0GMvM7JzKkPwdcf0NoFwpe5zBYjgMtjHAJHsBTo4h2KP3GPgYEx1ADdibCn3TsUWK9mmYlYKgmwapNcaN8_ezHxYtJ7FWlrSf1vfWTcQj3HfpGpwXwgjL8lkaFS249bE9MbVb_rJvEuDKs7vFwuEUSkOz8svcCI8MlCva0aSIvQiUZQd49psD0/s432/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="432" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6ATmo0GMvM7JzKkPwdcf0NoFwpe5zBYjgMtjHAJHsBTo4h2KP3GPgYEx1ADdibCn3TsUWK9mmYlYKgmwapNcaN8_ezHxYtJ7FWlrSf1vfWTcQj3HfpGpwXwgjL8lkaFS249bE9MbVb_rJvEuDKs7vFwuEUSkOz8svcCI8MlCva0aSIvQiUZQd49psD0/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was just
introduced to the actor after he shined as wicked Colonel Striker in “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">X2:
X-Men United</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, so it was exciting to see him taking on the role of this
nefarious conqueror. He always makes for a decent villain, and channels his
sinister nature with a sense of dry wit. However, the absolute best performance
of the whole film goes to the late Peter O’ Toole, who played King Priam of
Troy. The talent of course was no stranger to epic movies, first taking the
leading role in the 1962 classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Lawrence of Arabia</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and then as Henry
the 2</span><sup>nd</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> in “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Lion in Winter</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. In “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Troy</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, Peter O’
Toole brings the same weight and presence required for any truly great epic
movie, and basically saves the whole film. Ironically enough, he was one of the
most out-spoken critics of the film, saying in interviews he walked out of the
premier embarrassed by the film … and this is coming from an actor who played
in 1984’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Super-Girl</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which is one of the most poorly reviewed movies
ever made. Still, weather Peter O’ Tool liked “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Troy</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” or not, he still
brought his A-game material to the role. My favorite scene of the whole film is
when he visits Brad Pits Achilles in the cover of night, and we get a great
scene of two enemies bonding and sharing respect. I feel this scene alone
should have given Peter O’ Tool an Oscar Nomination, but that didn’t happen.
Actually, with the one exception of the costume design, this film had almost
zero recognition at the Academy Awards. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEptqmd4z_wuUXc5RcJhu_szQG-937rW_MTvJSeaf9TdT-KBoY-IMCfa7-tyQjVV2uhE4QPZr-0ae5LjqC8e6N8WfdCSGvhW3BmEWZxnqPnT8LzBQ6MbcclDtFHvpwuWu0UDoOuTV2RTY9qG-vbCgLdET49tAeExnSm802WRs-mn2jOrneUuxN8l1UpN4/s960/Picture11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEptqmd4z_wuUXc5RcJhu_szQG-937rW_MTvJSeaf9TdT-KBoY-IMCfa7-tyQjVV2uhE4QPZr-0ae5LjqC8e6N8WfdCSGvhW3BmEWZxnqPnT8LzBQ6MbcclDtFHvpwuWu0UDoOuTV2RTY9qG-vbCgLdET49tAeExnSm802WRs-mn2jOrneUuxN8l1UpN4/w203-h150/Picture11.jpg" width="203" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJZQizrSNouHdI_tkTrat_rcqb9hUp-5ShuNjaQogu5wwDUebPjyjfuu--qGB9WKt7BbXEXz5MTglY-hm8KzEbNe4PZ81i9HtwncsXwIrGUToZ4lCQZGT0SL7LHAHYVaOlC3PO1-7hWIeJ2BKkZecGz-W1Oa1CE1uoiXM4NbO-HjCR4VlWgKXfXUzIrk/s681/Picture6.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="681" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJZQizrSNouHdI_tkTrat_rcqb9hUp-5ShuNjaQogu5wwDUebPjyjfuu--qGB9WKt7BbXEXz5MTglY-hm8KzEbNe4PZ81i9HtwncsXwIrGUToZ4lCQZGT0SL7LHAHYVaOlC3PO1-7hWIeJ2BKkZecGz-W1Oa1CE1uoiXM4NbO-HjCR4VlWgKXfXUzIrk/w309-h151/Picture6.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the movie isn’t perfect, it is
consistently engaging to watch, and easily generates excitement when all the
events unfold. Even with its lengthy run-time, the pacing for the most part is
great, and for the first two acts builds some great momentum. In general, it’s
just great to see the iconography of Troy brought to life in a big theatrical
picture. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwXM9qMRxMPOAkODYYQjopQFPETJ73YNdIAnJf0BvYdLPGGTsaHjzIzt5vkYGaQeRDHkYaZOM3FV0o6EU474UBEvVQNgAsk28ujzholWIHWVUqqyQjojiReLSmctz3r_MCHO9WKf-dD63s6CFlZI6xiNfeFSu8WhzlhTkgPHDodixby0QJREQjn5oOM4/s1300/ytfiyityi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="1300" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwXM9qMRxMPOAkODYYQjopQFPETJ73YNdIAnJf0BvYdLPGGTsaHjzIzt5vkYGaQeRDHkYaZOM3FV0o6EU474UBEvVQNgAsk28ujzholWIHWVUqqyQjojiReLSmctz3r_MCHO9WKf-dD63s6CFlZI6xiNfeFSu8WhzlhTkgPHDodixby0QJREQjn5oOM4/s320/ytfiyityi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">The image of the Trojan Horse genuinely feels like a classic visual of the genera, and it’s great to see. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The battles certainly thrill, and while
giant CGI armies were nothing new at the time, it still offers some creativity
with its spectacle. One of the first visual highlights that spring to mind when
I think back on this film is a thrilling beach attack, in which the Trojan’s
release these giant flaming rollerballs that smash into the Greek’s fleet. Even
better than the action is the build-up. There’s a scene when Prince Paris
challenges King Menelaus of Sparta (played by Brendan Gleeson) in a duel to the
death for the hand of Princess Helen. The fight on its own is okay, but it’s
the tension leading-up to the battle that I really love. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjASzDbVUl1CODGfD6p47LDxeLkTQCFao1B6Er4yJM9lNmT9vGmmQU6c-IQZg0jCwrVYvVKT6fxJ20U9gWKiRTB8NaEUZxRjZba3VSQgNPonPmKPdO0j_CX0h9W9WelbpILYl23i1uOdv29maE2jB-MSsOVIVuKZk_dw6hOtfjzJLDjnFAjyVpb_CsFc/s585/yy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="585" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjASzDbVUl1CODGfD6p47LDxeLkTQCFao1B6Er4yJM9lNmT9vGmmQU6c-IQZg0jCwrVYvVKT6fxJ20U9gWKiRTB8NaEUZxRjZba3VSQgNPonPmKPdO0j_CX0h9W9WelbpILYl23i1uOdv29maE2jB-MSsOVIVuKZk_dw6hOtfjzJLDjnFAjyVpb_CsFc/w236-h141/yy.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The prince is clearly
out of his element, all eyes are on him, there’s a great shot of his POV
framed through his helmet, and just to set the intimidation, his opponent just
tosses away his own shield, like he doesn’t even need a defense. Of course, the
big action highlight is Achilles versus Hector. Not only was this conflict
effectively set-up, but the movie also got me to cheer for both of them, which
added more excitement to who will come out victorious. It’s the one piece of
action in which I feel the staging, combat and energy is on par with the
tension, build-up and inevitable outcome. As a side note, there’s one curious
addition to this fight that’s exclusive to the Directors Cut, as it uses Danny
Elfman’s theme from Tim Burtons “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Planet of the Apes</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” during the
duel ... it's very random, but it fits.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TMc7NtO9yAxMlcu_9q7W58U2C_w3OgxU-MDk-l6F3lKFxr6Mwdk5jmg3jgsoUh4jb6KRxCqM9c4A9UBfH1j1qdq8Bg2qW682CSTZH_hFp2tQ-wk-MhU0ojkogRRrT_6Qw4iSIjxG2kO-sc8Ao3pCSaE5nkR1jsdMLWZHw13AubLtvByGfGdla_JawO0/s918/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="918" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TMc7NtO9yAxMlcu_9q7W58U2C_w3OgxU-MDk-l6F3lKFxr6Mwdk5jmg3jgsoUh4jb6KRxCqM9c4A9UBfH1j1qdq8Bg2qW682CSTZH_hFp2tQ-wk-MhU0ojkogRRrT_6Qw4iSIjxG2kO-sc8Ao3pCSaE5nkR1jsdMLWZHw13AubLtvByGfGdla_JawO0/w248-h153/Picture8.jpg" width="248" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_SKl-_dhgmMt6QvHQ6DrinIgt9cLX7WzNLMzrVJciMCKwG33cVDgA2BGBi3H3Bq9oQgGVjkq-xxbkQEqWiWVbSHciER5IXJmkegu9Z0c41WlYD_Cg-bpsx47aovi44hC9ARHRYpFHdImjd2_WtfsU8T_4-RtxcPYpOAa8nJPVaW7VcROvlze-uz9pmU/s678/Picture1.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="678" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_SKl-_dhgmMt6QvHQ6DrinIgt9cLX7WzNLMzrVJciMCKwG33cVDgA2BGBi3H3Bq9oQgGVjkq-xxbkQEqWiWVbSHciER5IXJmkegu9Z0c41WlYD_Cg-bpsx47aovi44hC9ARHRYpFHdImjd2_WtfsU8T_4-RtxcPYpOAa8nJPVaW7VcROvlze-uz9pmU/w268-h153/Picture1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On that note, this would be a good time to
discuss the 2007 directors cut of the movie, which expands the originals 162
minuet run-time to 196 minutes. I personally prefer this version, as there’s
more of a balance between the spectacle, and further developed characters and deeper conversations. More than anything, I just prefer the tone and presentation of
the Directors cut over the theatrical version. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qzC7XsUTXA7FZtC6vgO7FKyB1kzGPy5YGhurAFyu6tS8e571M-TcmeNaWKQe36bIFG5o3KUR4OBO40FQIyQ6DUJNTutdlSNJurEd-TLBtXnxF2DOY5REbGrNV6Z4Shh1VVqAJecxE4zT8SrVi1LYNcDO4uY2aod2SEZlgHv9uF-U9H30vxFqQxsFLTM/s799/drydr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="799" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qzC7XsUTXA7FZtC6vgO7FKyB1kzGPy5YGhurAFyu6tS8e571M-TcmeNaWKQe36bIFG5o3KUR4OBO40FQIyQ6DUJNTutdlSNJurEd-TLBtXnxF2DOY5REbGrNV6Z4Shh1VVqAJecxE4zT8SrVi1LYNcDO4uY2aod2SEZlgHv9uF-U9H30vxFqQxsFLTM/s320/drydr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The music for example, I feel is
an improvement in the Director’s Cut, as the theatrical cut was permeated by …
what I like to call … the “Banshee Quire”, in which the score is mainly
comprised of wailing female vocals. This was a common cliché for movies in the
early 2000’s, but the theatrical cut of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Troy</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” really overplayed it.
While the Directors Cut keeps the wailing quire for two funeral scenes, the
score throughout is far more subdued and atmospheric, which adds to the tension
and build-up in several sequences. While on the topic of music, I do love Josh Groban's cover song "<b><span style="color: #01ffff;">Remember Me</span></b>", which is exclusive to the theatrical cut of the film, and it's absence is felt in the Directors Cut. On the other hand, one of my favorite additions to the Directors Cut is the new
opening scene, which focuses on a dog wandering around a
seemingly open field. However, we gradually discover this field was once a
battle ground, and the dog wasn’t aimlessly wondering … it was actually looking
for its owner, who’s body has been reduced to food for the vultures. I feel little
scenes like this do a better job conveying the tension and loss of war then the
straight forward marching troops and battles.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8GQijiEMjxxjcbVoV6VALwUXQW_jRGrB-DwSxUVvsJolnMb2yO5zniY_0emD2Sf7pAb0asAHW0BxEucuEqNCw7zzFv_mW_NGipnkAYmyzYLoP3AKtkxbbr_Ic_9-5Up3n7G8r4pZHe6q9o_a3Xnc9lm3dsuwPOTRP8A09xUTDsNK4ww-CXpgbp2EIBk/s370/dgr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="370" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8GQijiEMjxxjcbVoV6VALwUXQW_jRGrB-DwSxUVvsJolnMb2yO5zniY_0emD2Sf7pAb0asAHW0BxEucuEqNCw7zzFv_mW_NGipnkAYmyzYLoP3AKtkxbbr_Ic_9-5Up3n7G8r4pZHe6q9o_a3Xnc9lm3dsuwPOTRP8A09xUTDsNK4ww-CXpgbp2EIBk/w248-h138/dgr.jpg" width="248" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPLbL_5_lJjf6_loZUSQ1xcX9Qk2kCTyCSIq1ypWpiHw566-GnYDsMxnO0q7XGh5p0BPdU-3gGPxauHlfpWaiur55F3Y9poFu0IJGIe9MoKnT8fluK8WC4UVG5q4wVCoQVPlP2Gs5tyj_V3zVzpZ8jQ6TW3Et7OEZTOu72M-Pizu8e1Ss4spO5ZqoXno/s602/ghngfh.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="602" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPLbL_5_lJjf6_loZUSQ1xcX9Qk2kCTyCSIq1ypWpiHw566-GnYDsMxnO0q7XGh5p0BPdU-3gGPxauHlfpWaiur55F3Y9poFu0IJGIe9MoKnT8fluK8WC4UVG5q4wVCoQVPlP2Gs5tyj_V3zVzpZ8jQ6TW3Et7OEZTOu72M-Pizu8e1Ss4spO5ZqoXno/w257-h138/ghngfh.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The biggest difference is the climactic
sacking of Troy, and a word of <b><span style="color: red;">WARNING</span></b>
for anyone interested, because the Directors Cut is superior, but it’s also
harder to watch with its depictions during the climax. At the end, the Trojan
Horse is revealed as a means to get Greek troops into the city of Troy, and
open the gates for the army to ley siege. While the theatrical cut suggests the
horrible things the Greeks and Spartans would do if they invaded, the Directors cut
shows in horrific detail the barbaric things they do, and it’s very disturbing.
While it’s harder to watch, I feel it also justifies the director’s decision to
make this film more grounded in reality. Sense it’s removing the Greek Gods
present in Homers “<b>Iliad</b>”, it really needed to sell the emotional weight
and loss of the event, which the theatrical cut didn’t really deliver. In the
Directors Cut, I do feel that dramatic weight, horror and loss that’s
transpiring, and it sticks with me afterword’s. It’s all around more impactful,
but like I said … it’s not for the faint of heart.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAMUP_vEHODMYZ6EKI4CXpKt__FFvHXS_lD8ZjFr2tHKNbAT_Atj0XZvQ2zZCpW-bYtg8sDZJvB_vU_96lmsFDiQzVCq0Dub5m-npWzfx0sKDq7j3UCmaY2JxEkV4JgGbNx5p6VtA4_8DTf3y5RQa86OBWNzGYHzzsbLhqbXfAxgzZX7zizEKHRTdvU0/s1598/yuiyu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1598" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAMUP_vEHODMYZ6EKI4CXpKt__FFvHXS_lD8ZjFr2tHKNbAT_Atj0XZvQ2zZCpW-bYtg8sDZJvB_vU_96lmsFDiQzVCq0Dub5m-npWzfx0sKDq7j3UCmaY2JxEkV4JgGbNx5p6VtA4_8DTf3y5RQa86OBWNzGYHzzsbLhqbXfAxgzZX7zizEKHRTdvU0/w275-h153/yuiyu.jpg" width="275" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcIB0yKnnxicYlxdqEsnAlkh60EQzMPiQL_2oyj6hDZZ0VaDOOIO6HBgQKhFvZ4sIgM-m1AXT2ixMktul9x6Q70dFUeQvL710NLzdsnYgPnErD8DG8RH0mXYEe0MJopMm_wPYWsfgkBk7BsJl19CCYP6T3dYguNqrHsC4kGrWoKiTX5ZagAVi9PQnaLg/s1024/5ryer5.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1024" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcIB0yKnnxicYlxdqEsnAlkh60EQzMPiQL_2oyj6hDZZ0VaDOOIO6HBgQKhFvZ4sIgM-m1AXT2ixMktul9x6Q70dFUeQvL710NLzdsnYgPnErD8DG8RH0mXYEe0MJopMm_wPYWsfgkBk7BsJl19CCYP6T3dYguNqrHsC4kGrWoKiTX5ZagAVi9PQnaLg/w233-h153/5ryer5.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, in the Director’s Cut, King Priam’s
death is given the dramatic focus it deserves, while the theatrical cut made
his death little more than a foot-note. Another addition I preferred in the
Director’s Cut was this final shot showing the few surviving Trojans, as they
escape to Mount Ida, which gives the film a shred of hope … like the people
will survive, whereas the theatrical cut just felt empty by never showing them.
Lastly, both versions close with the death and funeral of Achilles, which is
taken from Quintus Smyrnaeus’s poem “<b>Posthomerica</b>”, as opposed to Homers
“<b>Iliad</b>”. This again can be debated on whether it was a good choice, but
for me, I feel it works for the movie on its own. Aside from the Trojan Horse,
the one other iconic visual I expected to see in this film was the body of
Achilles, with the single arrow in his heel … it just felt like a given to have
that iconic image and metaphor of the Achilles Heel depicted in a movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2w3um0flMT9ggMoGf6ErZ31rkAfZCRCyTxkOH3lVB6vOsolKM3aX3-3nRBXItqMItrlPA9FR_qTCqpvYIwLe3Jq-SvkmI_U9YbYgPJ7z3sYxOM0bEUuomQ8BpiJG1UyQ8UgBChyer1ZshGLX40mWxXmaONXEtvdL_G6-oBvYBeYrrBvm5tC6AiSpu40/s513/Picture10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="513" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2w3um0flMT9ggMoGf6ErZ31rkAfZCRCyTxkOH3lVB6vOsolKM3aX3-3nRBXItqMItrlPA9FR_qTCqpvYIwLe3Jq-SvkmI_U9YbYgPJ7z3sYxOM0bEUuomQ8BpiJG1UyQ8UgBChyer1ZshGLX40mWxXmaONXEtvdL_G6-oBvYBeYrrBvm5tC6AiSpu40/w205-h183/Picture10.jpg" width="205" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtPei3bV_L08PqjHkaJovQP1jBymzreEY1AaW2wr5SxKnB17OXFy_Om-QOcH62tRama3a5OSKfQeO3u27uqVVIH7od1JsQiyqD3TomRpqZBUQpaLMbGhn6N6TN0spEOUrM49P4yEwG1b1RH2PFzR0e-FcXcgnEnZkcCk0y1JvEznWcNE4Hk_yaXA36lE/s1920/5rye56.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmtPei3bV_L08PqjHkaJovQP1jBymzreEY1AaW2wr5SxKnB17OXFy_Om-QOcH62tRama3a5OSKfQeO3u27uqVVIH7od1JsQiyqD3TomRpqZBUQpaLMbGhn6N6TN0spEOUrM49P4yEwG1b1RH2PFzR0e-FcXcgnEnZkcCk0y1JvEznWcNE4Hk_yaXA36lE/w294-h183/5rye56.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me,
the 2004 picture “<b>Troy</b>” is a case of not apricating something until it’s
not there anymore. In the time past, there were still great movies to come from
the Ancient Epic genera over in the East, including “<b>Curse of the Golden
Flower</b>” and “<b>Red Cliff</b>”, but over here in the West, the genera just
fizzled out. I feel that post 2006 with the movie “<b>300</b>”, everything had
to be overly stylized, with a comic-book flare, and it just never felt the
same. We don’t really get Epic movies in the vein of “<b>Braveheart</b>” or “<b>Gladiator</b>”
anymore, and “<b>Troy</b>” always felt like the last effort to give the genera a
big picture that at least tried to capture the same spirit of those classics. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Lix4tXiS2y4I2fmH_p7csO8yX28f9rIf-XIF3LAK6vrABdNL-MYQqGtGKFGPPe6kSpb7KiJF2Ya3RyDpQVwsTsu9QO8H5LseBjyXeOM0EHneO4VNgnlHOPrXQQZ-YJ9Al7KF4Ga4D1WZxRKIkKOWtG2XsN_v3mWRvIGDH4J_Y0ceh_hgibPISRcmZJU/s320/uyiyu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Lix4tXiS2y4I2fmH_p7csO8yX28f9rIf-XIF3LAK6vrABdNL-MYQqGtGKFGPPe6kSpb7KiJF2Ya3RyDpQVwsTsu9QO8H5LseBjyXeOM0EHneO4VNgnlHOPrXQQZ-YJ9Al7KF4Ga4D1WZxRKIkKOWtG2XsN_v3mWRvIGDH4J_Y0ceh_hgibPISRcmZJU/s1600/uyiyu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Putting
my personal feelings aside for a moment, the movie “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Troy</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” admittedly
doesn’t reach the same objective qualities or even substance of its
predecessors, and is admittedly quite hammy with its delivery … but with that
said … the entertainment aspects of the film are undeniable. It’s still awesome
to see the famous battle of Troy brought to life in a big budget Hollywood
production, with an appealing cast balancing out all the spectacles. It may not
be the finest Epic movie ever made, but for me, it still succeeds as a straight
forward, entertainment picture. If it’s been a while sense you’ve last seen “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Troy</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
I’d say give it another chance. Also, depending on how you feel about its graphic
content, I’d encourage viewers to give the Directors Cut a chance ... just be aware that it is bloody! Either way,
“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Tory</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” may not be one of the objective best, but still a memorable
entry, and a personal favorite of mine.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorql-C7YZQtx9Q2pDswfrouu_xjUM64cma0MXXtz8AbrYGn_kQuyXPnPmMelaEV35ix_PSiGt40MDG7iFTL1kFJ-yruiRRr1f8xK08eD-V1-gjKHjsSTdxBtNSKwt4abKuF3ftzFOf04yVSeZFCPtwIfrkv0Q8Nze9SfnceWW2J8XdaqIHM0DTxdEB_Y/s1277/bvgft.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="1277" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorql-C7YZQtx9Q2pDswfrouu_xjUM64cma0MXXtz8AbrYGn_kQuyXPnPmMelaEV35ix_PSiGt40MDG7iFTL1kFJ-yruiRRr1f8xK08eD-V1-gjKHjsSTdxBtNSKwt4abKuF3ftzFOf04yVSeZFCPtwIfrkv0Q8Nze9SfnceWW2J8XdaqIHM0DTxdEB_Y/w400-h164/bvgft.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 2004 Epic “<b>Troy</b>” … and continue to enjoy the
movies you Love! <o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-50301903131099637162023-07-20T22:13:00.042-07:002023-08-28T20:14:18.001-07:00My Top 10 Third-Movie Instalments <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvpmgo-rgul_-PuuWD5sc_Kt6BVISm4nwA1EapVOBiK9pCoIPTr6jTSynxzOFe5v0eQP393d_E17tGjJfBASsYDUhO3enuQfHUP5O02IvFlDYKErDzRol7gYhUVeV1t0dMK_jvtiryduVtok-eMi2UDToW8oZRoZceMRkm2M_3x_bTohWaneuBHBsLuc/s640/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="569" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvpmgo-rgul_-PuuWD5sc_Kt6BVISm4nwA1EapVOBiK9pCoIPTr6jTSynxzOFe5v0eQP393d_E17tGjJfBASsYDUhO3enuQfHUP5O02IvFlDYKErDzRol7gYhUVeV1t0dMK_jvtiryduVtok-eMi2UDToW8oZRoZceMRkm2M_3x_bTohWaneuBHBsLuc/w174-h212/Picture1.jpg" width="174" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazvaw1QxD0D0jTGGq4awoUL7pAsqc4Oxr7Fa7u5ju8Ra8C8x23CaTTVHHDYoJA_4niZyZFe8iCQMWJpy2zcHwaXba8b5fY9nUVAzJsQ_hgca9hcs4zm_uVm3OkR847Naj2c_Fr-4W71w7lyX03rW-KCAisG28IeCSxxSIo5nqYGdFtZ-Fy2pTg3SJ9-4/s1478/tuytui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="1000" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazvaw1QxD0D0jTGGq4awoUL7pAsqc4Oxr7Fa7u5ju8Ra8C8x23CaTTVHHDYoJA_4niZyZFe8iCQMWJpy2zcHwaXba8b5fY9nUVAzJsQ_hgca9hcs4zm_uVm3OkR847Naj2c_Fr-4W71w7lyX03rW-KCAisG28IeCSxxSIo5nqYGdFtZ-Fy2pTg3SJ9-4/w136-h212/tuytui.jpg" width="136" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFluHPxh01-a41KP7u7AbgCfJnNftcYTO8EbI84ULtf0da1LXTh5RsI0ttSRVRubWG16mgqkLFKwzcl4K9r9KNI-w2RpyFjvM0VnSKgrIXnh10N5V-nFvGEMxX_s4QqjWf0FfR09AlmMfFB8i0QF0zdlDUUKnGkjYd_8QGwDWRSlulrbPaz6asIWK6Mo/s275/nu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFluHPxh01-a41KP7u7AbgCfJnNftcYTO8EbI84ULtf0da1LXTh5RsI0ttSRVRubWG16mgqkLFKwzcl4K9r9KNI-w2RpyFjvM0VnSKgrIXnh10N5V-nFvGEMxX_s4QqjWf0FfR09AlmMfFB8i0QF0zdlDUUKnGkjYd_8QGwDWRSlulrbPaz6asIWK6Mo/w124-h212/nu.jpg" width="124" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
third time’s the charm right … well, that’s not always the case when it comes
to third installments in film franchises. Frequently, they get regarded as the
worst in a series, or the point when things go down-hill. Personally, while
there are certainly some stinkers, I also feel that third instalments often get
a bad rap, and by extent, I feel there’s more than enough good to great third
movies to balance out the negatives. Just to prove the point, I wanted to count
down my own personal top 10 favorite third-movie instalments in franchises.
Just a reminder, I’ not trying to make any official statement … I’m just
counting down some of my all-time favorite sequels … which just happen to be
third instalments.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 “<b>How
to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World</b>” (2019)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7_GVdvuRoZ3J7rlc8-Mj2S_r8AVLrX5x_67RYdDT49O_StlvMCiRP3mdBh6h15PfPbbu-Du-oGmfgozRnu2vo_yVo41jNe2_dtiMSNhl4623CMP0tCZ7WPGJvkORwzX2dEEbOyZI4wtrMBxcoKy4xJK5okOJMz8MuhCnuE3Yfccg5dsXnKb4bNi9_B0/s1278/Picture18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1278" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7_GVdvuRoZ3J7rlc8-Mj2S_r8AVLrX5x_67RYdDT49O_StlvMCiRP3mdBh6h15PfPbbu-Du-oGmfgozRnu2vo_yVo41jNe2_dtiMSNhl4623CMP0tCZ7WPGJvkORwzX2dEEbOyZI4wtrMBxcoKy4xJK5okOJMz8MuhCnuE3Yfccg5dsXnKb4bNi9_B0/w263-h147/Picture18.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8L3x1LmrHul6Utq0qaSsmoKgeAWT6TeP3xjS95M1FDn-Ad4027nVdojsUGvL2JujkPOGIFypjTkAZURirJRFKwKnHP0hOTEn4MeY1o5UxNHgaUP0pDWtuknXucHKVXr0TLnp411Kx-hhBJhL6R0ToLJ6taiVNGYEjpSv6dUi0FWo8cyMgGk01FJn-yU/s760/Picture17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="760" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8L3x1LmrHul6Utq0qaSsmoKgeAWT6TeP3xjS95M1FDn-Ad4027nVdojsUGvL2JujkPOGIFypjTkAZURirJRFKwKnHP0hOTEn4MeY1o5UxNHgaUP0pDWtuknXucHKVXr0TLnp411Kx-hhBJhL6R0ToLJ6taiVNGYEjpSv6dUi0FWo8cyMgGk01FJn-yU/w221-h147/Picture17.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmm2MYTUXaRQciZXh31BDr-ky7JqaTI2oyibt_GXsHbH99R4XU-ScZQl7w4ioq9Z0WujiNJh2G7NlicXz3Qv2cMBLoan6ST6J_qGqmA7w3kXEEMV4VwXz7iR7rq-TfbG-Jsk-jg56V2nDSMpvPWMY9jdKSxutTwEWCrGIXLyZkWvPD76I7m8YQaZ66wbQ/s680/Picture19.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="574" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmm2MYTUXaRQciZXh31BDr-ky7JqaTI2oyibt_GXsHbH99R4XU-ScZQl7w4ioq9Z0WujiNJh2G7NlicXz3Qv2cMBLoan6ST6J_qGqmA7w3kXEEMV4VwXz7iR7rq-TfbG-Jsk-jg56V2nDSMpvPWMY9jdKSxutTwEWCrGIXLyZkWvPD76I7m8YQaZ66wbQ/s320/Picture19.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">From 2010
all the way through 2019, the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">How to Train Your Dragon</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” series has been
one of my most cherished long running franchises of the decade, … which has
expanded through sequels, shorts, TV shows, and now it all comes to a close
with a deeply fulfilling final chapter. While I’d put “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Hidden World</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
just underneath it’s two predecessors, it was still unmistakably a powerful,
beautifully animated, and largely entertaining swan song for the series. It was
one of those special movie going experiences that felt like an event, as if I
completed a journey that began nearly ten years ago, and now we have a truly
great trilogy for a modern age … along with “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Lord of
the Rings</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, I think “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">How to Train Your Dragon</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” can now be
categorized as one of the great movie trilogies.</span><div><br /><div><br /><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#9 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Captain
America: Civil War</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (2016)</span><div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC7e_cujhSwssaXWtlGGU8yh2qmkukm8rZJcmso-UNOuzPaSFmW-4SYKjqRTjXXD1F3CUrpiq3hLjBLNTtfv8cZaULsE60JfmJ0dA5BjcfEsrl43769CH-Bloqdp0RhWTvXdlcyjKY1YkYKTYzO8DzISO2e-QDnY6BCAWk8NlgOJDX1WGUUROhOQ61Q0/s2048/iuog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="2048" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC7e_cujhSwssaXWtlGGU8yh2qmkukm8rZJcmso-UNOuzPaSFmW-4SYKjqRTjXXD1F3CUrpiq3hLjBLNTtfv8cZaULsE60JfmJ0dA5BjcfEsrl43769CH-Bloqdp0RhWTvXdlcyjKY1YkYKTYzO8DzISO2e-QDnY6BCAWk8NlgOJDX1WGUUROhOQ61Q0/w285-h152/iuog.jpg" width="285" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFyPZLhC9hkcSO0ic-UP_pFZfZeRd0cgucjB6ZdEe2eHt1mCc5kEAB2UEWBYbk9OB1RyjDLK21f7Stj0N1E55aimyoCdep3e0c29SnXw4tw9muSZwbbCbOnceZFp16T0Fvq_ZYm_e1iHKefM_Qp-m_z0L96K5rwmKci3WE80BLgXyt1KL4EWmdhnDTSY/s732/Picture14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="732" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFyPZLhC9hkcSO0ic-UP_pFZfZeRd0cgucjB6ZdEe2eHt1mCc5kEAB2UEWBYbk9OB1RyjDLK21f7Stj0N1E55aimyoCdep3e0c29SnXw4tw9muSZwbbCbOnceZFp16T0Fvq_ZYm_e1iHKefM_Qp-m_z0L96K5rwmKci3WE80BLgXyt1KL4EWmdhnDTSY/w174-h152/Picture14.jpg" width="174" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I admit, I was on the fence if this film really counted, because it's labeled as a third in the "<b>Captain America</b>" film series, it never really felt like chapter 3 of his stand-alone adventures ... especially when there are so many other superhero's present. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOUxxWrvAHdrweL31fUKImsEYWN26gNdsDFtY6txDn6ynovZ1QMcGeMhdh-dCwdFItg56bnZUjrX-HoSfFHP6y61sVoEcLL8ljY7JcYeGxlL-nHcSpPfp-GRUOVzwHVnNmL7dellXrXnpswXd5Uxy33JUjB-OhwKzMP--P_xKE1Rcb1E5cHO7SvPC6ak/s651/Picture15.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="484" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOUxxWrvAHdrweL31fUKImsEYWN26gNdsDFtY6txDn6ynovZ1QMcGeMhdh-dCwdFItg56bnZUjrX-HoSfFHP6y61sVoEcLL8ljY7JcYeGxlL-nHcSpPfp-GRUOVzwHVnNmL7dellXrXnpswXd5Uxy33JUjB-OhwKzMP--P_xKE1Rcb1E5cHO7SvPC6ak/w298-h400/Picture15.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Still, it is third film in a series, and a great one that deserves mention. Once again,
the Avengers assemble … only to disassemble! This is what you call a truly
"great" Superhero movie, as it abandons the common hero movie
formula, and cliched super villains for a real down to earth story that's laird
with subtext, moral debates, conflicting rivals between close friends … yet, it
still allows the audience to have fun, thanks to some well-placed comedy, and
striking visuals. Throw in some welcome new comers, including the long-awaited
appearance of Spider-Man, and one of the most epic hero brawls ever featured on
film, and "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Civil War</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" stands as a benchmark among comic book
movies!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div><div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#8 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Logan</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (2017)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YtlYoGErz9JrlRNIrYzOOvmkSvxWY6i72Bd0b8ZH44x4QptSdM6e-APCoucjlR3iuIg4gPW_zaNiH7-iHbW1O0zRA_gYj-oDjYWeEdoqWVl_QJICJ3bfLUIsOzTzfIMqaai_cX0PnMC3ns6hczAhC_IrJvItDBJSs-nBdkXMDmuud_QI2IPfySFU430/s740/Picture16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="740" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1YtlYoGErz9JrlRNIrYzOOvmkSvxWY6i72Bd0b8ZH44x4QptSdM6e-APCoucjlR3iuIg4gPW_zaNiH7-iHbW1O0zRA_gYj-oDjYWeEdoqWVl_QJICJ3bfLUIsOzTzfIMqaai_cX0PnMC3ns6hczAhC_IrJvItDBJSs-nBdkXMDmuud_QI2IPfySFU430/w273-h156/Picture16.jpg" width="273" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse_0BONYZAR6a9hwtyGrrUnXOFFbUtTQvQk_IWfqpHkcrZsWXBt-cXI2S9TfVK9J49YDUq5_EF1SEfTtff5tg4oY_VyHVoBSgjYZF4kyjxg__JtVkvcWZBh-juqVsqdv9GxiQNFYWPIQkA6a1n7yWibk8GNzGT6Jo35GqVTFLE4ow2GD5Vxydx_LUplI/s3000/uyiu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse_0BONYZAR6a9hwtyGrrUnXOFFbUtTQvQk_IWfqpHkcrZsWXBt-cXI2S9TfVK9J49YDUq5_EF1SEfTtff5tg4oY_VyHVoBSgjYZF4kyjxg__JtVkvcWZBh-juqVsqdv9GxiQNFYWPIQkA6a1n7yWibk8GNzGT6Jo35GqVTFLE4ow2GD5Vxydx_LUplI/w236-h157/uyiu.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">When it came to Wolverine’s solo film series, things seemed to be in reverse, as it started rough, then got better, and concluded with the best received instalment, even receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlP8Ww6MQgI-XUnaCedROm70UD4ng5kNheaRJWizS6PJnWd---WJngjnAOAAuNio10qSx_v7Z91oKjIOX8LLqGQ-bIjwABTL0qTXfliLFBf7bj3Zw4twck1RaSXC2Z5gsI6T73dFZTNPE8yuGxRfVQH-M1S8u_zS3VtbKlFTt_QbZAjZQ7wV9OzrDJlpQ/s750/r6tr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlP8Ww6MQgI-XUnaCedROm70UD4ng5kNheaRJWizS6PJnWd---WJngjnAOAAuNio10qSx_v7Z91oKjIOX8LLqGQ-bIjwABTL0qTXfliLFBf7bj3Zw4twck1RaSXC2Z5gsI6T73dFZTNPE8yuGxRfVQH-M1S8u_zS3VtbKlFTt_QbZAjZQ7wV9OzrDJlpQ/w266-h400/r6tr.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This was the Wolverine film we fans were waiting for … while brutally violent, depressing, and some-what inconsistent in pacing, it was still a poignant, powerfully acted send-off for Jackman in his final role as the iconic hero. It's also a deeply thrilling introduction to X-23, making this a satisfying, and strong entry in the series. I know most fans would rank this film higher … like one of the top three best, but this is one case in which, I just need to be in the right mind-set to watch and appreciate it. Otherwise, this film drains me with its brooding nature, but still … I know a good movie when I see one, and this is easily one of Wolverines most dignified ventures, securing his place as a respected icon of the comic-book genera.</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#7 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Goldfinger</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (1964)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRXpF4--g71MJC3Q7pZMNZ_XjLWt3j-b14W5BXZIOsued3EPaGpY9GY0x4j1Ap6D4f2hJnVw54z0T2JU3i-09gairIopHrapSqxNcFsn4OC2Wj9WPkaPW2v8o1EJprRjXSLyw0-LG4KwyWmnvEdPJhYOjJe1OqQ-LvzdUwoeQjZ4RtJ0v1JrE77UOWmw/s259/nyt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRXpF4--g71MJC3Q7pZMNZ_XjLWt3j-b14W5BXZIOsued3EPaGpY9GY0x4j1Ap6D4f2hJnVw54z0T2JU3i-09gairIopHrapSqxNcFsn4OC2Wj9WPkaPW2v8o1EJprRjXSLyw0-LG4KwyWmnvEdPJhYOjJe1OqQ-LvzdUwoeQjZ4RtJ0v1JrE77UOWmw/w244-h184/nyt.jpg" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLU7qLseHUnbkVGqiCg5rrq-JToQ9nLCH45Arfbzn69RmvHFNnSUY_9FU9SnQ76rhDBcPYJZSGxfm76G22qqu3bHvf2KhVWc735hTcKEgaIzx_DXKdZYTqKp8Jiv4KimBz0ZZJfeUaJZg2FVQM-0n2pxA9sjr7tFgHq_l8fVZr33QgesGF99AftiY0CA/s480/bvr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLU7qLseHUnbkVGqiCg5rrq-JToQ9nLCH45Arfbzn69RmvHFNnSUY_9FU9SnQ76rhDBcPYJZSGxfm76G22qqu3bHvf2KhVWc735hTcKEgaIzx_DXKdZYTqKp8Jiv4KimBz0ZZJfeUaJZg2FVQM-0n2pxA9sjr7tFgHq_l8fVZr33QgesGF99AftiY0CA/w232-h183/bvr.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">People often associate Sean Connery as the absolute best actor to play James Bond, and while I certainly wouldn’t call him my personal favorite, he is unmistakably the most iconic. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CZY8sfi2OilLOwGU-Bu5oe_Xm8YjV8eOl29PfWTmkPmdPskS-UR4pt2a4wv5ratiot6Ct52IXRqB3RoUpb_qh3OD0zO6zSfauuAACZcg6F-kzNghVcP-pWVGtGwve0Vwy0E5dxJGzJyLPYC5VE1IO7ZZyRsxMPP9WozIMYZGbeoAQGgNaAEua2F5ue8/s1000/uiouy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="712" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CZY8sfi2OilLOwGU-Bu5oe_Xm8YjV8eOl29PfWTmkPmdPskS-UR4pt2a4wv5ratiot6Ct52IXRqB3RoUpb_qh3OD0zO6zSfauuAACZcg6F-kzNghVcP-pWVGtGwve0Vwy0E5dxJGzJyLPYC5VE1IO7ZZyRsxMPP9WozIMYZGbeoAQGgNaAEua2F5ue8/w285-h400/uiouy.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No-one else is quiet as sly, witty and charming as him. Admittedly, I never cared for Sean Connery’s overall film series, as I honestly find them to be boring and dated … all with the exception of some select films. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Goldfinger</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” in particular absolutely deserves its status as one of the franchises greatest, and it absolutely is “the classic” 007 movie that brought all of his famous trademarks, and phrases to the screen. This is the one that exploited all of his fancy gadgets, this is the one with the most memorable imagery (like the naked gold girl on the bed), this is the film that Bound coined his famous line “A Martini, Shaken, not stirred”, and this is the film with the all-around most famous leading villain … as well as an equally memorable supporting villain. Even though “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dr. No</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was the first Bond film, I feel that this one will last till the end of time as a great classic in film history. Having said that, there are still three others that I personally enjoy more.</span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#6 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Toy
Story 3</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (2010)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eiBMIkqgbgy498Fdgf3Iy8fVSYROuouZ7d6nAOx2zi6h-knzRMY9k0_Q9m_bp9jKcxamW7dmq0Jbndm28wzjTvSxxZm2OnD17fr1Aq_TaiCemN6UfQF0tlXw5twe-gcED1wUqJCh7Ds5UHnGKCBkPhqPexmuM4a84SAMynbNTocpgt5chMIwWWLaCZI/s1280/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="1280" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eiBMIkqgbgy498Fdgf3Iy8fVSYROuouZ7d6nAOx2zi6h-knzRMY9k0_Q9m_bp9jKcxamW7dmq0Jbndm28wzjTvSxxZm2OnD17fr1Aq_TaiCemN6UfQF0tlXw5twe-gcED1wUqJCh7Ds5UHnGKCBkPhqPexmuM4a84SAMynbNTocpgt5chMIwWWLaCZI/w272-h154/Picture8.jpg" width="272" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVd5uGbFBAKwv5sgi4_5meJx90LxkdV1ThN3I99N4QQuiDgmBRHvrQtnrdcbl6GEqVL1OPTCK4XhFoynqadtw0-PnVxQGXJfiIxP5HtfugcMim3MNS2Z1xBncsPPhO_8aB0LTP-h7M28YaQjKbTNUttG9hSQwfqAlBqT2o8qUFOj_7fdIxeyoBCl-mCPc/s350/mnoiu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="350" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVd5uGbFBAKwv5sgi4_5meJx90LxkdV1ThN3I99N4QQuiDgmBRHvrQtnrdcbl6GEqVL1OPTCK4XhFoynqadtw0-PnVxQGXJfiIxP5HtfugcMim3MNS2Z1xBncsPPhO_8aB0LTP-h7M28YaQjKbTNUttG9hSQwfqAlBqT2o8qUFOj_7fdIxeyoBCl-mCPc/w220-h153/mnoiu.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglo3wD6vkYgCPisDkJPAnwUcoWR_TiGwXzohUN9oefMpcRIIzKyqNqo0hWfvmG7JsBoYdkSLKfvsmtLn1NAd20Es7yEgF9ptIlIjqMBK9WZHB4rHse8uJZMs92YXOiPP7Hu18z9cTvpKo2AEzIyV0ww1sSCohySqNyM_n8UDfdWYMTQz87kdeC3JDp3zY/s626/Picture9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglo3wD6vkYgCPisDkJPAnwUcoWR_TiGwXzohUN9oefMpcRIIzKyqNqo0hWfvmG7JsBoYdkSLKfvsmtLn1NAd20Es7yEgF9ptIlIjqMBK9WZHB4rHse8uJZMs92YXOiPP7Hu18z9cTvpKo2AEzIyV0ww1sSCohySqNyM_n8UDfdWYMTQz87kdeC3JDp3zY/s320/Picture9.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Right next
to the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">How to Train Your Dragon</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” franchise, the "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Toy Story</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"
series is likewise one of my all-time favorites, and the original three fit
quiet comfortably among my top five favorites of Pixar offerings. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Toy Story
3</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is another rare third installment that was nominated for Best Picture,
but really works, and it’s a perfect ending to a classic series of films. The
story is darker, the adventure edgier, yet the comedy is some of the funniest
I’ve seen from any Pixar movie, and the emotional highlights … boy, get those
tissue boxes ready. I felt this film took all the dramatic content I admired
from the previous “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Up</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, but gave me the right balance of fun,
excitement, and a great feeling of closure to a great series. Our lovable cast
of characters come full circle. The villain is intimidating, while also
sympathetic. It’s a sequel that took me right back to my childhood love for the
first two, and is just another solid entry into the Pixar cannon.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b>Spider-Man:
No Way Home</b>” (2021)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qEtFQLk9vQKQyAPpm2oRZrDUCiOkQqmS1OgCEuomBzWncFE3XFoEu1AYoxYw4Vlcp-cVICrj-UJuenYZPj84aIsSqvTCqsUOm7j1WAo0SRYK6Ml6D8ruJYlbL2hqII6R5D-aKWPLOhNwvFiV6JMYUwNYxb4YM_OnNPsBB07lK3WFrKXPM_Jbkp13rv8/s1024/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qEtFQLk9vQKQyAPpm2oRZrDUCiOkQqmS1OgCEuomBzWncFE3XFoEu1AYoxYw4Vlcp-cVICrj-UJuenYZPj84aIsSqvTCqsUOm7j1WAo0SRYK6Ml6D8ruJYlbL2hqII6R5D-aKWPLOhNwvFiV6JMYUwNYxb4YM_OnNPsBB07lK3WFrKXPM_Jbkp13rv8/w235-h149/Picture7.jpg" width="235" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxIeJgLJgG54cNeeISJSunu2htC_XEnw-Orvn7ImNFffEoUz6jFgBoQUPvkenmxfamwN7wr0u029PNzSLW5PezHHYdgl_QHf34TqZfprFYC0C73y6JvIh-fT5ALlLkWLHKag4xtNLCb03W2aSh_BQspOyLrHPXF0ot7nMljg_Ec9FUYWw1T-liq2_a-I/s1920/ukuiy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxIeJgLJgG54cNeeISJSunu2htC_XEnw-Orvn7ImNFffEoUz6jFgBoQUPvkenmxfamwN7wr0u029PNzSLW5PezHHYdgl_QHf34TqZfprFYC0C73y6JvIh-fT5ALlLkWLHKag4xtNLCb03W2aSh_BQspOyLrHPXF0ot7nMljg_Ec9FUYWw1T-liq2_a-I/w266-h150/ukuiy.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s the
third Marvel to make my list, and it’s the epic conclusion of Tom Hollands “<b>Spider-Man:
Home</b>” trilogy … and subsequently one of the web-heads greatest films without
question. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jJ-BYg6JnZRasjB3CwUHeHyeRfswuQGy7Wiu__TcoijeqVkkh9os4PEZZ0qJqXmgqWZFXPFnvyb48qmHwl6jIo8ykGUrynq3m8IqRKaja0wU7eEByLp-pcmxTAF6_UpxgYsSjV5oKVN6tNqbHbE2KK6UzirIyAFafLSPiPh8SpC3upCPX71Dg5Jpf6I/s680/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jJ-BYg6JnZRasjB3CwUHeHyeRfswuQGy7Wiu__TcoijeqVkkh9os4PEZZ0qJqXmgqWZFXPFnvyb48qmHwl6jIo8ykGUrynq3m8IqRKaja0wU7eEByLp-pcmxTAF6_UpxgYsSjV5oKVN6tNqbHbE2KK6UzirIyAFafLSPiPh8SpC3upCPX71Dg5Jpf6I/w286-h400/Picture6.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More than just a conclusion, it was a live-action event crossing over
with previous Spider-Man franchises, and with that, we get the novelty of
seeing actors reprise their iconic roles, as well as interact with one another
… and I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, because this was
material, I never thought I’d see on screen. While unmistakably an outlandish
comic book plot, it’s also sustained with the same beating heart and soul
that’s made Spider-Man one of my favorite hero’s. It's got the spectacle, it’s
got the nostalgia, it’s got the heart, it’s got the adrenaline, it’s got the
emotional character ties, and it’s got satisfying closure for several character
arcs across three different Spider-Man franchises. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Spider-Man: No Way Home</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
has a secure spot among my favorite comic-book movies</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#4 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (2003)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOegYDQloPXqE9kTQcn531RlmObiYA5zRxhIvv0uJGGDbYcAZ-pHntVPu0jT_8rQfcXkWxu21PHcrsWv6liWJP-QahoyAUaVjMyWLFODGbL2eHxTH5rWkloKO9N0jzeD0UBVf8I_b5mh3nC2PaKfBt2x1xkFo0FBzWfWszXCQiAOKz2AOAglxW5wLkPoQ/s1000/Picture13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOegYDQloPXqE9kTQcn531RlmObiYA5zRxhIvv0uJGGDbYcAZ-pHntVPu0jT_8rQfcXkWxu21PHcrsWv6liWJP-QahoyAUaVjMyWLFODGbL2eHxTH5rWkloKO9N0jzeD0UBVf8I_b5mh3nC2PaKfBt2x1xkFo0FBzWfWszXCQiAOKz2AOAglxW5wLkPoQ/w228-h152/Picture13.jpg" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6haUSyQ-8cO8PZvnUX52H4xUacXsyCGNkRjuN0DjPkeBY8uRgKfLAlHZKmz84oMINfqhhIUdQsYvQljAikC1S72wmVkyqbHrvTUg1hRIAtCM9o5fOmfTzp3cgMTEeWIvkAK3KsOubA_o65c2a9K0ZLoWk1rG0dTCyfdCBHXfnmoQWnX2bv-JMILag64/s700/jug.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="700" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6haUSyQ-8cO8PZvnUX52H4xUacXsyCGNkRjuN0DjPkeBY8uRgKfLAlHZKmz84oMINfqhhIUdQsYvQljAikC1S72wmVkyqbHrvTUg1hRIAtCM9o5fOmfTzp3cgMTEeWIvkAK3KsOubA_o65c2a9K0ZLoWk1rG0dTCyfdCBHXfnmoQWnX2bv-JMILag64/w267-h153/jug.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">It was already something of a rare anomaly to see a sequel win Best Picture, but on top of that, this marked the very first Fantasy Epic to win the gold prize. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS6WTfNnGb0HhEm8r7dyGyYd9PtaLojCQSSKJwfpr-C9atYFqbCXRPICe-tnAHjUNbQ6h6Twf72Iv-7lBEHXPyuK8APunA8_s1YttAT3vB-HAp5wInbBerUBNSwbW7jyc2HT3niLBVXbzjo7ZDzzzI3Alc553kJpla0-CqVfclXKiNu5ZEFylh0lUKZc/s384/hju.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="260" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS6WTfNnGb0HhEm8r7dyGyYd9PtaLojCQSSKJwfpr-C9atYFqbCXRPICe-tnAHjUNbQ6h6Twf72Iv-7lBEHXPyuK8APunA8_s1YttAT3vB-HAp5wInbBerUBNSwbW7jyc2HT3niLBVXbzjo7ZDzzzI3Alc553kJpla0-CqVfclXKiNu5ZEFylh0lUKZc/w271-h400/hju.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For a genera that’s commonly associated with B-list entertainment, this marked a special event when both audiences and critics were seeing eye-to-eye. I personally liked this movie when it first came out back in 2004, but it was admittedly the one I liked the least of the original trilogy. However, over the years, not only have I come around to loving this film, but I’ve really come to view it was one of the most important movie sequels ever made. It proved that third times the charm, and an already mighty franchise can have a near-flawless sendoff … which has proven increasingly more difficult with other big trilogies that have come in the wake of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Lord of the Rings</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. All these years later, this film still feels epic, and features some of the most stunning action the genera have to offer. Visually breathtaking and emotionally powerful, "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Return of the King</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" remains a moving experience, and a satisfying conclusion to a classic movie trilogy!</span></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">#3 “<b>Avengers: Infinity War</b>” (2018)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTIhzOto2082iNC1fvXMOzwzb1CDhYI_AdGm7tdH_7YzogtnD2pEgg07WA1KH-_-g300oZ44PnU0iF4wBb1o4pT7G-SQ4DAtTpxz_Jauqc-Yu6sZ8JXezF-qnR1VAtKj-Rs7vaC1Rx3noV1iL-GfzQipkspewy2O5ujwpFLIBhDqpc4yFItRcc4wHGuk/s1278/Picture11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1278" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTIhzOto2082iNC1fvXMOzwzb1CDhYI_AdGm7tdH_7YzogtnD2pEgg07WA1KH-_-g300oZ44PnU0iF4wBb1o4pT7G-SQ4DAtTpxz_Jauqc-Yu6sZ8JXezF-qnR1VAtKj-Rs7vaC1Rx3noV1iL-GfzQipkspewy2O5ujwpFLIBhDqpc4yFItRcc4wHGuk/w273-h180/Picture11.jpg" width="273" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSKiADU6K35ZXJn_6sLYEfX5JoXXQzU4s-V6QiPBnFbheHpZiHw_SGho9xrB3y76OIVCFbSGjK7K7F_ogU0gM3bNtTi1FzDmOzJuzdy54TtGbBc8-LjuAAhOKq9BAllRdV3H_MuS7q8rgtAf8UX8xLmfeGVFyz5TMiGvRsmwZVylOA14WjUWyvBH1I64/s720/Picture12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSKiADU6K35ZXJn_6sLYEfX5JoXXQzU4s-V6QiPBnFbheHpZiHw_SGho9xrB3y76OIVCFbSGjK7K7F_ogU0gM3bNtTi1FzDmOzJuzdy54TtGbBc8-LjuAAhOKq9BAllRdV3H_MuS7q8rgtAf8UX8xLmfeGVFyz5TMiGvRsmwZVylOA14WjUWyvBH1I64/w244-h180/Picture12.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Whether you’re a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or not, there’s no denying that it’s one of the most colossal, expanded franchises ever to hit the theater, and “<b>Infinity War</b>” was the highly anticipated event that several prior films have been building up to. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMCzZwzL-gKDWcDfKwBQYx0oHMm8BRM8TGWu0YZraTBUE9JJthBu9M9iUhZOy6IG1vumeyGtIZLICqMsp37AL0KEg0jM02vzvIP8uCpBuHG9_r2vrYj_qMYvG8qifWQjUDf3hW6mblsD0NwESFYUhnRkARv8zWFzQUR3ix_nbFrrW0fDMU1k9fxtYwzY/s636/Picture10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="486" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMCzZwzL-gKDWcDfKwBQYx0oHMm8BRM8TGWu0YZraTBUE9JJthBu9M9iUhZOy6IG1vumeyGtIZLICqMsp37AL0KEg0jM02vzvIP8uCpBuHG9_r2vrYj_qMYvG8qifWQjUDf3hW6mblsD0NwESFYUhnRkARv8zWFzQUR3ix_nbFrrW0fDMU1k9fxtYwzY/w276-h361/Picture10.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m thankful to say that the wait was worth it, as this sequel surpassed my expectations, and in my view is one of the absolute best of the series … like top 3 easily … actually, it might just be my new #1 favorite. With the largest roll-call of hero's thus far, and an all-out war taking place in several locations, we fans knew this was going to be a spectacle, but there's thankfully so much more to the experience than just the spectacle. Our favorite hero’s felt more vulnerable, and subsequently more human than most previous films. There were also several genuine surprises along the way, and considering this franchises line up, it’s challenging to get surprised. All-around, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Infinity War</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was a mega Superhero sensation in every respect of the word, with the highest stakes yet, the grandest ensemble cast, hilarious team interplay, large scale battles, emotional character drama, and a villain to be remembered through the ages.</span></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">#2 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star
Wars: Return of the Jedi</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” (1983)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4-yh9P8UmC6IRQZxxEok0-jEEBD5zwoP9pmhUCVZFFJjF618f5TvaLaNkYyn4m4_miTJkhm07rfYpsTSb0eDHH5rOBH7WRp-41R81JwT88JpDsHYdT8Cx6QPxuZ5jYlk3zhsXARkvDJI-C65fFPZ5AtLPuZKoeoBJ0nTgR9w1F1GoMx4dLTl87N52aY/s1536/nmi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1536" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4-yh9P8UmC6IRQZxxEok0-jEEBD5zwoP9pmhUCVZFFJjF618f5TvaLaNkYyn4m4_miTJkhm07rfYpsTSb0eDHH5rOBH7WRp-41R81JwT88JpDsHYdT8Cx6QPxuZ5jYlk3zhsXARkvDJI-C65fFPZ5AtLPuZKoeoBJ0nTgR9w1F1GoMx4dLTl87N52aY/w260-h208/nmi.jpg" width="260" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HUnn1devDvknzLR32XooZbC1iOExtal5t4bqVF2LKUXWcnYUOQeaJpdXDKkYi5zLGhj_rmfPbh1aBHB_nwVKUPdLC_me0DHEzXSN3tuNm3SpeUUI5_EYh7xjxYqil3D7aUSi3C5mD2miJeCvKC3PVXdFRoKTYfrQyCv9jTEP0QqeavSGatRSYupdhQk/s687/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="687" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HUnn1devDvknzLR32XooZbC1iOExtal5t4bqVF2LKUXWcnYUOQeaJpdXDKkYi5zLGhj_rmfPbh1aBHB_nwVKUPdLC_me0DHEzXSN3tuNm3SpeUUI5_EYh7xjxYqil3D7aUSi3C5mD2miJeCvKC3PVXdFRoKTYfrQyCv9jTEP0QqeavSGatRSYupdhQk/w263-h208/Picture5.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I wouldn’t
be surprised if anyone had a film from the original “<b>Star Wars</b>” trilogy
amongst their favorite movies, and for me, “<b>Return of the Jedi</b>” will
always stand as my personal favorite. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWm8C1wLu6rez8q00dsVbfl9boZ1ggVQpBEu9q1oFocGSbRMJnuUiyFA0bSrOyO6MxHH12WtY9ubCqpQT2X07NSanXdl-o0b6dLPlvJAGCgcPpXMvlt-X3reKzVuYl5pEvRs-9em6BJPHLr6L42feHSOPbffbY5pvyEdsYha7YwE5d5uBhm4tVZkxueq0/s2560/oipu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWm8C1wLu6rez8q00dsVbfl9boZ1ggVQpBEu9q1oFocGSbRMJnuUiyFA0bSrOyO6MxHH12WtY9ubCqpQT2X07NSanXdl-o0b6dLPlvJAGCgcPpXMvlt-X3reKzVuYl5pEvRs-9em6BJPHLr6L42feHSOPbffbY5pvyEdsYha7YwE5d5uBhm4tVZkxueq0/w300-h400/oipu.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s the perfect conclusion to a great
string of movies and a rare third installment that’s superior to its
predecessors. Not only is it a very entertaining Sci-Fi adventure, with amazing
battles both on land and in space, but this is the one with the most heart, and
conflict. It’s the father/ son relation that makes this film so much more
powerful and memorable then the first two. Neither Luke nor Vader are turning
away from what they view is right but beneath it all, they just want to be a
family again. The final battle between the two carries so much emotion that it
goes beyond a thrilling fight between good and evil. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Return of the Jedi</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
is a thrilling Sci-Fi adventure with great characters, lots of action and
plenty of stirring human emotion at the center.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I
reveal my Number One Favorite, here are some Honorable Mentions …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQwJ-hYovCRHjWPPLvKcbrvhzovadazmLn-PB8LNGQzAbnyU-a7gMkzmscCLq8NzafDutmR_o1Oz0hL20E9Zr7hBtCHOIm4o3cCp5ED7g-SfwFpRDRzsECtCsMr-j70OLNpKwRsU9rQsYB6JU2TrTRs2jO06yJ5S6O-Duc4kucTvhZ1fjclM1KRULtcQ/s720/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQwJ-hYovCRHjWPPLvKcbrvhzovadazmLn-PB8LNGQzAbnyU-a7gMkzmscCLq8NzafDutmR_o1Oz0hL20E9Zr7hBtCHOIm4o3cCp5ED7g-SfwFpRDRzsECtCsMr-j70OLNpKwRsU9rQsYB6JU2TrTRs2jO06yJ5S6O-Duc4kucTvhZ1fjclM1KRULtcQ/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Harry
Potter and the Prisoner</b></span><b> </b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">of Azkaban</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">War for
the Planet of the Apes</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</b>” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Thor Ragnarok</b>” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Star
Trek Beyond</b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b>Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade</b>” (1989)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHs8a1fN0T2f10KfKmrOWM5SYo16nRSRpLZ-PgmJmdtVw36tXnwLuEjLPN4wuaVRbrb4FN7H9Gnr4u-1hbk4rcWpHuKJiTR9V93JWwdm5659yVr8xkd2M4ZTmm72HCpc5pQJyYHWrawyyoItFR5OiAwLR40Yrlb_3ggO6M0Xfrpy--A0M7gLV8uzxDRA4/s620/Picture4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="620" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHs8a1fN0T2f10KfKmrOWM5SYo16nRSRpLZ-PgmJmdtVw36tXnwLuEjLPN4wuaVRbrb4FN7H9Gnr4u-1hbk4rcWpHuKJiTR9V93JWwdm5659yVr8xkd2M4ZTmm72HCpc5pQJyYHWrawyyoItFR5OiAwLR40Yrlb_3ggO6M0Xfrpy--A0M7gLV8uzxDRA4/w231-h151/Picture4.jpg" width="231" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMBmzjuM0a7cMUbDKkjrewOGeFnHftUlkS60NGO0N7qP-74v8WGSHZjdEpHYTnpfHk6ksbA_d7dTvKI-NqK5_4FDJdC8Zwz9Wwm3_kKt8fHUqTzYLlLlIFzgUSrBGk1HoN5_eicvAlht6Sdu9jAsjgayJe9OFVdJCToBpyeNfpR5gYyKnocT1sW0jpwQ/s1278/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1278" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMBmzjuM0a7cMUbDKkjrewOGeFnHftUlkS60NGO0N7qP-74v8WGSHZjdEpHYTnpfHk6ksbA_d7dTvKI-NqK5_4FDJdC8Zwz9Wwm3_kKt8fHUqTzYLlLlIFzgUSrBGk1HoN5_eicvAlht6Sdu9jAsjgayJe9OFVdJCToBpyeNfpR5gYyKnocT1sW0jpwQ/w267-h150/Picture3.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here it is, my favorite third-movie
instalment, and by extent by favorite movie sequel. While “<b>Raiders</b>” is
obviously the original classic that broke new ground, “<b>The Last Crusade</b>”
is that rare sequel that I feel can stand on equal ground with the first as a
motion picture masterpiece, and in my personal opinion is just a hair better. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOWS0Q98gxjYms8TMbmaYInTZ9uDdWRrYOFQd_so1wylro-bfcqhjshoOFgg-PPFb7BSxNn1QkB_udYDKaJ-LxTqASPdRxegooDl6V5vfWZSuylTRrAupB3tI_RLVl2lDNauuuhogx7rWEt2SE9jaED_MHDCCApJW_OEE7KgspRQNqDGj1sP5-zfdhws/s1487/hgjy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1487" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOWS0Q98gxjYms8TMbmaYInTZ9uDdWRrYOFQd_so1wylro-bfcqhjshoOFgg-PPFb7BSxNn1QkB_udYDKaJ-LxTqASPdRxegooDl6V5vfWZSuylTRrAupB3tI_RLVl2lDNauuuhogx7rWEt2SE9jaED_MHDCCApJW_OEE7KgspRQNqDGj1sP5-zfdhws/w269-h400/hgjy.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For me, this is it, “<b>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade</b>” is hands down
my favorite in all of adventure cinema, and is personally one of my all-time
favorite movies … quite honestly, I’d put it in my top three.</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It
takes the basic outline of a treasure hunt and transcends it into an epic quest
to find one of the most holly artifacts in history, and protect it from an army
of evil. Beyond that, it’s an engaging story about a broken family coming
closer together through a series of challenges. Harrison Forde and Sean Connery
make for one of my favorite on-screen pairings ever, and make for one of the
most dynamic father/son relationships I’ve ever seen. The movie balances
incredible action with a healthy sense of humor, welcome surprises around every
corner, and even a fair amount of moral substance. It’s plain and simply one of
the greatest of its kind, and will likely remain as my favorite adventure movie
of all time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz9LVWeiA9qGCd9ZOkMNspIau_i9ubHgL1qlIagM6ngXXriiOXCw3NXvAMjd-0AfJ7fR91IJH6RgbU8IIGK6VFODFKniwfQ3SM60N0wUG8ZEX693E9WVdjpFopPXMlE9GqXVIZPofgAwm1P6x-vedGuecKsWWzjZGQXPAum6X9qledmjeAGyVuIRf2iA/s1920/ghnbyt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1920" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz9LVWeiA9qGCd9ZOkMNspIau_i9ubHgL1qlIagM6ngXXriiOXCw3NXvAMjd-0AfJ7fR91IJH6RgbU8IIGK6VFODFKniwfQ3SM60N0wUG8ZEX693E9WVdjpFopPXMlE9GqXVIZPofgAwm1P6x-vedGuecKsWWzjZGQXPAum6X9qledmjeAGyVuIRf2iA/w400-h154/ghnbyt.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-52949306964147292322023-06-28T21:05:00.013-07:002023-07-02T18:39:51.871-07:00Godzilla vs Kong (2021) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQZNG4L0dmHFe8JN2b0V2VRg6XD85XDcwbvulW7uG8VraLpcs4WUXAlAXVfeW82GYknMEGHKl7SADxusHBn37axtfd2ccKXrVKmiIFYMZ07GUJTZ-nUfqYFZOluIMjnQWgPj5DyMVRu4ShlXzQ2VGokvQyrlxz32Ea08ET_oYJ2UgzQB-_5ZHY2_Qkac/s443/Picture10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQZNG4L0dmHFe8JN2b0V2VRg6XD85XDcwbvulW7uG8VraLpcs4WUXAlAXVfeW82GYknMEGHKl7SADxusHBn37axtfd2ccKXrVKmiIFYMZ07GUJTZ-nUfqYFZOluIMjnQWgPj5DyMVRu4ShlXzQ2VGokvQyrlxz32Ea08ET_oYJ2UgzQB-_5ZHY2_Qkac/w299-h400/Picture10.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> Back when I was just a kid, I loved me some
giant monsters, and admittedly I still do even as an adult. Of course, Godzilla
was my biggest idled childhood monster, with King Kong being a respectable favorite,
and for the longest time, I always wanted to see the two most famous movie
titans clash in a modern blockbuster. I certainly have fondness reserved for the
goofy 1960’s “<b>King Kong vs Godzilla</b>”, and yet … ever sense I was about
seven years old, I always dreamt of seeing Godzilla and King Kong, with bigger
budget special effects, and the best action that contemporary blockbusters
could offer. Well, my childhood dream finally came true in 2021 with “<b>Godzilla
vs Kong</b>”. This marked the fourth instalment in “Legendary Pictures” shared
monster universe, and acts as a sequel to 2017’s “<b>Kong: Skull Island</b>”,
as well as 2019’s “<b>Godzilla: King of the Monsters</b>”. Needless to say …
this crossover gave me everything I wanted … then it gave me more … and then it
gave me things I wasn’t even expecting. Safe to say, that seven-year-old boy
that still resides inside me was giddy from head to toe.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SMqHzUA3EPcUz4Bg5UBRCm_9o2_L2NsFwf3lkBVMcUcxNpoCA8LqGj93eRmxHxu2Y-J5H_K7Z3QkTJcCTEUkQyV8QQu6THxZACcJ0vcMHQ9VZ9V3jfcTBBTh905qt03_vqZRinrDAzbBUgSPkV5SkYz2X234kl7rbfzB3ctjhvxAujT4dXMlaMOVu8A/s800/uioyo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SMqHzUA3EPcUz4Bg5UBRCm_9o2_L2NsFwf3lkBVMcUcxNpoCA8LqGj93eRmxHxu2Y-J5H_K7Z3QkTJcCTEUkQyV8QQu6THxZACcJ0vcMHQ9VZ9V3jfcTBBTh905qt03_vqZRinrDAzbBUgSPkV5SkYz2X234kl7rbfzB3ctjhvxAujT4dXMlaMOVu8A/w254-h169/uioyo.jpg" width="254" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7LxBsobXqErBhHUnStJeJSYOcq_E8A_gI7ORrKt_iL2HvXSihrkt_o3_LCYwjmEHgY18BzRwReQEI8xStF2m-_lsGbO8kSxihDi-e74yzDCk6teItz7lgLvZyWBhN2EIqz-5gF_-Hr_7JTEVTFJ7JgyHSbUewggvPeCHfrOQF_kvfy386goBgBUmAOo/s1280/dfgdf.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7LxBsobXqErBhHUnStJeJSYOcq_E8A_gI7ORrKt_iL2HvXSihrkt_o3_LCYwjmEHgY18BzRwReQEI8xStF2m-_lsGbO8kSxihDi-e74yzDCk6teItz7lgLvZyWBhN2EIqz-5gF_-Hr_7JTEVTFJ7JgyHSbUewggvPeCHfrOQF_kvfy386goBgBUmAOo/w256-h169/dfgdf.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> After saving the Earth from a number of
deadly monsters, Godzilla seems to have finally snapped, and is going on a deadly
rampage. This comes much to the dismay of the young teenager Madison, who along
with her dad, was rescued by Godzilla in the previous film. Thus, she sets off
on a mission with a small team, to discover what’s stirring the giant monster’s
rage. Suspect number one is a mysterious organization called Apex Cybernetics,
who might just be harboring a secret weapon to use against the monsters. Meanwhile,
the giant ape King Kong fears that he’s being hunted by Godzilla, sets-off on a
journey to find a new home, and maybe discover the place of his origins. His
journey leads him to Hollow Earth, which is apparently where all of Earths
giant monsters originated from, and holds a power-source that can rival any
man-made technology. However, no-matter how deep King Kong travels, all roads
will lead to a match-up with his long-standing cinematic rival ... Godzilla.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMtKxC_xaVfTgeQVED8aSEazRPeDgUP3HAriReG2rVCkFC2KdPR_1uPk0ZCrY3deGzirD4-huYAoHIE6B3z29_iDw7ySlET2NhUH2wmJDSBDfbQIAiYM6e2N1pF27k457w2K3ooair87z7CxH-qqR-54d3KBpvGLJccDIAhJ6AYJ3TKevIHool9jC9AE/s471/tdhr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="471" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMtKxC_xaVfTgeQVED8aSEazRPeDgUP3HAriReG2rVCkFC2KdPR_1uPk0ZCrY3deGzirD4-huYAoHIE6B3z29_iDw7ySlET2NhUH2wmJDSBDfbQIAiYM6e2N1pF27k457w2K3ooair87z7CxH-qqR-54d3KBpvGLJccDIAhJ6AYJ3TKevIHool9jC9AE/w192-h152/tdhr.jpg" width="192" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSmiZkjyHCEJT1EavMlM6WVlF6Mb7pog57LKBMW5TRuBXPFH0wYIqWZghHExPKsHcO4CmcM0VowmK7AvayRZV_97xqV77JqX_HgYCV91R2-MCLMUQlvFyK4-vjxYZjuA34nwbAHVZ54IjnRYXS0H_lTgaO0fLItUJIYX6fbYh7sAoZ2s6uSISBrVBVhU/s1200/uyiuoiuo.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="1200" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSmiZkjyHCEJT1EavMlM6WVlF6Mb7pog57LKBMW5TRuBXPFH0wYIqWZghHExPKsHcO4CmcM0VowmK7AvayRZV_97xqV77JqX_HgYCV91R2-MCLMUQlvFyK4-vjxYZjuA34nwbAHVZ54IjnRYXS0H_lTgaO0fLItUJIYX6fbYh7sAoZ2s6uSISBrVBVhU/w314-h152/uyiuoiuo.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> While
my favorite giant lizard gets top-billing, this is unmistakably King Kong’s
movie, arguably the most screen-time he’s ever gotten, and he really feels like
a character, as opposed to just another giant monster or special effect. I love
that we’re introduced to him as just another day in the life, getting out of
bed, giving himself a shower, all set to a pop song, and honestly bringing to
mind the opening from “<b>Shrek</b>” … but it really works in making Kong feel
like an individual, as opposed to a giant beast. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIggnZCiGjqAIbi6Mg3xPA1i08fX3FLkomriQZcvodLhcylDmzhXZvNnKmSBYyuT4qD32Fo_TAcExCTLA3NG-zVhSV5-WRTKI1V1tqBz7TEncmTTQS5tbxZaeBuwDAVSVWY5opKF2aJ6fuDKoIaW0Rjyp6o55zMKsKtL2MlCGeOvMbJFFC4Kve8iL8uHE/s1280/Picture1646.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIggnZCiGjqAIbi6Mg3xPA1i08fX3FLkomriQZcvodLhcylDmzhXZvNnKmSBYyuT4qD32Fo_TAcExCTLA3NG-zVhSV5-WRTKI1V1tqBz7TEncmTTQS5tbxZaeBuwDAVSVWY5opKF2aJ6fuDKoIaW0Rjyp6o55zMKsKtL2MlCGeOvMbJFFC4Kve8iL8uHE/s320/Picture1646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Naturally, he’s CGI, but
brought to life with a lot of personality, mannerism, intimidation, and even a
reserved sense of emotion. His journey into Hollow Earth is certainly an
outlandish one for him, but for me is very welcome, as I’ve seen so many King
Kong movies repeat the same formulas in the same settings … so I was more than
ready to see Kong out of his element, and into new territory. Also, the setting
of Hollow Earth is effectively wonderous, vast in scope, and just opens the
door for new possibilities in this universe. I also love this moment when Kong
defeats a flying serpent, and then drinks out of its head, almost like he’s
giving himself a toast. The visual design for this Hollow Earth is familiar,
but still quite effective, and looks great overall, as do the creatures. While
the film wasn’t nominated at the Oscars for Best Special Effects, but was still
noted on their list, and just didn’t quite make it. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ8Rq5vYYT9G4IeR6pTPJdO3Y8y9mRbKldxWR3q3FCc4fsVRr3_wo0yjjQnac9QuYRwXAkl9G-TZGLGaUC5GJuDsl1BiVI5244b4svuo_g0XQ_dPQj1OQ6N623q60DRKmkg__4LETeLFCl2YoMDB7rExMLaCoec1KsFpBjWJSIkpDlYuRZr9LcKckYrc/s1200/poi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZ8Rq5vYYT9G4IeR6pTPJdO3Y8y9mRbKldxWR3q3FCc4fsVRr3_wo0yjjQnac9QuYRwXAkl9G-TZGLGaUC5GJuDsl1BiVI5244b4svuo_g0XQ_dPQj1OQ6N623q60DRKmkg__4LETeLFCl2YoMDB7rExMLaCoec1KsFpBjWJSIkpDlYuRZr9LcKckYrc/w320-h185/poi.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XQpui2TKHSk3nYfrkJyBMdADLjKMnSsDSuAX9T_TZXZW9OC_Am9e_72DZ-G27Ik__TrtQVAoCOUGIZcVWQDwkeKDHnDuYA9ve_imFXc1gayF562RmSTauDcaHiuJz5xPfwkymwuprMdFuczAv_Fv__k5aSomI8cQPAt23YP4U9IWMIxDSWRfNC_Xgaw/s623/iuoy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="623" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XQpui2TKHSk3nYfrkJyBMdADLjKMnSsDSuAX9T_TZXZW9OC_Am9e_72DZ-G27Ik__TrtQVAoCOUGIZcVWQDwkeKDHnDuYA9ve_imFXc1gayF562RmSTauDcaHiuJz5xPfwkymwuprMdFuczAv_Fv__k5aSomI8cQPAt23YP4U9IWMIxDSWRfNC_Xgaw/w187-h185/iuoy.jpg" width="187" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> At the heart of the film is a subtle relation
between Kong and a little deaf girl named Jia, who’s the last surviving
decedent of the natives from Skull Island. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3FlJjnTvKBel-p2QPeySD4v333E7j4_WlaR79ALShxAHI5Z-TX48VD3A9bl7VPbcKIUvg7gt1F6zSZA47a9oxTzS0Tlc33udP-XJhydnBbB2eZEGiXR2SIW87mveVfygFUX2jisqS3nNoHKHucIPUL46EpB_go0OMwk8nlwO2zcWGHd4MbRzqamG5HA/s600/ytkgy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="426" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3FlJjnTvKBel-p2QPeySD4v333E7j4_WlaR79ALShxAHI5Z-TX48VD3A9bl7VPbcKIUvg7gt1F6zSZA47a9oxTzS0Tlc33udP-XJhydnBbB2eZEGiXR2SIW87mveVfygFUX2jisqS3nNoHKHucIPUL46EpB_go0OMwk8nlwO2zcWGHd4MbRzqamG5HA/s320/ytkgy.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">She’s indebted to the mighty King
after he saved her in a storm, and are even able to communicate with each
other, which is great … I love that we’re finally seeing Kong open a dialog of
sorts with a human character. The two have a very sweet connection, and it’s
nice to just see Kong in a simple, yet humble friendship with a girl, as
opposed to whisking one away through some kind of romantic connection. The
young Kaylee Hottle plays Jia, and really is a deaf actress, but she
effectively conveys all the right emotions and charms that make her a
meaningful screen presence to balance out the monsters. The remaining human
characters all do their parts without over-stepping their bonds, and while
no-one else really leaves an impression, their at least played well by a
committed cast. Rebecca Hall plays a doctor who watches over Kong, as well as
parents the little girl Jia, and the two likewise have a convincing chemistry.
Millie Bobby Brown is also given more to do in her role as Madison, and it’s
easy to follow the character on her journey with her new team of friends.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRgv2_jOINJpyrOwILwc5k4HYC__GTjiQWxn8OzYAScBXwaspr0bgpZcamGHpKfHCT6wS8SduOft4TElB-22SLlOgYTmfltb41irWQJLBd4ZqZIFe0Wsbq-XdBfSJiuVvtqzjYxypOuhxNBDYfaCra4oVJCHO0w0NuvxfJPVpqCKDVP_xfUx3kwbK33o/s900/utkyu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRgv2_jOINJpyrOwILwc5k4HYC__GTjiQWxn8OzYAScBXwaspr0bgpZcamGHpKfHCT6wS8SduOft4TElB-22SLlOgYTmfltb41irWQJLBd4ZqZIFe0Wsbq-XdBfSJiuVvtqzjYxypOuhxNBDYfaCra4oVJCHO0w0NuvxfJPVpqCKDVP_xfUx3kwbK33o/w272-h160/utkyu.jpg" width="272" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWlLUTukEmNzOS7iVIc6fczK1Fcjerc2yA7BttX8-w7A3przorc8YLWmZOnxD-M4i-fT23G9_mOqCFRefI7FNORvCJ_O8ow1L8Vs8RQlnMTmjb6tXueOIgghUEd5p6Kx2sTZUHckebLKj6N9diZhA1yCxslrro6WXI26JUutwyWJ2GxHLlxvo6anwnQc/s558/try6.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="558" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWlLUTukEmNzOS7iVIc6fczK1Fcjerc2yA7BttX8-w7A3przorc8YLWmZOnxD-M4i-fT23G9_mOqCFRefI7FNORvCJ_O8ow1L8Vs8RQlnMTmjb6tXueOIgghUEd5p6Kx2sTZUHckebLKj6N9diZhA1yCxslrro6WXI26JUutwyWJ2GxHLlxvo6anwnQc/w244-h160/try6.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> Even Godzilla
has more personality on display then he’s had in any of the previous American
films, which is a welcome return to his classic rubber suited days. He’s still
brought to life trough modern CGI, and looks really good overall, but it’s that
extra touch of personality that makes him feel real to me. I like that he has
an almost twisted smile in some shots, and I love that he and Kong get in each
other’s faces, as a means to intimidate one another. The biggest surprise of
all is a moment when Godzilla chuckles, which is great, as it once again emphasizes
that he’s a character first, and a giant monster second. In a more serious
Godzilla movie, this would have been off-putting, but this movie is all for fun,
and when that’s the established tone, I want Godzilla to reflect that. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdloTtPM7aeS-mxDLBnolNwoHMTRwOhJ7iqZG6IMvTe84zFTQKwMCMxEM9PVEblVZu3kmu7guztNQGh7TmWjor_MMu98CV8zuhpHMt6aI3b67TioY-WfP8-QIEnib6bmrcwU7qWBqF9br77MRWXdAdV0GhWhtYb9z5_KoQmt96Ho-kUxkXW_0YEjSRS0/s800/Picture198.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdloTtPM7aeS-mxDLBnolNwoHMTRwOhJ7iqZG6IMvTe84zFTQKwMCMxEM9PVEblVZu3kmu7guztNQGh7TmWjor_MMu98CV8zuhpHMt6aI3b67TioY-WfP8-QIEnib6bmrcwU7qWBqF9br77MRWXdAdV0GhWhtYb9z5_KoQmt96Ho-kUxkXW_0YEjSRS0/w221-h138/Picture198.jpg" width="221" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIem5FB4uBgdVY28SMDIT5ItdxnAC-YYRE3vDYLUnBZHixHMwXS2g1yBQl8UI69GYC8vA_mI8yzlddXuT-WLUB_A0KSEqtsDTz15h4OXRjZ13up_-BEHYiNOpsyV2aLaUrurMv46mx_J6xAQq9uQNp7Vg84ymI-H4F0_YWoS1oXiyrIvTMaQxekCqeXU/s548/231.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="548" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIem5FB4uBgdVY28SMDIT5ItdxnAC-YYRE3vDYLUnBZHixHMwXS2g1yBQl8UI69GYC8vA_mI8yzlddXuT-WLUB_A0KSEqtsDTz15h4OXRjZ13up_-BEHYiNOpsyV2aLaUrurMv46mx_J6xAQq9uQNp7Vg84ymI-H4F0_YWoS1oXiyrIvTMaQxekCqeXU/w285-h139/231.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> Of course, the big draw to this film is
seeing Godzilla and King Kong rematch, with contemporary visuals, spectacle and
energy on display. Naturally, the film more than satisfied my expectations. While
the original film built-up to one big brawl between the two, this movie breaks-up
their clashes over the course of the film, which is very welcome, and keeps the
momentum going. Thankfully, this movie wasn’t afraid to feature the monsters
battling in the bright day time, which is a huge improvement over the previous
films, which set their battles in dark, murky and relentlessly rainy settings. King
Kong ad Godzilla’s first match is out in the ocean, both above and below the
water line, which is a welcome change-up. Their second battle is at night in
the neon-lit Hong Kong, which is kind of a call back to “<b>Pacific Rim</b>”,
but it still looked great, and I really liked the addition of Kong using his own
make-shift weapon against Godzilla.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-puPl0qoxF1Fr1-bJkThxD1_sGG_N0-1DKrnRmp-Vmv2oXz5DVh7psLzDnhqMEjAxvGhYBR04MBCDENgHU9wLTQP266HmTeN8RfUGCRB-hUBXROoFgcX8-GpV3c7k2-ymNMqV8S4djYFGxMCqj-8cVzBEBb-RFcyEEwPXoZnDQVFFZZYmphKm5jIpKvQ/s602/rdtty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="602" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-puPl0qoxF1Fr1-bJkThxD1_sGG_N0-1DKrnRmp-Vmv2oXz5DVh7psLzDnhqMEjAxvGhYBR04MBCDENgHU9wLTQP266HmTeN8RfUGCRB-hUBXROoFgcX8-GpV3c7k2-ymNMqV8S4djYFGxMCqj-8cVzBEBb-RFcyEEwPXoZnDQVFFZZYmphKm5jIpKvQ/w200-h165/rdtty.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3c2qUGJodEgnnUcSTSkTYABtIu-oYUmODIH4RKUcOJLU_aOoN_BNEFc7g83CaRfwOnlIMUsfMekB6zhQqHOzcaCjcBZeR8OgsoAcnx6jNX4zSUWZkBC2PjnrE6a4oFQOt-XuVKU_zkMwDIIm_kGqxUuXAhneyGrCEWF_Kjc66MXRUqx0cRV6na__6VA8/s1093/thft.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1093" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3c2qUGJodEgnnUcSTSkTYABtIu-oYUmODIH4RKUcOJLU_aOoN_BNEFc7g83CaRfwOnlIMUsfMekB6zhQqHOzcaCjcBZeR8OgsoAcnx6jNX4zSUWZkBC2PjnrE6a4oFQOt-XuVKU_zkMwDIIm_kGqxUuXAhneyGrCEWF_Kjc66MXRUqx0cRV6na__6VA8/w294-h166/thft.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> Once the two monsters get their kicks in, the
real finale takes shape when an unexpected third party joins the action. It’s
revealed that the bad guys set-up Kong’s journey into Hollow Earth as a means
to harness an energy source, one that can power their mysterious superweapon …
which turns out to be none other then the giant Mechagodzilla ... who's personally my favorite of Godzilla's main rouges. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPlsi0G4qqOxX0hB18j12IoMrzA9KOw3evP51lkhguY4yL_VXUDjvn5OZUoAUYQ3JYnzqHbKeq8fBTvfWMPSMDDQ0-5ojVXM6Ogs7rcegxVM5_wXl7pGVSL4vojRvaf5I58ZfnAgTUorUHeVersLKnnnLQnxsNxF91SOvtYT52TvM5y5RK0s1ks-0OZM/s938/uiog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="938" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPlsi0G4qqOxX0hB18j12IoMrzA9KOw3evP51lkhguY4yL_VXUDjvn5OZUoAUYQ3JYnzqHbKeq8fBTvfWMPSMDDQ0-5ojVXM6Ogs7rcegxVM5_wXl7pGVSL4vojRvaf5I58ZfnAgTUorUHeVersLKnnnLQnxsNxF91SOvtYT52TvM5y5RK0s1ks-0OZM/s320/uiog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s also
revealed that Mechagodzilla is controlled by the severed head of Godzilla’s
arch foe King Ghidorah, which takes mental control over the mechanized monster,
and set’s out on a rampage outside of the bad guys control. This makes for another
rare treat in which Godzilla’s two greatest, and long-standing enemies,</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla have
come together as one entity ... as a long-time fan, this is immensely
satisfying. Also, the only thing more satisfying than seeing Godzilla and King
Kong battle is seeing them work together to defeat an even greater enemy. On
that note, their final three-way battle is absolutely smashing, and it’s
awesome just to see Kong matching another opponent from the Godzilla franchise.
The final shot of Godzilla and King Kong and their "peace-out" exchange is another satisfying moment
of the two excepting one-another as equals, and suggests that maybe there’s now
a reserved friendship between the two. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEfWGJ-GDAg3PIQ08pFz1aOQ8PuMVUsz7TXuUvGnKMHebeSb1o1iHHajzgl1wNZ87OEtHwUzWJVUG5boLYtaMziB1U0VQMYWmQ-Fxi4HzcJappZg_rcLEPTiSdtqeG1x8ZArI9JUZba0dU9YBQOqpXVPp2c9oHczAa6H_JovrDGwl6HPUapTuC_nb2zI/s1280/bn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEfWGJ-GDAg3PIQ08pFz1aOQ8PuMVUsz7TXuUvGnKMHebeSb1o1iHHajzgl1wNZ87OEtHwUzWJVUG5boLYtaMziB1U0VQMYWmQ-Fxi4HzcJappZg_rcLEPTiSdtqeG1x8ZArI9JUZba0dU9YBQOqpXVPp2c9oHczAa6H_JovrDGwl6HPUapTuC_nb2zI/w308-h134/bn.jpg" width="308" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg19iEz0PcKvduQOW8ojR0yC8V4jFNaOAz-UopvJhKMbNG7PfQsoQAOy0vvqeyJktrBX2CXpGpCIFAF91LUUB69w4aEKjJ7bu2f-xe1P_oosJ4YciHTvolnT78ncCttBEplfOOoP4iXrbunp4YP6zOiWQ2IHJpSoi_WHRMlEztbvglMuud3PwygBysoOg/s1000/hftgfryt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="1000" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg19iEz0PcKvduQOW8ojR0yC8V4jFNaOAz-UopvJhKMbNG7PfQsoQAOy0vvqeyJktrBX2CXpGpCIFAF91LUUB69w4aEKjJ7bu2f-xe1P_oosJ4YciHTvolnT78ncCttBEplfOOoP4iXrbunp4YP6zOiWQ2IHJpSoi_WHRMlEztbvglMuud3PwygBysoOg/w198-h134/hftgfryt.jpg" width="198" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> In the end, you have to go into this movie
expecting giant monsters, over the top battles, and insane plots involving hidden
worlds, and other marvels. If that sounds like fun, then you’ll have a ball
with this movie … if none of that appeals to you, then it’s probably not going
to convert you into a fan. As for me … I thought this film was a blast! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPAb0a-vXO7vraTgNNFcHuEUdLPCg4OXRERDU-qytFaBMQZiS2hGHNJmliiTaonTP7IjqH7HHc3vnJwWGsaJx_Wu5XTQRDPPaQmj9ux9YGGamv38DvFFBoD9RD-1Jl3JIW2H1UZHIgDm2PIEne-gf1SeQjMFlpqwF4ELE31v7xtkj8WGEN8ARlkBxuXM/s1280/rdteryrt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPAb0a-vXO7vraTgNNFcHuEUdLPCg4OXRERDU-qytFaBMQZiS2hGHNJmliiTaonTP7IjqH7HHc3vnJwWGsaJx_Wu5XTQRDPPaQmj9ux9YGGamv38DvFFBoD9RD-1Jl3JIW2H1UZHIgDm2PIEne-gf1SeQjMFlpqwF4ELE31v7xtkj8WGEN8ARlkBxuXM/s320/rdteryrt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Not
only do the monster battles thrill, as well as shot beautifully, but the film
also delivers an enjoyably outlandish premise with its journey to Hollow Earth,
all it’s imaginative wonders, atmospheres, and designs to behold. The humans obviously
aren’t very interesting, but I was still able to cost on the committed
performances, as well as a genuinely heartfelt connection between Kong and the
little girl. Throw in a deeply satisfying final battle with Godzilla, King
Kong, and the surprise return of my favorite of the big-G’s foes Mechagodzilla
… and what more could a long-time viewer of both character franchises ask for.
It’s obviously nothing deep, meaningful, and it’s admittedly ridiculous on
every level … but that’s always been the appeal of the franchise, and while I wouldn’t
call it the absolute best of either series, I still found this to be the most
fun entry overall of these two franchises to date.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0uC0cQi_0Q3GIXu9IvEd7u0kFwXj5Ooc48rxRLmagATEHa82uL1prezyAOs3xgMniPADm05rGNjpvWxGdIJaRt6aVhiZyvxZKPhkkRuA_f29Zb-NnB-4DammBKihap59m6IcjoLNX19aPbrRn3x-bnDnwgU8Hbtn9a4ZDvEeZ_SRrz4pRTvVl8xraWc/s318/uyiyu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="318" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0uC0cQi_0Q3GIXu9IvEd7u0kFwXj5Ooc48rxRLmagATEHa82uL1prezyAOs3xgMniPADm05rGNjpvWxGdIJaRt6aVhiZyvxZKPhkkRuA_f29Zb-NnB-4DammBKihap59m6IcjoLNX19aPbrRn3x-bnDnwgU8Hbtn9a4ZDvEeZ_SRrz4pRTvVl8xraWc/w400-h199/uyiyu.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 2021 crossover “<b>Godzilla vs Kong</b>” … and
continue to enjoy the movies you Love! </span></p><br />Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-45806980691493049752023-06-11T21:35:00.010-07:002023-06-11T22:13:09.368-07:00Godzilla (1998) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulIFvXE7PUfGwOb2OwutehCre5bWp2hl2Bb1Q6r7RVKFpdn82QWkseZf2bF4d6jFZ_L9pS1uHNg0JgUZJLukY8PqjAKyHok2eqGdrnfr3IsO80jrXAPnC0Xht9NNYZHjqJ8zRJJ5N9TY/s1600/sdxfg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulIFvXE7PUfGwOb2OwutehCre5bWp2hl2Bb1Q6r7RVKFpdn82QWkseZf2bF4d6jFZ_L9pS1uHNg0JgUZJLukY8PqjAKyHok2eqGdrnfr3IsO80jrXAPnC0Xht9NNYZHjqJ8zRJJ5N9TY/s400/sdxfg.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> Way back when I was just a little kid, I was obsessed with giant movie monsters, and the one who always stood front and center for me was Godzilla. No joke, I grew up watching an old VHS collection of all the original Japanize Godzilla movies, I had a huge collection of Godzilla toys, pajama’s, bed sheets … you name it. Back then, I viewed Godzilla like a super hero ... but where did it all start? What kicked off my childhood obsession with the legendary king of the monsters? Well, surprise, surprise … it all started in 1998 with the American remake simply titled “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godzilla</b>”. I was somewhere between six and seven years old, and I distinctly remember how thrilled I was, as it was actually one of the very first PG-13 movies I ever saw in the theater. At the time, it made me feel like a big boy watching more exciting forms of entertainment rather than my usual cartoons. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyL6wF1wYwQGcxrU5SroSRpa9wunNXg9eMoBdts_fJMC0is9uqKIRoLOkg-UsdHcNEr_l_Wi2tRxKnQtKyBWMSkuf0wr0GDE308ZWFC4maPUVld7YgKZPgRCBksD46DcefkNrtEFTQpU/s1600/tyiuyuo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="746" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyL6wF1wYwQGcxrU5SroSRpa9wunNXg9eMoBdts_fJMC0is9uqKIRoLOkg-UsdHcNEr_l_Wi2tRxKnQtKyBWMSkuf0wr0GDE308ZWFC4maPUVld7YgKZPgRCBksD46DcefkNrtEFTQpU/s200/tyiuyuo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">I also remember being consumed by all the marketing, advertising, toy tie-ins, and for completely nostalgic reasons, I still have one of those Taco Bell Godzilla cup holders. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More to the point, there was a time in which I absolutely adored this film, and that old VHS tape with Godzilla’s glaring eye on the cover was a crowning piece of my collection. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, I’m now a grown adult who prior to this post hasn’t watched the movie in over fifteen years. Yet, with the brand-new American Godzilla films bringing in audiences, it’s gotten me curious (and even a little excited) to look back at America’s first attempt at a Godzilla movie. It’s no secret that this film has gained a reputation as not only the worst thing under the monsters banner, but one of the absolute worst movies to ever come out of the 90’s. While I can’t defend this film from its mostly deserved reputation, I still want to try and look for positives to highlight. Maybe I’m blinded by nostalgia goggles, maybe there is some good, or maybe it’s all terrible, but either way, I’m excited to look back on the film that kick started my love for one of the greatest giant movie monsters of all time.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfSjZ-PRtbIdzM4INVgY9gaWsbnvNGa5XyXvhqLcuXiby0_6nJhneYHkQXLuVNrioiAYlNXa8jBvon_KpsHJDFXMlvEbgB0eenKbUvIdCf0fSNEuYlVJZFAMDrIDpNTn16iKK2BAQ5xE/s1600/yutiup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="282" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfSjZ-PRtbIdzM4INVgY9gaWsbnvNGa5XyXvhqLcuXiby0_6nJhneYHkQXLuVNrioiAYlNXa8jBvon_KpsHJDFXMlvEbgB0eenKbUvIdCf0fSNEuYlVJZFAMDrIDpNTn16iKK2BAQ5xE/w221-h162/yutiup.jpg" width="221" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhlROR8ZNkD8yQMHjeAcJBIWAJQPMZiSIhtWOiY78HMDzxr-Ok4pU8W-IKhzHz7SoCrWp-K0mZ-Eeq8O3x6dnomdewYzyZrf_Z-qnRIrI0WgNMG1EMW0sWylsWTnFB-xp4VFIg2UDq20/s1600/regdhgtu.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhlROR8ZNkD8yQMHjeAcJBIWAJQPMZiSIhtWOiY78HMDzxr-Ok4pU8W-IKhzHz7SoCrWp-K0mZ-Eeq8O3x6dnomdewYzyZrf_Z-qnRIrI0WgNMG1EMW0sWylsWTnFB-xp4VFIg2UDq20/w290-h163/regdhgtu.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The movie begins with what I can only describe as … a damn good opening credit sequence. It’s all set to a montage of orange tinted stock footage of both nuclear testing and nature shots of lizards. While viewing this as a kid, I didn’t understand the context of this, yet there was still something about the select shots, the distant radio countdown, and the ominous music building that always gave me chills. Even that iconic shot of the mushroom cloud has been ingrained in my head thanks to this opening. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinl-itIJEmO_SI_Ix_DtAyXt91_RL4DnCrNbRMxBHVGkyXr6v2szGgpautU5JAnpnD9bUYsD3_5TCilZFnV3MX6fBB0Pmtst66RMkNg7j2kXptFnInugxJ05ihEO9RZUCMSUcL6yZkKAoJRkm7i2Uq1aH1MLcp79sBAt7i2PHsxjQeH65euI37JajQ/s1280/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinl-itIJEmO_SI_Ix_DtAyXt91_RL4DnCrNbRMxBHVGkyXr6v2szGgpautU5JAnpnD9bUYsD3_5TCilZFnV3MX6fBB0Pmtst66RMkNg7j2kXptFnInugxJ05ihEO9RZUCMSUcL6yZkKAoJRkm7i2Uq1aH1MLcp79sBAt7i2PHsxjQeH65euI37JajQ/w333-h136/Picture2.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, the film actually has a very strong opening, and even the first fifteen to twenty minutes of build-up in the first act are quite good. We begin with Godzilla sinking a boat out at sea, yet all we see of the monster is a quick shot of it's tail. We then see a traumatized survivor in a recovery room, who upon being asked what he saw, can only respond by repeating one name … “Godzilla”, or maybe it’s “Gojira”. It’s actually an effective enough scene, and I also love the following sequences in which the military find giant footprints out in the open. The beast eventually makes its way to Manhattan Island, and even in his first attack, we still don’t get a clear picture of what he looks like, which is great. Unfortunately, once the military draw the monster out into the open, and we see Godzilla in full form, the film nose dives into a sink whole which it can’t escape from. The intriguing build-up is over, and from this point on, the film is stuck in a loop in which we see Godzilla running around buildings during rainy nights with the military shooting at him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgul4B1y2FNZMVKZyf_BFZqKPTdRbZ2Bm5lagW8G3LoJrd7lCanMKhko78Mqtuu7grLpcSA4vTF2HVcF8ddAFrGAnnPRS4sbHPP9CGQ__F2UPU02mE2YX2TNi6yImt3f_icVx21vt7po-I/s1600/erey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="704" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgul4B1y2FNZMVKZyf_BFZqKPTdRbZ2Bm5lagW8G3LoJrd7lCanMKhko78Mqtuu7grLpcSA4vTF2HVcF8ddAFrGAnnPRS4sbHPP9CGQ__F2UPU02mE2YX2TNi6yImt3f_icVx21vt7po-I/w298-h168/erey.jpg" width="298" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqWP_vqzW_OFSSpKp5FO1I4baaZZdJVBnx0AVcNV6JYBTww9DlVaHm390T6W-b0e0DKOu8Q85gS_rWnpKgy5SQaNl0NXJWGnBB5NDcOZ_ibR7-e4fmCStdZw-FMV32vWamE-ndljj7h8/s1600/fdgj.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="940" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqWP_vqzW_OFSSpKp5FO1I4baaZZdJVBnx0AVcNV6JYBTww9DlVaHm390T6W-b0e0DKOu8Q85gS_rWnpKgy5SQaNl0NXJWGnBB5NDcOZ_ibR7-e4fmCStdZw-FMV32vWamE-ndljj7h8/w215-h167/fdgj.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It gets so repetitive that it’s hard to separate one action sequence from the other, and Godzilla for whatever reason isn’t doing that much damage to his surroundings … in fact, the military are responsible for more destruction then he is. I should note that this was the first movie to introduce me to the classic monster movie formula, in which a giant beast of some sort is set loose in a populated area, and armed forces need to kill it. There’s nothing wrong with the formula, but one of two key ingredients need to be established in order to make it work. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2O_Xvu-MUa5yawZ1_NwWChz0LbWkSlAjGF5lamcrJwx5m90wCGBf7vXRyPMx3vfCqTeUxDuYkuJ1CXcPO_fbvX6HuVsKE6xAfb2CMKLO2vbhnd2SjW38cjiXsmmMHtGFbWm1J9RjSFbD45DMN7Nc5wUV5x0CoLVJMOdd9LOzN8FE5RMqwXOHDa56/s1280/hkuy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2O_Xvu-MUa5yawZ1_NwWChz0LbWkSlAjGF5lamcrJwx5m90wCGBf7vXRyPMx3vfCqTeUxDuYkuJ1CXcPO_fbvX6HuVsKE6xAfb2CMKLO2vbhnd2SjW38cjiXsmmMHtGFbWm1J9RjSFbD45DMN7Nc5wUV5x0CoLVJMOdd9LOzN8FE5RMqwXOHDa56/s320/hkuy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The first is that there needs to be some kind of emotional core to anchor down all the destruction, and this film really has no soul beneath all the mayhem. The second is that there needs to be a sense of tension and dread to make the monsters appearances more exciting. While I can’t say that the original 1954 “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godzilla</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” was a scary film, it at least maintained a dark, serious and foreboding mood, which enriched the experience with a lot of atmosphere. There was even a good deal of subtext behind the movie, as Godzilla was being portrayed as an allegory for the atom bomb, and the devastation of a country that witnesses its devastation. This American Godzilla by contrast has nothing meaningful under the surface and is basically just a big monster stopping though a city. On a side note, this film was responsible for introducing me to the majority of New York’s famous land marks, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Madisyn Square Garden, the Hudson River and the Chrysler Building, so that was educational.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAWOknyQL5HcVOF1BB8Y1urzfeXT3j-BNoJyDxu5fcVhzKVpKEK0Z_IX1NBkIu2I4yUC6a2kmrtYyheEgD7Fx2IB-h2EzbO28k9iIQXb0lzRMkTL0gXIWxCfT9IgE8H0GH79-SQALY_4/s1600/wsdwfedtg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAWOknyQL5HcVOF1BB8Y1urzfeXT3j-BNoJyDxu5fcVhzKVpKEK0Z_IX1NBkIu2I4yUC6a2kmrtYyheEgD7Fx2IB-h2EzbO28k9iIQXb0lzRMkTL0gXIWxCfT9IgE8H0GH79-SQALY_4/w218-h157/wsdwfedtg.jpg" width="218" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_qStiWYnwXGmM7MBtM81HYXnFmZlUb2hvFYj17dTIqmuJBsSlZWuG7iVFt5J-CBuKVaK_XyX526myFq192ugMOmIhcs3TQLkqsWqCFY7ywXPy0ARk1kJFgt2MHg-i6GG9dhG9kPGasU/s1600/ytrutyoup.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="800" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_qStiWYnwXGmM7MBtM81HYXnFmZlUb2hvFYj17dTIqmuJBsSlZWuG7iVFt5J-CBuKVaK_XyX526myFq192ugMOmIhcs3TQLkqsWqCFY7ywXPy0ARk1kJFgt2MHg-i6GG9dhG9kPGasU/w281-h159/ytrutyoup.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose I should quickly zip though the human characters, who leave much to be desired. For whatever it’s worth, this was the film that introduced me to the actors Matthew Broderick and Hank Azaria, and helped me put a face to them. While I’d obviously see them both in better roles, this is still the movie I find myself looking back on when I think of those two names. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-G8LlS1rTjyXiYoUn35htSXV1ebmLiMkOBNxD8d1cGRJOcbEDl8d2nvuKYtCwHetrU1XxYLeXHHcACk7C9Z2XGRiwsJPMx24bHymYtx23UOruMoZ2D4_dKha5srM09Gqh2T-TpUwSUQ/s1600/piuorsd.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="940" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-G8LlS1rTjyXiYoUn35htSXV1ebmLiMkOBNxD8d1cGRJOcbEDl8d2nvuKYtCwHetrU1XxYLeXHHcACk7C9Z2XGRiwsJPMx24bHymYtx23UOruMoZ2D4_dKha5srM09Gqh2T-TpUwSUQ/s320/piuorsd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">The one salvageable character in the whole film is a French secret service agent played by Jean Reno. While an admittedly stock character, I still love the guys laid back performance, and slight cool factor. When I was a kid, he was the only human character I remember singling out as someone to cheer for. I also didn’t mind some of the smaller military characters, who I think could have held the film if they were the only other humans to focus on. Unfortunately, we have a very boring girlfriend character, who hijacks way too much of this film. She has this detailed sub-plot about trying to progress her carrier as a reporter, but she’s under the mercy of a boss who’s always trying to flirt with her, and she also has a cliched best friend with a pompous New York attitude, and … who cares, why is all this in the movie? It doesn’t help that the girlfriend’s performance by young Maria Pitillo is absolutely hilarious. It’s so off-putting that she won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. Also, her romantic relationship with Matthew Broderick’s character is about as lifeless as Godzilla’s CGI effects. Then there’s that odd Mayer, who along with his advisor are modeled after the critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel ... and I think they speak for themselves. It’s also worth noting that no-one ever acts phased by the appearance of a giant monster. Sure, they run away, but once an action sequence ends, the human characters go right back to talking like it was another day at the office, which further emphasizes this films lack of an emotional anchor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3XR8viMnDk95SpFtPfWmbUdnRGKmicV6IbbmSg3-NZy7S-uCVfNxceBB7CYSVRVQihQpuK6gxaI02xADAI1Q93nwauQPWkNXGA9WenE4FxVk1xFnOBPLlYf3V4jLjpQYVy2gEuh4L4Y/s1600/gfjytiup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="640" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3XR8viMnDk95SpFtPfWmbUdnRGKmicV6IbbmSg3-NZy7S-uCVfNxceBB7CYSVRVQihQpuK6gxaI02xADAI1Q93nwauQPWkNXGA9WenE4FxVk1xFnOBPLlYf3V4jLjpQYVy2gEuh4L4Y/s320/gfjytiup.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hkZL_1WOZSFDVeKcRrRfHGZmEbr4b4TNh3Chi_DKXFmGdkoWjkiumfClaGToy05bSY_6nOh7dr4rjfKSAhrQ_rsL8hAWIzTFFUGmCZtrrzNgc83IubT2ESqF2GL8n0iWxs1OI-IvE_M/s1600/ghjyti.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="635" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hkZL_1WOZSFDVeKcRrRfHGZmEbr4b4TNh3Chi_DKXFmGdkoWjkiumfClaGToy05bSY_6nOh7dr4rjfKSAhrQ_rsL8hAWIzTFFUGmCZtrrzNgc83IubT2ESqF2GL8n0iWxs1OI-IvE_M/w200-h176/ghjyti.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lets finally talk about Godzilla himself as portrayed in this film. For the most part, Godzilla is CGI, as opposed to his classic rubber suit, although there are select moments in which Godzilla is played by a guy in a costume. The criticism’s aimed at the monster itself have been universal from day one. This Godzilla doesn’t breathe fire, he’s all hunched over, way too acrobatic, significantly smaller and noticeably weaker, as his armored skin for whatever reason isn’t indestructible in this film. One little detail that always amused me was the whimsically inspiring musical score that always seemed to follow Godzilla whenever he makes an appearance. I have to say, I’ve never had a problem with Godzilla’s re-design in this film, in fact I actually kind of like it. The original Japanese Godzilla is so classic looking that I always felt an American version should have its own original design to stand apart. This Godzilla looks nothing like his foreign counterpart, and I felt it helped give the monster its own unique identity. What I can’t defend is the painfully dated CGI effects that brought the monster to life. I remember thinking he looked awesome as a kid, but these creature effects have not aged well at all.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcVTKARV5AevgOW2lAHhAQLL8zGaFRVQMUiQJW0DcMUPE44MmE4VtY5mJXuvBuLO-0PGcnoerbfrlimy6h8GqiIc7i0iLFezagAiBErwc9_lp7DhHGStFSx071DuVIA8VbV5BZy4NFck/s1600/fghrfgyi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="970" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcVTKARV5AevgOW2lAHhAQLL8zGaFRVQMUiQJW0DcMUPE44MmE4VtY5mJXuvBuLO-0PGcnoerbfrlimy6h8GqiIc7i0iLFezagAiBErwc9_lp7DhHGStFSx071DuVIA8VbV5BZy4NFck/w214-h171/fghrfgyi.jpg" width="214" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILaoaovb43zfg9XI4nW5Ak2C8ntSjkOvIhMsQK0lLwhz02nKVtkPevbWn_3gY-auJlyi5FRkvliWKHCgenuyvtTcuxqD47Z6DtK7BQ8s-AopJGSu1e0H1cftOUNwdl4MJOmZBlk3HgEw/s1600/truytiuyp.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILaoaovb43zfg9XI4nW5Ak2C8ntSjkOvIhMsQK0lLwhz02nKVtkPevbWn_3gY-auJlyi5FRkvliWKHCgenuyvtTcuxqD47Z6DtK7BQ8s-AopJGSu1e0H1cftOUNwdl4MJOmZBlk3HgEw/w304-h172/truytiuyp.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was at least surprised to see a fair amount of practical effects in the film, and they’ve actually held up. All the buildings, explosions, and military vehicles are all practical visuals with real models, and it’s really become a dying art to see effects of this sort in a summer blockbuster. The same kind of effects were used two years earlier with “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Independence Day</b>”, which isn’t surprising as Roland Emmerich and his team were behind the creation of both movies. Of course, it made for very effective marketing to promote “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godzilla</b>” as a new film from the creators of “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Independence Day</b>”. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k2_GameJmunwdY3bRArnCUFPTGYrJoARmEjXdrHbmztbCHtCTCVALvxq2xkWFG4GzsrL0tenmcz4_Y9J1t_Q7szM3797DNd7Lu-OrGLcROMpe6UBCMZadNUt48XB3JNtNCoQ9F9Wlvc/s1600/uiip.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1200" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k2_GameJmunwdY3bRArnCUFPTGYrJoARmEjXdrHbmztbCHtCTCVALvxq2xkWFG4GzsrL0tenmcz4_Y9J1t_Q7szM3797DNd7Lu-OrGLcROMpe6UBCMZadNUt48XB3JNtNCoQ9F9Wlvc/s320/uiip.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Now when I first saw this movie as a kid, I hadn’t yet seen too many films in my time, so it was really amusing to look back on this film as an adult and catch all the little nods and winks made to other movies. For example, when Godzilla makes his first appearance in front of the military, the camera tightens up on Matthew Broderick, which was a call back to the camera work in “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jaws</b>”, when the shark makes its first public attack in front of the main characters. Even the line “We need bigger guns” is a call back to “We need a bigger boat”, also from “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jaws</b>”. There’re of course countless references to “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jurassic Park</b>”, right down to the monster appearing in the rain just like the T-Rex. One little call back to the T-Rex that really worked in this film were the distant footsteps causing things to trimmer. There’s a brief moment when a giant Octopus is seen on a TV screen, which was a clip to the 1950’s monster flick</span> “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">It Came from Beneath the Sea</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">”, which was subsequently my first window into a larger world of classic B monster movies. Of course, there’s also a painfully forced moment in which Barney the dinosaur briefly appears on a TV screen. Then there’s the scene in which we see Godzilla’s eye opening while framed in a tunnel entrance, which has always stuck with me as a memorable image, and was recreated again with the dragon in “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shrek</b>”. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALWvE-yFKFCsPt3bKRePX3sZuCYdCDTt_AKn88FwHLwmXBHFL8DwHibY0JcO6Ne4xn2rrZum7GunXbZGQkxCUNxdGbD24USIBG3FBQbUl_MKf7ABh_yN-kKNCak9wTgbnpx5c93oCf9U/s1600/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="846" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALWvE-yFKFCsPt3bKRePX3sZuCYdCDTt_AKn88FwHLwmXBHFL8DwHibY0JcO6Ne4xn2rrZum7GunXbZGQkxCUNxdGbD24USIBG3FBQbUl_MKf7ABh_yN-kKNCak9wTgbnpx5c93oCf9U/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMh9jcGzjE1nIwex2PINd9az-I3kCT3-dg2l3d7rkT-FY_o6eqEsIzN0VkLbcLd96qoAcmQeATqPcDRkw0zJkaKVCChbCROZtq-JAyjLgGu1a2AFRR7x8WrYKENaij_17frNxoPSWATA/s1600/fdhgdhx.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="704" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMh9jcGzjE1nIwex2PINd9az-I3kCT3-dg2l3d7rkT-FY_o6eqEsIzN0VkLbcLd96qoAcmQeATqPcDRkw0zJkaKVCChbCROZtq-JAyjLgGu1a2AFRR7x8WrYKENaij_17frNxoPSWATA/w200-h131/fdhgdhx.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now apparently someone on the writing staff for this film took note of how repetitive it was for the movie to single its attention on one monster stomping through the city. Thus, we get a sup-plot involving Baby Godzilla … lots of them. While there is a Baby Godzilla who’s a prominent character in the Japanese films, this is nothing like that character at all, in fact there’s over 200 Baby Godzilla’s in this movie, and clearly modeled off the Raptors from “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jurassic Park</b>”. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJStBoLn5BSDBSpkat6E7PTf10x9ZaDG7F1UAr70Noi3XoUW3jDbdm-jctVw-Ko98QW24oOJyuoy4kOJfIg06D5uvzXma46YlVTbPzHOAM5NDc8rYYsF3igKYOhCvSzNvxDG4J7fi9jKIV9Ckn4LfkJQl-pG0p6hcK0uROP-IbTiyGNCzRNUy8CyfA/s250/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="102" data-original-width="250" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJStBoLn5BSDBSpkat6E7PTf10x9ZaDG7F1UAr70Noi3XoUW3jDbdm-jctVw-Ko98QW24oOJyuoy4kOJfIg06D5uvzXma46YlVTbPzHOAM5NDc8rYYsF3igKYOhCvSzNvxDG4J7fi9jKIV9Ckn4LfkJQl-pG0p6hcK0uROP-IbTiyGNCzRNUy8CyfA/w294-h120/Picture1.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our team of heroes learn that Godzilla nested in Madison Square Garden, so they go in to scramble the eggs, only for them to hatch, and chase the survivors through the interiors of the building. This was yet another addition to the film that was heavily criticized, but speaking personally … this is my favorite sequence of the film. It’s the only action-set piece that stands apart from all the repetitive military battles, and I’ve always loved the concept of a small group of people trapped in a tight setting with monsters on the hunt. Seeing this as a kid was actually the perfect thing to wet my appetite for when I’d eventually watch “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Aliens</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and get a thrill from seeing the space marines in close quarter battles with ravaging monsters. The effects for these Baby Godzilla’s are once again a mixed bag, as some are terrific looking practical animatronics, while other shots are really bad CGI. Like, the full-grown Godzilla looked dated, but the special effects for these little creatures are far worse. There’re also some really goofy moments, like how a pack of these savage beasts can easily get thwarted by knocked over gumballs.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf7gN5jWY7gWCknJ_-rr5Q29YnxKDzFTimI9UcL8f8Jh1-uuvlPQj2nx-0lAVhN3-0hLE-CuxuMQNWRpdxa_P-L4DrSJfk798XJRjJcUUp81Iz28SYQzOI_zI7ONjSzzUfrKWRW83VaQ/s1600/awer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="550" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf7gN5jWY7gWCknJ_-rr5Q29YnxKDzFTimI9UcL8f8Jh1-uuvlPQj2nx-0lAVhN3-0hLE-CuxuMQNWRpdxa_P-L4DrSJfk798XJRjJcUUp81Iz28SYQzOI_zI7ONjSzzUfrKWRW83VaQ/w209-h150/awer.jpg" width="209" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstjMv-BWJ6NZJdKB-3kzLHYjcEQySOT64oiCLECefaf0nrDjYCLeKRKTOD_uIRs1lcYdD1pZoLiwW76R2KRJS7NzJwSZHCyVaf2s1ZjECWMqjRzFKoNkGhRgH4mwg7o7NRWVEm5G2sgI/s1600/ioulk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstjMv-BWJ6NZJdKB-3kzLHYjcEQySOT64oiCLECefaf0nrDjYCLeKRKTOD_uIRs1lcYdD1pZoLiwW76R2KRJS7NzJwSZHCyVaf2s1ZjECWMqjRzFKoNkGhRgH4mwg7o7NRWVEm5G2sgI/w294-h150/ioulk.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, our heroes succeed in whipping-out the nest, but unfortunately, it also makes mama Godzilla angry. Now, it’s really sad when the most emotional moment of the film comes from a giant monster reacting to seeing her barbecued children ... oh, that little scene always got to me. We then segue into the climax, in which Godzilla relentlessly chases after our four principle characters. This is when the action gets so laughable, it honestly becomes a self-parody. We have a giant monster failing to keep up with a taxi cab, it trips over a metaphorical banana peel, gets blinded by headlights that aren’t even aimed at his eyes, and in the most anti-climactic finale you could ask for, he gets gunned down by the military. Godzilla’s death is shot and scored like some kind of epic tragedy, which might have worked if there weren’t so many corny elements. For instance, before Godzilla collapses, it actually locks eyes with Matthew Broderick’s character, as if they had some kind of emotional connection this whole time. I will say that I’ve always loved that final close up shot of Godzilla’s eye losing its light, and the lids slowly close … that was effective. The movie ends revealing that one of the eggs survived, hatches into a new born Godzilla, and basically sets up a sequel that never happens.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuerRORdACwhfwOq4NYHwS5NUzc9g7JiGjkqX0mTjGtOZbzMHWi_6eJ_lKp-v9cQx4eqax9jBDhibC_9lP0mz89jyC4bQjKZ7adEkOsfVYUfnbGf12fBByToo-bsLdYZ_chP2vubG8r2c/s1600/uyouipg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="836" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuerRORdACwhfwOq4NYHwS5NUzc9g7JiGjkqX0mTjGtOZbzMHWi_6eJ_lKp-v9cQx4eqax9jBDhibC_9lP0mz89jyC4bQjKZ7adEkOsfVYUfnbGf12fBByToo-bsLdYZ_chP2vubG8r2c/w295-h175/uyouipg.jpg" width="295" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cmYz0DwviiM914_FGtpdNX_6aQIQCSe6jM_70S_x-OUxFKs64BZevR500jHzFZGhKganj9QA9117f-MUKQdKeIOrgNExDzT30fEFWq4DvBV3oVXo7g2XGC-V0xowWFSMgqJmzAeGmDw/s1600/yuouyipf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="761" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cmYz0DwviiM914_FGtpdNX_6aQIQCSe6jM_70S_x-OUxFKs64BZevR500jHzFZGhKganj9QA9117f-MUKQdKeIOrgNExDzT30fEFWq4DvBV3oVXo7g2XGC-V0xowWFSMgqJmzAeGmDw/w214-h175/yuouyipf.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I distinctly remember being a kid and waiting in high anticipation for the next film, but it just never came. There was at least an animated TV show, which continued the story, and I remember watching it as part of the Fox Kids line-up. When the movie “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godzilla 2000</b>” came out two years later, I thought for sure it was the sequel I was anticipating, but it turned out to be a launching pad for a new Japanese series. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQVYnk1cBDwWJcsVf31jKaOQn6LvV-49Jfffd50zZsbK6LLi2ioXdFZT-4K5MDhTvtGedcDd2Ltop2IMSP1mSXyavmO03matNj7Z6MaOdlfg-SRKgfV30kFLm0cWCmOQMOgQiwwVOFBQ/s1600/gfhdtj.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQVYnk1cBDwWJcsVf31jKaOQn6LvV-49Jfffd50zZsbK6LLi2ioXdFZT-4K5MDhTvtGedcDd2Ltop2IMSP1mSXyavmO03matNj7Z6MaOdlfg-SRKgfV30kFLm0cWCmOQMOgQiwwVOFBQ/s320/gfhdtj.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">However, there were references to the American film in the following Japanese films. The American Godzilla itself even made a surprise appearance in the last film of the Millennium series titled “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godzilla Final Wars</b>”, in which it briefly battles the classic Godzilla. In the end, the nostalgia bug has me for the 1998 remake of “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godzilla</b>”. Especially with all the little details that constantly remind us it was made in the 90’s, like Kodak disposable cameras, Blockbuster videos, and Sonny Bata tapes. However, this is obviously still a bad movie, and one deserving of its reputation. It at least started on a good note, then got repetitive, and concluded with an embarrassing ending. Still, even though this film was a failure, it’s never injured me any. I did enjoy the film for a short time, and while it certainly hasn’t aged well, I was still highly amused by my little re-visit. When it comes to monster movies or disaster movies in general, it all comes down to one simple question … was I entertained? Well ... yes ... I was entertained ... just for all the wrong reasons ... so take that for what it’s worth. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yP6sN1LeO5hTwv3MoFpvh6pYdr4nQqabJzB4avPAwMStAoBHXW8FhfgatQdTzE9PKqQstIErwFyl_yafXiGNJmiQETl-LnXIm_nKxkN84uWjTYd5tBgvcBgH-rx-u8cRlnk_PjiV3Ss/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="825" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yP6sN1LeO5hTwv3MoFpvh6pYdr4nQqabJzB4avPAwMStAoBHXW8FhfgatQdTzE9PKqQstIErwFyl_yafXiGNJmiQETl-LnXIm_nKxkN84uWjTYd5tBgvcBgH-rx-u8cRlnk_PjiV3Ss/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Thanks for reading my review of the 1998 American remake of “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Godzilla</b>” ... and continue to enjoy the movies you Love! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-39036321051733398572023-06-11T20:22:00.026-07:002024-02-25T13:07:39.956-08:00Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (2023) (Series Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPgC8YEse92nk22gdOL694bayrpfRPr14mlcpJCZ6n9528CC7hCwyeFGGZUBhg4wM_lxDSy8zHv8R6m5FdJH94697NFqHDPDQXIVaVIbcC26tC8w4YByP8hN_NrUJ3wJvMV0J5Eo-Bvnf9gEayMo2jkCj8w6qzIoseQbqSrN8fhlG-jQm3uhSCzbf/s653/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPgC8YEse92nk22gdOL694bayrpfRPr14mlcpJCZ6n9528CC7hCwyeFGGZUBhg4wM_lxDSy8zHv8R6m5FdJH94697NFqHDPDQXIVaVIbcC26tC8w4YByP8hN_NrUJ3wJvMV0J5Eo-Bvnf9gEayMo2jkCj8w6qzIoseQbqSrN8fhlG-jQm3uhSCzbf/w298-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Good old “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, it’s without
question one of the most time-tested franchises, as it’s a series that seems to
find new life, and new fans with each decade. Among its many strengths, I think
one of the main appeals of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is that it’s typically universal
for all ages. It’s one of those unique franchises that connects just as much to
little kids as it does adults, and I think that’s one of the main reasons why
it continues to grow, and thrive over the years. In some cases, it’s quiet
literal, as aside from the movies, there are various TV shows that aim for
specific age demographics, some for adults, and others aimed at little kids. In
2023, we got “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which is squarely aimed
at the Pre-School demographic ... so it's not going to reach as wide an
audience as other "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" media, nor will it rank as high
among my favorites ... but for its intended audience ... this is still a
perfectly good show, and worth putting a small spot-light on.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7b7HRsBsFfx4BxZIVi8VCLSbnHxrGnANpcxDKCz19LKEDRw5IjdbSU6AwuOFB1LAiIYYUlc6xKLm9rdMxsxABS1PN0_TjJhVJvJiNirIpepvyhglhDIsY1wfuBuBH8DnAXytHZZ317p8lJLOjtU3LeNrbFH3C09Fa9YYg-9qJcfhDINBK8oH6tC9/s250/Picture14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="141" data-original-width="250" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7b7HRsBsFfx4BxZIVi8VCLSbnHxrGnANpcxDKCz19LKEDRw5IjdbSU6AwuOFB1LAiIYYUlc6xKLm9rdMxsxABS1PN0_TjJhVJvJiNirIpepvyhglhDIsY1wfuBuBH8DnAXytHZZ317p8lJLOjtU3LeNrbFH3C09Fa9YYg-9qJcfhDINBK8oH6tC9/w250-h149/Picture14.jpg" width="250" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE32d9b5acXr3Isc1rmlrHZB5UvBfomkR9Z_n0JouPcljdcf_1V5MkOxJ9nBVkECSG-Cl-D0QMsbzskJ7aG0PEGHXFqBaiCHNmWaK7Z0kA9nD1DiqCM-gCA5CfCphTKZaYAAvgg9E0bWTHAhyx6VBwwI9kUEGM3LKFLJtyLStx1IwXRV8-3LmB9edQ/s1280/Picture4.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1280" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE32d9b5acXr3Isc1rmlrHZB5UvBfomkR9Z_n0JouPcljdcf_1V5MkOxJ9nBVkECSG-Cl-D0QMsbzskJ7aG0PEGHXFqBaiCHNmWaK7Z0kA9nD1DiqCM-gCA5CfCphTKZaYAAvgg9E0bWTHAhyx6VBwwI9kUEGM3LKFLJtyLStx1IwXRV8-3LmB9edQ/w247-h150/Picture4.jpg" width="247" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The show follows a group of three young Jedi
students, who are learning the ways of the Force on a far-off planet. Their
lesions typically escalate into small-sale adventures, and culminate into a
valuable lesson on either compassion, patience, self-discipline, and above all
else … teamwork. It’s all very straight forward, simple, and accessible to
little kids. Complimenting the simplicity of the narrative, is a colorful, kid
friendly visual design, which is still detailed, and appealing to look at. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHDnU5XhP-tcXLtKimyj_U9urj2V8o1AUgKQBYBAueyw9yoKJ2M0sgJH-htW2DYhssMeRmQVTA8klQkKPVqao1aXkzldyJBiHEOB0ZxgTU4C4im9UvVd5MwJ-nQBpf8DBaRK4CMm-eEu3IpaJ-z3bhubQrycIat3qnpF_67IrGtCu1wTVHAXghqr9/s1200/Picture9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHDnU5XhP-tcXLtKimyj_U9urj2V8o1AUgKQBYBAueyw9yoKJ2M0sgJH-htW2DYhssMeRmQVTA8klQkKPVqao1aXkzldyJBiHEOB0ZxgTU4C4im9UvVd5MwJ-nQBpf8DBaRK4CMm-eEu3IpaJ-z3bhubQrycIat3qnpF_67IrGtCu1wTVHAXghqr9/s320/Picture9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
is also one of the rare instalments to be set in the High Republic era,
hundreds of years before the events of the movies, and a very smart move on
part of the righters … that way kids can watch the shows young heroes, without
thinking about any inevitable outcomes that happen in the continuity of the
films. With all that established, lets go through our heroes and villains ...</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">The Characters
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Jamaal Avery
Jr. as Kai Brightstar </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWDQ09o7HniEQSSyt7EJgyOBK4u0PuGch022r8yDc0vW888tVGCPPfS3KlKW5PndIVWZfIcpmVYNCab6GACaQk5Mo70agsMiA3xtJN6QHXQ5cIU1lQILG7j1_KC5Eih_re6IY-sDkvS-H1JL3-i6UiCFUGt5Ll8I6YnaFm6MDri1N1Ta6RAwi3igH/s720/Picture12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="611" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWDQ09o7HniEQSSyt7EJgyOBK4u0PuGch022r8yDc0vW888tVGCPPfS3KlKW5PndIVWZfIcpmVYNCab6GACaQk5Mo70agsMiA3xtJN6QHXQ5cIU1lQILG7j1_KC5Eih_re6IY-sDkvS-H1JL3-i6UiCFUGt5Ll8I6YnaFm6MDri1N1Ta6RAwi3igH/w164-h193/Picture12.jpg" width="164" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In traditional “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” fashion, our lead
hero is a spirited youth, who dreams to become a great warrior in the vein of
his elder idle Jedi Knights … master Yoda being is biggest inspiration. While
he doesn’t stand out much from other leading child characters, he plays his
part just fine, and has his shining moments. He’s also the very first leading
hero in the franchise to be African American, which is a nice detail.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Juliet
Donenfeld as Lys Solay</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrOTHJxGqAePoIy8AiPcvMqSL7JSRa2UJHC5S3mlloTTZtjq8I_IiqzLqrzE_czJmWASZ6TygXyRr2I8iZz-Q2IjjlMRxN6Vcm9qkam9Trk4Uroq77vH4Mq19BFxZiqOpF9Rtyc1wMZp6EZtDfw8etYkgR09I1koyFyHAf6jR1xa78eEOEIB6cPgg/s500/Picture15.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrOTHJxGqAePoIy8AiPcvMqSL7JSRa2UJHC5S3mlloTTZtjq8I_IiqzLqrzE_czJmWASZ6TygXyRr2I8iZz-Q2IjjlMRxN6Vcm9qkam9Trk4Uroq77vH4Mq19BFxZiqOpF9Rtyc1wMZp6EZtDfw8etYkgR09I1koyFyHAf6jR1xa78eEOEIB6cPgg/w200-h200/Picture15.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Arguably the cutest member of the team, Lys is a
female Pantoran, and is obsessed with different alien animals. Her biggest
passion, is learning about a wide assortment of creatures, and bring the
knowledge of them to the galaxy. Aside from an adorable design, spirited performance, and bubbly
personality, I actually fond this character surprisingly identifiable. Back
when I was a little kid, I was obsessed with collecting insects, and looking
for reptiles or other forest animals, so I can picture a number of kids
connecting with her.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Emma Berman
as Nash Durango </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtGqkGbNmxBxmk0Z5YlDCBbWQhpw1QQVe4h0-OHijaR_aHh2E_CXfSX6wpb2fiTgN4ACgd8KCAVi35adb73neQDxxhZiU2zHC6mLI8CtFR7HjBnZmCQ15sUU7L7wclzne79r94DhOX6ZIvHIXd6UsmIz9W1b-VFpUdPGPgCCAf12uz_Xe5KaF4l6U/s1280/Picture11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtGqkGbNmxBxmk0Z5YlDCBbWQhpw1QQVe4h0-OHijaR_aHh2E_CXfSX6wpb2fiTgN4ACgd8KCAVi35adb73neQDxxhZiU2zHC6mLI8CtFR7HjBnZmCQ15sUU7L7wclzne79r94DhOX6ZIvHIXd6UsmIz9W1b-VFpUdPGPgCCAf12uz_Xe5KaF4l6U/w225-h127/Picture11.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The only non-Jedi of the team, she’s a young pilot who bonded
with the Jedi, serves as their means of going off on adventures, and is
passionate about discovering all the wonders that the galaxy has to offer. Just
like with the other characters, she hits all the marks of a likable child
character, and it’s nice seeing her relation develop with her Jedi
comrades.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Dee Bradley
Baker as Nubs </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2YGZqFKq4v5cNAvzs7urK0bUlwW-WgyQtF9YnfZFimwPcTw0aigTzgeCBZsEoPEuUEzUVMK-rhxC35XJraqcTwlW0dDkCp-11xS8EKWDRPJuBXmliM0AM3w_sR7v7Q8FUV86kH9VwjkpmjJkxj0X8m7jEtEg6Yu8x0KRjUrUiatknyWWEFPXmnGm/s1080/Picture10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2YGZqFKq4v5cNAvzs7urK0bUlwW-WgyQtF9YnfZFimwPcTw0aigTzgeCBZsEoPEuUEzUVMK-rhxC35XJraqcTwlW0dDkCp-11xS8EKWDRPJuBXmliM0AM3w_sR7v7Q8FUV86kH9VwjkpmjJkxj0X8m7jEtEg6Yu8x0KRjUrUiatknyWWEFPXmnGm/w200-h133/Picture10.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Basically the cute mascot of the team, who doesn’t speak much,
yet conveys a lot of personality through his actions, and sounds. Dee Bradly
Baker is a regular “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” talent, voicing an assortment of
creatures, and Clone Troopers in other series, like “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Rebels</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Bad Batch</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and obviously “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Clone Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. As such, he’s always a
welcome presence, and lends his talents to giving Nubs some character through
his distinct animal sounds.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Piotr
Michael as Yoda </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTetjr5yS4hfoXFWbnNaDI08TrlYS0BaIOv5nn3G35coWQkErckwGHJrysAGg0lRBdUyF6YRZRz-yJvZ353q6yKwGrEZSRYs6SvK8rSkG8xya2LP4hqzCUMKCs7FIpXzyMgT7lidP3IxiiXGOqKsgyejk3txTcI1RBiWXZzw2n3Z5k_7T7BV7jHbc0/s1280/ret54.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTetjr5yS4hfoXFWbnNaDI08TrlYS0BaIOv5nn3G35coWQkErckwGHJrysAGg0lRBdUyF6YRZRz-yJvZ353q6yKwGrEZSRYs6SvK8rSkG8xya2LP4hqzCUMKCs7FIpXzyMgT7lidP3IxiiXGOqKsgyejk3txTcI1RBiWXZzw2n3Z5k_7T7BV7jHbc0/s320/ret54.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The only hold-over character from the expanded franchise and
movies, but this time voiced by a new talent. Piotr Michael manages to capture
the spirt of his predecessors, and fills the role of trainer to the young
students. Sense Yoda is hundreds of years old in the movies, it makes sense
he’d be present here to. There’s also a secondary teacher named Zia, who
likewise is a decent character. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Trey Diaz
Murphy as Taborr</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdg5mtzZ54ZPSTShEbL6VXNyg57y0MSU1vDdHhth0nrC9Nbk2w95qRhCuboDCzLlQh94tlWbIWSzKOkbD6RtDZNcJKuwn1H9hM9faOSWkIZaD7w2FJbotk_1CBnbq7h31QKKwLWAQ4VE-MJyvYJFTmASiYBVK0_wItpRSnlnlvn57GolvxYKs7b7A/s640/Picture16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdg5mtzZ54ZPSTShEbL6VXNyg57y0MSU1vDdHhth0nrC9Nbk2w95qRhCuboDCzLlQh94tlWbIWSzKOkbD6RtDZNcJKuwn1H9hM9faOSWkIZaD7w2FJbotk_1CBnbq7h31QKKwLWAQ4VE-MJyvYJFTmASiYBVK0_wItpRSnlnlvn57GolvxYKs7b7A/s320/Picture16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Rounding up the characters is the shows main reoccurring
villain, a young pirate, who along with his own team of crones, cause problems
for our young Jedi heroes, and their planet at large. Taborr has a decent
design, and makes for an enjoyable reoccurring foil for our heroes.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNxee1M741M_7EbrKGZ0pzBGudhMsUeOMt8QbfeHvxpvmw_al4rCf4WDFxoxH2elkDZQRHiLsXnNKM3zN_MeOP8FfGQ4H6p_kj_3TBkF6cXIA6GaWlLf-ENa88n7BIXcTXvyoUU2FdQXAuzkvxqaOWutzYkLZzIdwVTVkSwyGnm2CPfZ4eP5yYYbb/s1500/cvfdg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1500" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNxee1M741M_7EbrKGZ0pzBGudhMsUeOMt8QbfeHvxpvmw_al4rCf4WDFxoxH2elkDZQRHiLsXnNKM3zN_MeOP8FfGQ4H6p_kj_3TBkF6cXIA6GaWlLf-ENa88n7BIXcTXvyoUU2FdQXAuzkvxqaOWutzYkLZzIdwVTVkSwyGnm2CPfZ4eP5yYYbb/w268-h153/cvfdg.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">With our
main players established, lets quickly run through the series. Every episode
runs for about ten minutes in length, and are all presented as a two-part package deal. There are thirty-two short episodes all together, spread over one season, and a
series of shorts. To keep things simple, here’s a quick run-down of my own
personal Top seven favorite episodes.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">My Top 10 Episodes</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Nash's Race Day</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCcNW3HJbnGYFBOaVtamYWFnjENXNPW5OncBZL8tVRB_QgOVBP5tiNJgW_CmcCU4Q3nf4G1mtbH8DQ7alsqA2ZshL90KiC3_ZU6bg-dZXP1OOg03DUTgvCIRthB4fgFmEuhHM_3ra9iSpz5BTHSUxbHnIH50C2IiQ9SzHACQobNDw_cmOC5ox3FJhWUU/s1280/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCcNW3HJbnGYFBOaVtamYWFnjENXNPW5OncBZL8tVRB_QgOVBP5tiNJgW_CmcCU4Q3nf4G1mtbH8DQ7alsqA2ZshL90KiC3_ZU6bg-dZXP1OOg03DUTgvCIRthB4fgFmEuhHM_3ra9iSpz5BTHSUxbHnIH50C2IiQ9SzHACQobNDw_cmOC5ox3FJhWUU/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our young Jedi join their piolet friend Nash for a special Skiff Race on the river. However, Nash is also competing against a long standing rival named Raena who she's never beaten, as she frequently cheats her way to victory. For once, her cheating goes too far, and both teams find themselves having to work together after a nasty crash. Ever sense "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Phantom Menace</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" introduced sporting events, I've wanted to see variations of races in the "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" universe, and this was a fitting opportunity for this show to do just that. Both the outcome and moral are predictable, but good for kids getting their first exposure to the concept. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#9 “<b>Yoda's
Mission</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJXkVnF2-qb78t0-Ec0gtWS0NbPD6wxVLPPTw_wFqXmAyRfM_es2ISSO7OO1Dl0Dup1htrgN0Z11Z84gPkj-U9oecdAvibUJThhMUQKIcQtDxNW0W4uww-6XfY8UZGq9L5zzKY3YiNGFn6Y0KvMmFzxhsexPg6pKxgwW7WEgJUF781dizKEPdoajOboY/s1000/gyjty.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJXkVnF2-qb78t0-Ec0gtWS0NbPD6wxVLPPTw_wFqXmAyRfM_es2ISSO7OO1Dl0Dup1htrgN0Z11Z84gPkj-U9oecdAvibUJThhMUQKIcQtDxNW0W4uww-6XfY8UZGq9L5zzKY3YiNGFn6Y0KvMmFzxhsexPg6pKxgwW7WEgJUF781dizKEPdoajOboY/s320/gyjty.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: 16px;">After settling into their new home, Yoda sends Kai Brightstar and his friends on a mission to retrieve seeds for a special local Spring Festival. Along the way, Taborr and his gang of pirates steal the seeds, forcing our heroes to set-out and retrieve them. As the mission unfolds, Brightstar’s leadership and loyalty is tested, when he has to choose between his lightsaber, or the safety of his friend Nubs. Naturally, he proves his selflessness, by thinking of others over his own possessions, and is rewarded with a new Green Lightsaber. It’s an episode that sets the tone of the show moving forward, highlighting the high marks of the characters, and with a decent message for kids to look out for others.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#8</span> “<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Lys and the Snowy Mountain Rescue</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcymOL5sQedgx1wnYTAoE2kKFdDEeedQFisCYZsd1ij_NaO9lG4hKeFZYZ0Q7pAIHfwqiNX5KN1EsIGSrTOsUXHh6kh5F9sOJtx9RDcdwU-mSVQ2ED4vssidvosfdPjPsAX4dM0XvV-xI6con2TZznaJQnuIAGvNkRoLd7dakjoneDUGVICJhH3Mu/s1000/uoiu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcymOL5sQedgx1wnYTAoE2kKFdDEeedQFisCYZsd1ij_NaO9lG4hKeFZYZ0Q7pAIHfwqiNX5KN1EsIGSrTOsUXHh6kh5F9sOJtx9RDcdwU-mSVQ2ED4vssidvosfdPjPsAX4dM0XvV-xI6con2TZznaJQnuIAGvNkRoLd7dakjoneDUGVICJhH3Mu/s320/uoiu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Set on a snowy planet, we see our
heroes observing a migration of seal-like creatures called Wellagrins, which
have the distinct ability to swim through snow … which is simple, yet still
very creative. A freak avalanche separates the team, and they have to utilize
both their skills and training to battle the cold weather. This episode really
highlights Lys, and her love of unique alien animals, as she not only finds a
way to connect with the beasts, but also uses them as a means to traverse the
snowy terrain. It’s a simple, yet upbeat little outing, with decent creatures,
and great focus on one of the shows most likable characters. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 “<b>Forest
Defenders</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZeHXS52mmV8IcO-3pQEO3NWrS0rDHTVxoO4ZIHJuICWyEYyeJK2nec3B32tl_JHZ6R2l1RMiCKdtnuq2Qe4LkEQqRIXUen_0YzJN47FnBNrlb81XW21uIJs4TfBZ8v0WuHVK1dD3NVmS_dgbf_akweyTLEU1cFFqCdyUnBwkM8mycYs60osCnAf4/s1280/r57657.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZeHXS52mmV8IcO-3pQEO3NWrS0rDHTVxoO4ZIHJuICWyEYyeJK2nec3B32tl_JHZ6R2l1RMiCKdtnuq2Qe4LkEQqRIXUen_0YzJN47FnBNrlb81XW21uIJs4TfBZ8v0WuHVK1dD3NVmS_dgbf_akweyTLEU1cFFqCdyUnBwkM8mycYs60osCnAf4/s320/r57657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It wouldn’t be a complete children’s program without the
mandatory “protect the environment episode”, and this show gives us a passable
offering. Upon visiting the forests of planet Federian, the kids discover a new
enemy called Raxlo cutting down vast sections of trees, and forcing several
local animals from their homes. Our young heroes initially try to open
negotiations, but the greedy logger will have none of it … forcing the team to
take action. While the message is obvious, it’s still handled well, and
respecting nature will always be a valuable lesson for young viewers. This
episode also marks an important stepping point for the kids to face bigger
challenges, and overcoming more dangerous obstacles in their goals to protect
others.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b>Get
Well Nubs</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTX3VA9b0Tu5Cfn2YFnNkykvbCWPiMku1cZax5O3OMSLSCUgkgQFR9ZOujxUerjBiYIKThnfXJCXEeBRY7hs_O-lWQLfIA0-YaKlyzsQI3F65wwJ1vNwiBTzldCDMJtHq6qvcnmb9ebN3H4Fj7tOfYDkUG6x8MOFNT8mvEdQQnfsIwYp8JbfzwS4E/s525/Picture5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="525" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTX3VA9b0Tu5Cfn2YFnNkykvbCWPiMku1cZax5O3OMSLSCUgkgQFR9ZOujxUerjBiYIKThnfXJCXEeBRY7hs_O-lWQLfIA0-YaKlyzsQI3F65wwJ1vNwiBTzldCDMJtHq6qvcnmb9ebN3H4Fj7tOfYDkUG6x8MOFNT8mvEdQQnfsIwYp8JbfzwS4E/s320/Picture5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When best friend Nubs comes down with a horrible ailment,
Brightstar and Lys set-off on a journey to find the sacred Yara tree leaves,
which have special healing properties. Naturally, it’s a very difficult item to acquire,
as the kids have to climb great heights and face aggressive territorial
creatures in this effort to heal their sick friend. I love stories about young
friends looking out for one another, and this kind of set-up for me is always easy
to get behind. Our two leads Lys and Brightstar have wonderful chemistry, and
make for a sweet pair of friends, who are willing to face, or </span>compromise<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> any obstacle they
encounter.</span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b>The
Tale of the Short Spire</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2WyQLnKBk9JcmEJz35pqDLsxze7rk5s0H88wdkqp5YY7jwIfIge4pZJ4N8Zd2r-zbw7SDTLjVQRrIV-Cmdr9npGPPCDGm0ESlG_Pa9jTsV51YXFSQlpK8yjXkmxABW4Xyyv-jud6umRA1VxChTIjZv01tldwpRG5MMh4lqCriFuQNCaHts3Uk1paU14/s1280/Picture4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2WyQLnKBk9JcmEJz35pqDLsxze7rk5s0H88wdkqp5YY7jwIfIge4pZJ4N8Zd2r-zbw7SDTLjVQRrIV-Cmdr9npGPPCDGm0ESlG_Pa9jTsV51YXFSQlpK8yjXkmxABW4Xyyv-jud6umRA1VxChTIjZv01tldwpRG5MMh4lqCriFuQNCaHts3Uk1paU14/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Upon arriving at the city of Batuu, the young
Jedi meet-up with a fellow Padawan named Celesta, who’s tasked with getting to
know the people of the community, which will soon be her new home. As they get
to know the locals, an unscrupulous businessman enters their midst, and aims to
disassemble their area, in order to build a shiny new metropolis. While the
civilians make it clear, they don’t want their land taken apart, the single-minded
suit is determined to force change on everyone, whether they want it or not.
Naturally, the Jedi are there to protect the community, and all while trying to
convince the suit not to force his change on people. The message is simple, and
expected for a show of this sort, but executed very well, with strong supporting
players, and passable action for what this program can offer. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>#4 "<b>Off the Rails</b>" </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneYCxE7OigIwAA9qSKelSDd6DZeWM_5z_H63_NBJS8AN_v4e3SyBwFdq4YViEBalzryhiYl41vuYgFw_SE5H3W_aHlZC59Gfc5BhoT6LMItszenQa_shr8MC_hxuXjFEuDxSj2ikRY8GguNaiPUxnQJOi8z2z6bwYhiYrf_EYsZ0DXUUjVE13j0igP7I/s1280/67.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneYCxE7OigIwAA9qSKelSDd6DZeWM_5z_H63_NBJS8AN_v4e3SyBwFdq4YViEBalzryhiYl41vuYgFw_SE5H3W_aHlZC59Gfc5BhoT6LMItszenQa_shr8MC_hxuXjFEuDxSj2ikRY8GguNaiPUxnQJOi8z2z6bwYhiYrf_EYsZ0DXUUjVE13j0igP7I/s320/67.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>While on a train mission to transport logs for the construction of new homes, our young Jedi hero's are once again ambushed by their long standing pirate enemy Taborr. In an unexpected turn of events, Kai Brightstar and Taborr are separated from their companions, and have to work together to restore power to their carriage. The two have a rare opportunity to bond, and a once relentless enemy begins questioning his life choices. In the end, Kai reunites with his friends, and begin to ponder the potential of their foe potentially reforming. I'm generally a sucker for this kind of set-up, in which two enemies share an experience together, are able to connect, and potentially change their perspectives on one another. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">#3 “<b>The Jedi and the Thief</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRvWYD1XhUwKHH3kYT3GFJk76dS_p6C4DbiQzti8cFkEx1n9BoEa5crI7xLSBXJZA0lq3hA6mSPfLDudMggNgT3HYzDRaRWD5_s4_D-ZoUZ7L-GWGyZDPutPUTMvf2CAUS__SwBoQVKcGjlxo0MVW3AIPK1RT97Z_Odelrx-rR6p6GfgEPj3jJmoI/s1280/Picture3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1280" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRvWYD1XhUwKHH3kYT3GFJk76dS_p6C4DbiQzti8cFkEx1n9BoEa5crI7xLSBXJZA0lq3hA6mSPfLDudMggNgT3HYzDRaRWD5_s4_D-ZoUZ7L-GWGyZDPutPUTMvf2CAUS__SwBoQVKcGjlxo0MVW3AIPK1RT97Z_Odelrx-rR6p6GfgEPj3jJmoI/s320/Picture3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">During a training session, the elder Jedi Master Zia is troubled when she notices Kai Brightstar fighting a droid that he dressed-up to resemble his enemy, the pirate Taborr. Thus, she takes him on a special mission, where they encounter another rival thief who was once a close friend of Master Zia. Through an intense crash, and battle with large predators, the young Brightstar see’s how far trust and hope can go between rivals, and that anyone has the potential to change for the better … maybe even his own enemy some day might change. It’s a tight little episode, packed with excitement, and a wholesome moral for young viewers to take to heart. I remember when I was a kid, I always got caught-up in the excitement of seeing the hero face the heatless villain, so it’s always great when a children’s program reminds its target audience that even enemies are capable of reforming. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b>The
Caves of Batuu</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B3yW2_QCfKUusXXwG8u9nTaAmN4gre8KzQ7qjiwJEpEvHQvaQ0mA4YRksdMCj13RqRBAf5ndnYRjCszTyetVjCvI9oGXP2JTz5epyY0GoyMOPTtPVt4_O9NhP5rd65K9I97Y9MGiaaloogSsCQBADJsaoa9Foya4-uF3pv0D_yZllbeIBaRSsFPPvFE/s360/Picture3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="360" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B3yW2_QCfKUusXXwG8u9nTaAmN4gre8KzQ7qjiwJEpEvHQvaQ0mA4YRksdMCj13RqRBAf5ndnYRjCszTyetVjCvI9oGXP2JTz5epyY0GoyMOPTtPVt4_O9NhP5rd65K9I97Y9MGiaaloogSsCQBADJsaoa9Foya4-uF3pv0D_yZllbeIBaRSsFPPvFE/s320/Picture3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When it comes to Jedi centered stories, my favorite
convention is the spiritual journeys in mystical caves. This show makes the most
out of the concept, this time giving Kai Bright star his own cave journey. In
his single minded goal to be a perfect Jedi, Kai messes-up a lightsaber stunt,
and in the after match enters the cave of Batuu to reflect on his mistakes.
After several encounters with visions of his people he’s encountered, including
master Yoda and his nemeses the pirate Taborr, Kai excepts that he doesn’t need
to be “perfect” … just the best he can be and one who’s always ready to learn
more. It’s an episode that hits all the good marks, has the imagination on
display, and a thoughtful message at the center. </span><p></p></div><div> <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before I
reveal my #1 favorite, here are some quick honorable mentions …</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"<b>The Team Up</b>" </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0-kpOGmTDMoEK6RCPcG9hQQI8a0WOYuloNow2F7BprroZ00ppNFfHCNvj4WKMcpzulEGEkU-VzrXotkLRLwijlmCIloigG1pGU2o-R-pfmJv4ZGz0dYtw88KuWlpwKmzK2MojzvN7sRWYcEY1B_R7rauhB23HWmu8Ji7j-HvxGA0fmnhmEkCiZ1P/s386/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="386" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0-kpOGmTDMoEK6RCPcG9hQQI8a0WOYuloNow2F7BprroZ00ppNFfHCNvj4WKMcpzulEGEkU-VzrXotkLRLwijlmCIloigG1pGU2o-R-pfmJv4ZGz0dYtw88KuWlpwKmzK2MojzvN7sRWYcEY1B_R7rauhB23HWmu8Ji7j-HvxGA0fmnhmEkCiZ1P/w238-h160/Picture2.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Kai's Bad Day</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”</span></p></span></div><div>"<b>Life Day</b>"<br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Taborr's
Pirate Showdown</b>”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“<b>Attack
of the Training Droids</b>” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b>The
Prince and the Pirate</b>” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlIVWau8W9JBorooPgiBGHG4oY28__OYBH9DjHV_LRn6ShVi3uqBnPto5lCmzT1vw-aBmwxYUlaFtxQjG-rEsSwVzxzoa_x3jPF8IGwwRmq3ktaCu-2iNgVqDZuRCuXp78qpuqJ-jbs4lP6SdMrGRaG2kqiMOT-okiYKzn4DHdAkc2GsG4S9X7pq5RO4/s640/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlIVWau8W9JBorooPgiBGHG4oY28__OYBH9DjHV_LRn6ShVi3uqBnPto5lCmzT1vw-aBmwxYUlaFtxQjG-rEsSwVzxzoa_x3jPF8IGwwRmq3ktaCu-2iNgVqDZuRCuXp78qpuqJ-jbs4lP6SdMrGRaG2kqiMOT-okiYKzn4DHdAkc2GsG4S9X7pq5RO4/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the season one finale, the pirate Taborr is
revealed to be a young Prince, who’s been forming a little friendship with his
young Jedi opponents. During a special Jedi dedication ceremony at Starlight
Beacon, Taborr aims for the ultimate theft, to steal the ceremonial dedication
plaque. However, two things stand in his way of completing his task … one are our
young Jedi hero’s, who are in pursuit … and the other is Taborr’s new found friendship
and even respect for his enemies. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOwnPLypgsDtBlAEVOeZqT6BgJcY79D9aPB-DPl-cogu6nQw81gm0c-UFIs8xbvFsJLqBWWuunrzDc9rQIy0AgMKsGHZnEplLMRPhV5lZIlDYu3Yj_l4KqL5srjK9dG_7eyCpk8Ycft_siGOBdrHGmol-qToeYr8AOKq5g9b9Ue-7Yv8giEL8_cS5GHE/s1000/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOwnPLypgsDtBlAEVOeZqT6BgJcY79D9aPB-DPl-cogu6nQw81gm0c-UFIs8xbvFsJLqBWWuunrzDc9rQIy0AgMKsGHZnEplLMRPhV5lZIlDYu3Yj_l4KqL5srjK9dG_7eyCpk8Ycft_siGOBdrHGmol-qToeYr8AOKq5g9b9Ue-7Yv8giEL8_cS5GHE/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s all around a decent character centered
episode, which highlights how someone of royal heritage fell into a life of
piracy. By this shows standards, it features the best action and animation, as
well as loving nods to famous set-pieces from the original movies. We got an exciting
escape from a trash-compacter, and Kai’s final battle with Taborr is set in a
place that mirrors Luke and Vader’s cloud city battle. In the end, while our antagonist
doesn’t directly apologize to our heroes, he still chooses to except the Jedi
as his friends, and ponders his options of making a better, more dignified life
for himself. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_a1mtJG1oOWhtJiO4KVdGSrNaqE3eLzKuTCvobkpCBNYoVfPChCOTUIqHbMLJvN7qBSNJoTtmLfHr146gp7_edIElhpFGSXxTvcuFHzsqcsiP5XILGI9rv4VLrfm6APG7L0ixxKFQzRQ7BnF8L7l59u3rOI2m9zmnUORlrOVOBxW1brojM6I0XFd/s1920/fghtyu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_a1mtJG1oOWhtJiO4KVdGSrNaqE3eLzKuTCvobkpCBNYoVfPChCOTUIqHbMLJvN7qBSNJoTtmLfHr146gp7_edIElhpFGSXxTvcuFHzsqcsiP5XILGI9rv4VLrfm6APG7L0ixxKFQzRQ7BnF8L7l59u3rOI2m9zmnUORlrOVOBxW1brojM6I0XFd/w254-h146/fghtyu.jpg" width="254" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtLmHXN_HxSxPcdKcYIv7YRhT6Lf5AXVuxRtDtlMiDtgfa02cCvZeYCEZaoUjmth61uVMee3K3J69WfHCJ7x2rpMT5Rj99i1Pt7r9xeXGMKFwemSpjUmqmtICAs5fKLUyhQYxG8o7G3rE7xaoN9XdNU-9oNE3U5K2QRIZdfsSWa7vDHKZl0EZBlpu/s1280/Picture6.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtLmHXN_HxSxPcdKcYIv7YRhT6Lf5AXVuxRtDtlMiDtgfa02cCvZeYCEZaoUjmth61uVMee3K3J69WfHCJ7x2rpMT5Rj99i1Pt7r9xeXGMKFwemSpjUmqmtICAs5fKLUyhQYxG8o7G3rE7xaoN9XdNU-9oNE3U5K2QRIZdfsSWa7vDHKZl0EZBlpu/w245-h146/Picture6.jpg" width="245" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end, this show isn’t going to leave
any kind of memorable impression on me, but it is still a recommendable show for
introducing little kids to the “<b>Star Wars</b>” franchise. The characters are
sweet, it's bright and colorful, there's decent morals for young viewers, and a
great deal of energy. It may not reach new highs for what children can watch
and learn from, but like I said, it's still a perfectly good program for its
intended audience.</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">While
there’s nothing wrong with watching the movies first when the kids come of age,
it’s still nice that little kids can have this show as a means … to take their
first steps into a larger world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_W0i9GhF_f2aCWHjXsl_pY7ivP7dZOu5ViMlN-y7xWMThpKF8aRUTGJCc7Nd4j1yS6yNqmHol7k9yObXl0vxX5sUMZZf9S7p9SJBII4rXwnNi5IcaVNoDSiOUP6w07MPf0Y6AZyijBEGQxDEhNdG05rq_V5ldstL37J6fyn-6vLy5Bg_sorFoJab/s1280/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_W0i9GhF_f2aCWHjXsl_pY7ivP7dZOu5ViMlN-y7xWMThpKF8aRUTGJCc7Nd4j1yS6yNqmHol7k9yObXl0vxX5sUMZZf9S7p9SJBII4rXwnNi5IcaVNoDSiOUP6w07MPf0Y6AZyijBEGQxDEhNdG05rq_V5ldstL37J6fyn-6vLy5Bg_sorFoJab/w400-h225/Picture8.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 2023 series “<b>Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures</b>”
… and continue to enjoy the shows you Love! <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-62503822027539433542023-05-30T16:29:00.032-07:002023-05-30T20:25:49.635-07:00The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-if9-Glos3mddI3jMbO4dxntqdBCa0hPkvualheIYiNeWKV483a5rZLh4HDQcQexq9TuzLbf7QIvJrejC-OaQFuNCrMMq4EqwhcU_Flz49q3VnPrSkdbN26zoClL6KKa3x46eRT4_en7TJN72S-OtC0ZgUV30l0gNtZvE-SrOCS6PRicppzWKA3sj/s475/0000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-if9-Glos3mddI3jMbO4dxntqdBCa0hPkvualheIYiNeWKV483a5rZLh4HDQcQexq9TuzLbf7QIvJrejC-OaQFuNCrMMq4EqwhcU_Flz49q3VnPrSkdbN26zoClL6KKa3x46eRT4_en7TJN72S-OtC0ZgUV30l0gNtZvE-SrOCS6PRicppzWKA3sj/w273-h400/0000.jpg" width="273" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></div><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When it comes to the Western genera now days,
new films only seem to sparingly come about, and only a hand-full are truly
great. However, there was a period between the late 1950’s and early 70’s in
which Westerns dominated cinema, similar to how comic-book and superhero movies
grabbed audience interest in the two-thousand-teens. One of the most iconic
staples of this golden age was the 1966 Western classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Good, The Bad
and the Ugly</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which is still cited as one of the greats of the genera, and
is frequently seen on lists of either the greatest or most influential movies
ever made. While I’ve personally never looked back on “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Good, The Bad and
the Ugly</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” as one of my favorite movies, I do still find it one of the more
favorable Westerns I’ve seen, and it’s well worth checking out, if you haven’t
seen it. This marked a conclusion of sorts to director Sergio Leone’s
figurative “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Dollar Trilogy</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which began with the 1964 picture “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A
Fistful of Dollars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and continued with 1965’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A Few Dollars More</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.
While there was no direct continuity between the films, they repeated many
similar beats, and re-used many of the same actors, namely Clint Eastwood as
the titular “Man with no Name”.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gGS0XdxDfUhDn2M8TCD2OlwnU7Ft9Du2F5E4Kbe5_soYH2rPcWaAkeW8zirNVhExEpeEgZxP_dKXpxAkU3VgNJPsIt9joOk_oFDjGhQPgfWyDUwE2o8IHuVpJhEdpbPbV16M96AzHMJQ5M3MLy2n-xxDJBN7Yk1hA4dZJS03-BGXCps1cXeWx3B8/s602/fthtrtr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="602" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gGS0XdxDfUhDn2M8TCD2OlwnU7Ft9Du2F5E4Kbe5_soYH2rPcWaAkeW8zirNVhExEpeEgZxP_dKXpxAkU3VgNJPsIt9joOk_oFDjGhQPgfWyDUwE2o8IHuVpJhEdpbPbV16M96AzHMJQ5M3MLy2n-xxDJBN7Yk1hA4dZJS03-BGXCps1cXeWx3B8/w273-h116/fthtrtr.jpg" width="273" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xeAGn9L1p3pqL5ai-3UHHyZNr1exxNe3UIIn_XiLG2gwsrzozgkdUaYiBcXjRP_at3OCf7pS7Bsoa9ozkKwgam5CFzxBJaHCJmv94ZIiRTBnjTp7iTRFu3uTWahnh-D0U2CS8-W2o1QGLhmPFkLLLOcn2toLFuH5-h1y6AHPZ9wSfnFVeHwbBI2M/s800/67868.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="800" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xeAGn9L1p3pqL5ai-3UHHyZNr1exxNe3UIIn_XiLG2gwsrzozgkdUaYiBcXjRP_at3OCf7pS7Bsoa9ozkKwgam5CFzxBJaHCJmv94ZIiRTBnjTp7iTRFu3uTWahnh-D0U2CS8-W2o1QGLhmPFkLLLOcn2toLFuH5-h1y6AHPZ9wSfnFVeHwbBI2M/w228-h115/67868.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this venture, he’s referred to a Blondie,
and is in league with a self-centered schemer named Tuco. The two operate a
racket, in which Tuco is captured for reward money, then Blondie rescues him
from the gallows at last second, and then they move to a different town to do
it all over again. Over time, it becomes a dangerous game of one double
crossing the other, to the point where Tuco is ready to do-away is his quiet
partner for good. As they try to out-wit one another, a cold-blooded bounty
hunter referred to as Angel Eyes, is out on the trail of a thief, who buried a
box containing $200,000 of stolen money. Through a series of events, both
Blondie and Tuco stumble upon the dying out-law, and each learn something
valuable. Tuco learns of a cemetery in which the money was placed, while
Blondie learns of the grave-stone in which the box was buried under. Despite
hating each-others guts, both men have to work together to survive a journey
through Confederate territory during the Civil War, as well as avoiding the
deadly aim of Angle Eyes, and his team of armed hunters.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9yJFpzIrFVef8ktG6TYJlaeo5B-eLrD1XZWJgIyeYAAiX-FT9C2zZOfeMQ_IBuzi5kk05GZFmeZyMDs93k6zqIamcy0MQtSlrhF-1yelTPb11HwCvmUaj3eTUmqM_UD6yIyct4VQe7PB4deyiFojOWSISxVO7z3FkjEo3bRYCFiwEt9HoofSC16C/s600/0.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="600" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9yJFpzIrFVef8ktG6TYJlaeo5B-eLrD1XZWJgIyeYAAiX-FT9C2zZOfeMQ_IBuzi5kk05GZFmeZyMDs93k6zqIamcy0MQtSlrhF-1yelTPb11HwCvmUaj3eTUmqM_UD6yIyct4VQe7PB4deyiFojOWSISxVO7z3FkjEo3bRYCFiwEt9HoofSC16C/w253-h145/0.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3N7VV2gI4vNK63mNP97Pi8dW58JJ2A5S8dQNHkcH7BwtDt9neTg8sob7ySzJfj1N2HfXcFQOdvyBPF7jPASxI_6HvH79NWQcoHGU9hghNwW4SFWbzCgD91_EyQewTcI01u2S1slfrUkihUg7Wm3snoltYTLS3UgajUVFRaPj3_1PIdxp0hu6dCn1Y/s774/gf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="774" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3N7VV2gI4vNK63mNP97Pi8dW58JJ2A5S8dQNHkcH7BwtDt9neTg8sob7ySzJfj1N2HfXcFQOdvyBPF7jPASxI_6HvH79NWQcoHGU9hghNwW4SFWbzCgD91_EyQewTcI01u2S1slfrUkihUg7Wm3snoltYTLS3UgajUVFRaPj3_1PIdxp0hu6dCn1Y/w257-h145/gf.jpg" width="257" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
I go any further in the details of the film, I should stop, and address how
this film is part of a sub-genera of Westerns, commonly referred to as Spaghetti
westerns. While the story and events are set in the Southwestern United States
of 1862, amidst the American Civil War, the movie itself was an Italian
production, filmed in Spain, with all the locations and towns doubling for
areas in America. In fact, the proper pronunciation of the title is “<b>Il
buono, il brutto, il cattivo</b>” … “<b>The Good, The Ugly, The Bad</b>”. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iM5pEe8XpnWDT-YjJcx7PQJ9ZwDqgV6vBTzXpeIeoWEG_hNsCkfYzXnSd2RUrrDOmj3Y9S9dpPjCn0wHjwKF-uQaXQxNx_IrerjySL_dtn4erb0ZQGyBvDcWhpZDOqfOao0YC7EczdV7TI_NNryEo8Dstpg9gVy1cpaHrry2fumGzkVemgmCzP3a/s432/00.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="351" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iM5pEe8XpnWDT-YjJcx7PQJ9ZwDqgV6vBTzXpeIeoWEG_hNsCkfYzXnSd2RUrrDOmj3Y9S9dpPjCn0wHjwKF-uQaXQxNx_IrerjySL_dtn4erb0ZQGyBvDcWhpZDOqfOao0YC7EczdV7TI_NNryEo8Dstpg9gVy1cpaHrry2fumGzkVemgmCzP3a/s320/00.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
cast by extent was primarily speaking in their native Italian langue, which was
then dubbed over in English. Arguably the weakest element of this film is the
doubling, as it’s very noticeable, and at times can take me out of the moment.
Regardless, it doesn’t ruin the experience, and it’s admittedly better than the
doubling of Sergio Leone’s first two Westerns. Honestly, being an Italian
picture, it really makes me admire all the hard work that went into the
production of recreating these small towns, Civil War battlefields, prison
camps, and cemeteries, to look like authentic locations from a period in
America. The climactic cemetery location alone took several hundred Spanish
employees to craft all the gravestones, wooden crosses, and how they’d be
laid-out and arranged. It’s honestly a phenomenal production, and lensed
brilliantly by cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli, who helmed the films
sweeping widescreen presentation. Most of the films Iconography comes from how
it was shot and presented. A frequently replicated scene is when Tuco slowly
walks alone into a ghost town, and with Blondie’s help, due-away with a number
of armed hunters, who pop-out of the woodworks, almost like bad-guys in a video
game.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEUDNvu0qQaXwxJuMHew8GuHea_kF7pbTorevCIV0idxPrE1ooaWSk6LY5xZhTHHbYkUdWiEDhn_QD4WMEryCV2eCaqwwR4h_4JsyEBfkVOT_bwVk05U5XJSXJDDII_Z23xQUMfnQATMkyR46y2uXoX6twDBMxGQm9O1QCiKAtrVRmSwowQlTRpEJ/s1024/fjrt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="1024" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEUDNvu0qQaXwxJuMHew8GuHea_kF7pbTorevCIV0idxPrE1ooaWSk6LY5xZhTHHbYkUdWiEDhn_QD4WMEryCV2eCaqwwR4h_4JsyEBfkVOT_bwVk05U5XJSXJDDII_Z23xQUMfnQATMkyR46y2uXoX6twDBMxGQm9O1QCiKAtrVRmSwowQlTRpEJ/w266-h143/fjrt.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXt5MaOGxXtApoqQDlIVCfbNlnzZEG0edzkHGH1dLDVHmBfhtC8q-OFPuXRAQUOgQRpOgFk_vthUoklM9TOdpPE7haekW3Y_LYYbAAlljQy4pjqFIl9FBgIaO73rOVtCq3wrWh7Mc8fQ53wpH29BD9yc9kir0pJ2lZtrtmPHgmyQU4ySA6LZKjd64/s1280/piy.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXt5MaOGxXtApoqQDlIVCfbNlnzZEG0edzkHGH1dLDVHmBfhtC8q-OFPuXRAQUOgQRpOgFk_vthUoklM9TOdpPE7haekW3Y_LYYbAAlljQy4pjqFIl9FBgIaO73rOVtCq3wrWh7Mc8fQ53wpH29BD9yc9kir0pJ2lZtrtmPHgmyQU4ySA6LZKjd64/w236-h143/piy.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speaking of Iconography, Clint Eastwood was
well on his way of becoming the new face of the genera, with his rugged good
looks, and squinty eyes, while chomping on a cigar, became staples of Western cinema. He also had his own iconic attire of a green poncho, which he wore in
the first two “<b>Dollar movies</b>”, but didn’t have in this film, until the
ending. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqFm56u10Q4iaxmE2GXLRXorinjFN-EPMj20UeCpqs3tI9JP07HKUkZjUrZGhZWs0r73PrvyFK0DT6D3_rUaf7mbfvjhDZp5sINN1ixzKRcAQz0IRppgSjDjH_jYycc1O8M80O7pIZbFpvGL4gPOVth18au0SiMpC-NfTEO76Vz07VGnaF0NCe941/s400/rtyry.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqFm56u10Q4iaxmE2GXLRXorinjFN-EPMj20UeCpqs3tI9JP07HKUkZjUrZGhZWs0r73PrvyFK0DT6D3_rUaf7mbfvjhDZp5sINN1ixzKRcAQz0IRppgSjDjH_jYycc1O8M80O7pIZbFpvGL4gPOVth18au0SiMpC-NfTEO76Vz07VGnaF0NCe941/s320/rtyry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This began speculation on whether or not “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Good, the Bad and the
Ugly</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is a prequel to the first two films, and if Clint Eastwood’s
character really is the same person, just taking on a different alias each
time. Either way it’s fun to speculate, and there’s also a novelty in having a
trilogy of films, in which the viewers mainly create the continuity. As a quick
side-note, director Howard Hawks and star John Wayne had their own figurative
Western trilogy, sometimes referred to as the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Bravo series</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which
began with the 1959 classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Rio Bravo</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, continued with 1966’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">El
Dorado</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and concluded with 1970’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Rio Lobo</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. Again, there was no
direct continuity between the films, and they can almost be viewed as three
different takes of a similar story, and John Wayne playing an almost identical
character in all three films. I’m only bringing it up because it’s one of my
favorite film series of the genera … but I better get back on track with “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Good, the Bad and the Ugly</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD3tZrav5aEJSdIvy5FcLDyqgOPe_BEiWqKV2ZxJ8cQPCNaMYoscj1w8Wz98hZCtR59DNjC2cHaNcXbHBvdnjyDrv5HCJgLxCbjH8eeNtHvz6-nJN0eofYzb28Q25g7UKbGhuvJWugm683wj__r0Y7b1Fse6BbTGMSlYbeLV-9MrvELzXonDoqpaY/s640/gyjg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD3tZrav5aEJSdIvy5FcLDyqgOPe_BEiWqKV2ZxJ8cQPCNaMYoscj1w8Wz98hZCtR59DNjC2cHaNcXbHBvdnjyDrv5HCJgLxCbjH8eeNtHvz6-nJN0eofYzb28Q25g7UKbGhuvJWugm683wj__r0Y7b1Fse6BbTGMSlYbeLV-9MrvELzXonDoqpaY/w253-h149/gyjg.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8LeaPnJjINhzXVRzq7vXbuBcEINnYSGVmBcCCr_dNcBGNeIck-2qa9x0Xqo15qfzoQyaHvkpHyQTGVRsyNzzaF3zDL5bbNjc5O-CJBCxG99HHYmSikQBeA7KOifKuQrmRRds0JfhHO8pr-fTGzYsebTF8MvtqyM00iwATEmlXkJE42HRXgObn5aD/s1200/drgs.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="1200" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8LeaPnJjINhzXVRzq7vXbuBcEINnYSGVmBcCCr_dNcBGNeIck-2qa9x0Xqo15qfzoQyaHvkpHyQTGVRsyNzzaF3zDL5bbNjc5O-CJBCxG99HHYmSikQBeA7KOifKuQrmRRds0JfhHO8pr-fTGzYsebTF8MvtqyM00iwATEmlXkJE42HRXgObn5aD/w252-h149/drgs.jpg" width="252" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Clint Eastwood is the poster-child of
the movie, the character who really steals the show is "The Rat" himself … Tuco,
played by Eli Wallach. When it comes to slimy characters you shouldn’t trust,
yet are still exploding with personality and charisma, Tuco is one of the gold
standards … “Whoever double crosses me and leaves me alive, he understands
nothing about Tuco … haha … NOTHING!”. Just how cool is this character … well,
can you think of any other character in a Western who fires his gun sideways …
a common cliché for gangster films, but not Westerns. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigoJcszIajI8d8N4rtePyRwbS03xxw-V1-2A8J8FrQJtY64AZAr15TKLv11pdfEd0EtgexpRMde2HAW1V7yDPgxn78Xco698NTxSpywO4hPLpm9ykTCXmlz9OS4jvswpz81FHFc5bEo_xn2dEp2wQP3O9fS0H5Fz7RcHYyrxAwgBKBZPgm2_SdEgPf/s780/7970.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigoJcszIajI8d8N4rtePyRwbS03xxw-V1-2A8J8FrQJtY64AZAr15TKLv11pdfEd0EtgexpRMde2HAW1V7yDPgxn78Xco698NTxSpywO4hPLpm9ykTCXmlz9OS4jvswpz81FHFc5bEo_xn2dEp2wQP3O9fS0H5Fz7RcHYyrxAwgBKBZPgm2_SdEgPf/s320/7970.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In all seriousness, this
guy has all the best lines, all the best responses, all the coolest scenes, and
is arguably even the most layered. We get to explore some of his family life,
and get an intriguing dynamic between he and his brother, who went on to serve
in the church, while Tuco turned into a life of crime. They may seem like polar
opposites, yet both chose their paths in an effort to make a name for
themselves. Of course, his famous bathtub scene might just be my favorite part
of the whole film. A rivel outlaw ambushes Tuco while he’s in the tub, and
makes the fatal mistake to gloat, as Tuco secretly brought his firearm in the
tub with him … “When you have to shoot, don’t talk, shoot!”. It’s such an
iconic moment, and inspired a number of similar scenes. John Wayne had a
similar bath tub surprise moment in the 1971 picture “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Big Jake</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, which
is another one of my all-time favorite Westerns. Of course, another famous
moment inspired by this was Han Solo shooting Greedo in “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” ... figured I had to mention that.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp3NoVOrwaM4RZghAvNoZB5WOiO6qW_wpepcs71sL5RB6_JsQjSw4xYt5WNGvxHbdXhIx1XAY7HIY3p018mDm82GDL42kuM4dAf0eSJV3GWbMomXBy9VtZo0uwEdfoz2uftt4gpUx78Cv_uXmxBYVQL9P_-nhbSYJ3lXFE4mVX9etmyosJzWH6hcz/s720/Picture13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipp3NoVOrwaM4RZghAvNoZB5WOiO6qW_wpepcs71sL5RB6_JsQjSw4xYt5WNGvxHbdXhIx1XAY7HIY3p018mDm82GDL42kuM4dAf0eSJV3GWbMomXBy9VtZo0uwEdfoz2uftt4gpUx78Cv_uXmxBYVQL9P_-nhbSYJ3lXFE4mVX9etmyosJzWH6hcz/w219-h123/Picture13.jpg" width="219" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO_bekHv4BI3oBeGSOwfk3vXfvYKho3cn9OEn9XIb3nwv1BzOOrJ1roxtDjh1FZrtUvMi4_O1gQyMyFrllXwoHs-4RPpgvpHMhHiYY93n8M0oh1vi8joh3OzheQhxz7ugPtx_XJc8rQpmye1_mSM26fve1LUB1CCJVg8GsjnB9pgIVRfzPVSbDKCs/s640/000.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="640" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO_bekHv4BI3oBeGSOwfk3vXfvYKho3cn9OEn9XIb3nwv1BzOOrJ1roxtDjh1FZrtUvMi4_O1gQyMyFrllXwoHs-4RPpgvpHMhHiYY93n8M0oh1vi8joh3OzheQhxz7ugPtx_XJc8rQpmye1_mSM26fve1LUB1CCJVg8GsjnB9pgIVRfzPVSbDKCs/w284-h124/000.jpg" width="284" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rounding up the cast is Lee Van Cleef as the
ruthless bounty hunter Angel Eyes, a character so cool, he'd actually inspire one of my favorite "<b>Star Wars</b>" characters, the equally ruthless Bounty Hunter called Cade Bane. While I've only seen the actor </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Lee Van Cleef </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">in a handful of films, including "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">" and "</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Escape From New York</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">", he left an impression as this imposing, calculating, and brutal hunter. Just how bad is he ... well, he doesn’t hesitate to shoot a
mans face through a pillow. Actually, a lot of the films content was darker and
more violent than most Westerns of the time, including a brutal interrogation
scene, in which Angel Eyes tortures Tuco. Aside from the dramatic violence, the
film also avoids common conventions of the time, as there’s no love interest,
and despite what the title may suggest, there really are no heroes in this
film. Everyone of our main players is an outlaw, and the setting is
characterized as a savage one, where only the smartest and quickest survive.
When I was in film school, my teacher used this movie as an example of “Gothic
Storytelling”, in which there’s no conventional protagonist, and it’s all about
people with their own interests in mind, which makes storytelling
unpredictable. Of course, the leads have their ways of holding viewer interest,
and some characters like Blondie display just enough moments of virtue, that we
cheer for him, despite being an outlaw himself.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVHVofZb79cHwm_O64Y-Gnq_1zxx2a5pZ57dD2yHOL6Hpw53FHWEPNEr_rdOJA-v8YCBJRxo_oyfjRs_5x_5_z3C_M4mYxDHunEeWsTsGSYncn9RYaHw89CDbcr7Kvkgro_mUfQPjOmBtEq1f7WdCRSX8DJ6y2m-TouBxvY9qtJiZ9LIStGJexPoT/s550/uykyoiy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="550" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVHVofZb79cHwm_O64Y-Gnq_1zxx2a5pZ57dD2yHOL6Hpw53FHWEPNEr_rdOJA-v8YCBJRxo_oyfjRs_5x_5_z3C_M4mYxDHunEeWsTsGSYncn9RYaHw89CDbcr7Kvkgro_mUfQPjOmBtEq1f7WdCRSX8DJ6y2m-TouBxvY9qtJiZ9LIStGJexPoT/w263-h137/uykyoiy.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpgZX5NKIhBbIu__TQvjuSrdKBhMJFjsu__UeueEeGZrrPrQ2bgPBCIzyAzTmT0saoMwBnahM7uIdY3ySc5td-gm9eM_J615EfDNJ6-gpP0--jPPMffSa1xG4SLSQeLyxflgx8Kt7r5ACtiY46nfthcVVBiE_0H2t8EiSq5C3Kg7LJN-C2MT_7V3a/s526/Picture16.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="526" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpgZX5NKIhBbIu__TQvjuSrdKBhMJFjsu__UeueEeGZrrPrQ2bgPBCIzyAzTmT0saoMwBnahM7uIdY3ySc5td-gm9eM_J615EfDNJ6-gpP0--jPPMffSa1xG4SLSQeLyxflgx8Kt7r5ACtiY46nfthcVVBiE_0H2t8EiSq5C3Kg7LJN-C2MT_7V3a/w215-h138/Picture16.jpg" width="215" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite segment of the film is when
Blondie and Tuco find themselves in the company of Union soldiers, during the
battle of Glorieta Pass, of the New Mexico Campaign. For a good twenty minutes,
the film takes on a new life as a Civil War epic, yet it still remembers to keep
our characters front in center of all the excitement. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBMNXjxjh6H84JoLOtuH_-W4I_TFL7M-WglMj8yX79BaRN7yniPwRo-GEQHH3BuiEKWGXyk7_aEYL3hZ0C6rwlxPuGB3XzDlp0ZIbBSTzBfUzqegEQudLqQ_sNvtkkjYE5PIJaKBoFOGHF9s_Bt1nz1JtSE9FKWQQIy_5A75AB5tHFKD5G9J7rZBY/s600/808.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBMNXjxjh6H84JoLOtuH_-W4I_TFL7M-WglMj8yX79BaRN7yniPwRo-GEQHH3BuiEKWGXyk7_aEYL3hZ0C6rwlxPuGB3XzDlp0ZIbBSTzBfUzqegEQudLqQ_sNvtkkjYE5PIJaKBoFOGHF9s_Bt1nz1JtSE9FKWQQIy_5A75AB5tHFKD5G9J7rZBY/s320/808.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Blondie during this time
makes a connection with a Union soldier on his death bed, who failed a mission
to blow-up a bridge, which prompts Blondie and Tuco to do something selfless
for once. It makes the destruction of the bridge all the more satisfying, and
the scene itself was so intense that it had to be filmed twice, as all three
cameras were </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">destroyed on the first take. Afterword’s, we segue into the films
iconic finale, in which our three main characters converge onto the buried
treasure, and have a nail-biting three-way standoff. Typically, when I think of
my favorite climaxes, I think of the grand, relentless battles featured in the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Star
Wars</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Avengers</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” and “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Lord of the Rings</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” movies … and yet,
this film likewise features one of my all-time favorite finales, and it barley
has more action then a single gunshot. All the excitement of this climax comes
from the build-up, the intensity, and all the little exchanges between our players,
who don’t even speak much. It’s just this exciting montage of clos-ups,
riveting music, and brilliant editing that make this scene a work of art.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yhHbpfSUNF7ODin2KhTg6OzJAYe9Ru7hRqedApbvHYdWtuj2fDrnMsr_cuD6irRFLfDCQ2ojhNnAp3kya505CdWafIkPuHG3waApRJt5GCp7S7J26aV3KBgmPUAG67tf_BQBPzswLLwYj7pHQWIGxlaX8RYI4rjxmcPJrZ-y7LlKemINeTtjfAej/s339/Picture11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="339" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yhHbpfSUNF7ODin2KhTg6OzJAYe9Ru7hRqedApbvHYdWtuj2fDrnMsr_cuD6irRFLfDCQ2ojhNnAp3kya505CdWafIkPuHG3waApRJt5GCp7S7J26aV3KBgmPUAG67tf_BQBPzswLLwYj7pHQWIGxlaX8RYI4rjxmcPJrZ-y7LlKemINeTtjfAej/w222-h124/Picture11.jpg" width="222" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x0Jm8R9eGihz2ZaFG4GCRBwFicYPbfAVhYW3vKOIOPWBm3SXrstdXEDYVgPc9JoLy46rA4IOIGnB3c4c01-6D4jjR_58pIRK5aKYIsMccuyxa8lGa2aXJ9qL4JDpVOpz-O-d3vm8MEwID9AE3eqhShQxjqA8a1rS9GbhfbveppHR5oLCYrsT2DaF/s1280/opiy.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1280" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x0Jm8R9eGihz2ZaFG4GCRBwFicYPbfAVhYW3vKOIOPWBm3SXrstdXEDYVgPc9JoLy46rA4IOIGnB3c4c01-6D4jjR_58pIRK5aKYIsMccuyxa8lGa2aXJ9qL4JDpVOpz-O-d3vm8MEwID9AE3eqhShQxjqA8a1rS9GbhfbveppHR5oLCYrsT2DaF/w291-h124/opiy.jpg" width="291" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, I had to mention the equally
iconic score at some point, and yes … it’s one of the high marks of this film.
Ennio Morricone’s music score for <a name="_Hlk136202421">“<b>The Good, The
Bad, and The Ugly</b>” </a>gives this film such a distinct identity, and it’s
what carries so much of the film’s momentum. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdUDAXuhv8hMvui9gy8y2Wy6wIaXATlY4ljd3NXWEm2paTiZIoJ_EtVZBKcweb832PlmjG9aaW_NPMP7FJ7yH2nd69d8V_n3hvADS61s71hnTBWX6ZfPTRtbxwFd3Zw61QAkU8Ff-f_Qmx0cVqP7u4Op60mczozi8OLbNz6SKGM5MNX7emneqTirs/s1080/t6u5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="1080" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdUDAXuhv8hMvui9gy8y2Wy6wIaXATlY4ljd3NXWEm2paTiZIoJ_EtVZBKcweb832PlmjG9aaW_NPMP7FJ7yH2nd69d8V_n3hvADS61s71hnTBWX6ZfPTRtbxwFd3Zw61QAkU8Ff-f_Qmx0cVqP7u4Op60mczozi8OLbNz6SKGM5MNX7emneqTirs/w400-h170/t6u5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As a side note, this movie opens
with one of my favorite opening credit sequences ever, with all these painted
illustrations of the cast, colorful transitions, flashy visuals, and all while
matched with this sensational music. If I had any reservations with this movie,
it would be the nearly three-hour runtime, and the leisurely pacing of the
first half. Upon its initial release in Italy, “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Good, The Bad, and the
Ugly</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” had a run time of 177 minutes, although it was shortened to 161
minutes once released in America, which is still a long sit. While the music
helps to keep me engaged, I don’t really feel invested until the treasure hunt
story gets going, and all three of our characters cross paths, which
unfortunately doesn’t happen until about the one-hour mark. Personally, I feel
the first act could have been tightened-up a little, although I do understand
that the point of the slower scenes was to build-up suspense and anticipation. Truthfully,
I just don’t find much of it that exciting … at least in the first act …
because once this film gets going, it really cooks, and the slow-build gets
exhilarating. The 1968 classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Once Upon a Time in the West</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” likewise
had a slow-burning start, but eventually got the momentum going.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzIYcUzoL24X7ovhH0MU712js4WyxUEw-kFShwB3HNCPVz9VJmlbAanP2TpxIZ41pwLACsEAjhydi7lqE6RRS1STSLERfDDUuFRsMVu3QK6JMUpFfTjNcswVolmOi7SE8uQ01RiPaSkm263o_GxSSrBifVNoKGrHg7Khbpm_kI7BWhzHHk1TkIKBz/s1600/tryrt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1600" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzIYcUzoL24X7ovhH0MU712js4WyxUEw-kFShwB3HNCPVz9VJmlbAanP2TpxIZ41pwLACsEAjhydi7lqE6RRS1STSLERfDDUuFRsMVu3QK6JMUpFfTjNcswVolmOi7SE8uQ01RiPaSkm263o_GxSSrBifVNoKGrHg7Khbpm_kI7BWhzHHk1TkIKBz/w233-h122/tryrt.jpg" width="233" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdEyz5wVk82TYN6UHcgtpBLR7p3rhTLsnOZkza5Tjc1p0SOYNjoCQ9I44EVgj58u1nikkMCFz4-B3FQjPw96VyQTyV_A5sSoHx_cOomj670FOCneRicd6u9CZhz8Nmhsl6UTasNFZOECFS7ND5Y0L9J-U2RaA8K8sLI9Hz2LsTgEMNzPmZV9V-YcG/s728/Picture14.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="728" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizdEyz5wVk82TYN6UHcgtpBLR7p3rhTLsnOZkza5Tjc1p0SOYNjoCQ9I44EVgj58u1nikkMCFz4-B3FQjPw96VyQTyV_A5sSoHx_cOomj670FOCneRicd6u9CZhz8Nmhsl6UTasNFZOECFS7ND5Y0L9J-U2RaA8K8sLI9Hz2LsTgEMNzPmZV9V-YcG/w227-h123/Picture14.jpg" width="227" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end, there’s a reason “<b>The Good,
The Bad, and Ugly</b>” is so frequently sighted as one of the best of the
genera, and arguably the greatest of the Spaghetti Westerns. It avoided
predictable conventions, put a new face on the genera, inspired countless
imitators, and has been ingrained in our pop-culture. Even if you haven’t seen
the movie, your probably still familiar with some of its iconography or maybe
even its music, and may not even know where it all came from. It’s just that
kind of movie that left a lasting impression, and has been replicated in many
forms over the years. If you’re a long time Western fan, this film is required
viewing, and for casual viewers, I’d still recommend it, but be prepared for its
lengthy run time, and how it utilizes a slow-burn presentation as a means to
generate excitement. Regardless, the character performances, riveting music,
and film techniques on display are still well worth viewing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXOEoUYqBIvbEexKJtf7-4x9eJe-FpB05rJN0A8EqsLenjkh2a4i-1UpGji3OYU5wVfi_tedEh6JTW-2rKPycHb8KJc_djnSF2IZcgqZC9Q4R582nY7GpNxfLZGkcw1VJQNzF-GmcaOg5c6zkeVWhEB9SYJVG8j9WRl2k-JdLeYsifCKI_VDDb_6B/s3500/adsfas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXOEoUYqBIvbEexKJtf7-4x9eJe-FpB05rJN0A8EqsLenjkh2a4i-1UpGji3OYU5wVfi_tedEh6JTW-2rKPycHb8KJc_djnSF2IZcgqZC9Q4R582nY7GpNxfLZGkcw1VJQNzF-GmcaOg5c6zkeVWhEB9SYJVG8j9WRl2k-JdLeYsifCKI_VDDb_6B/w400-h260/adsfas.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of the 1966 Western classic “<b>The Good, The Bad, and the
Ugly</b>” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-15548697942616001122023-05-11T19:17:00.046-07:002023-06-01T19:49:16.047-07:00The New Batman Adventures – All 24 Episodes Ranked <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlSvmo0T-w7nW6OJZxAqBRUgXLaFvlyCtKqGkK-Hzf7ZDG3meGbwUzxcAFk9V7ABI9dQwiefd8NazMnSMTv-bG09clf4s_QNkIrcwlfE4vDHuaCchMrPoEGZF04GzmhQFXNdK1cLTyPndMo_Q6QbHlRsyxwyfbAUf68Hfal35s_ESF7kV5O_2cdaq/s640/dfgsdf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlSvmo0T-w7nW6OJZxAqBRUgXLaFvlyCtKqGkK-Hzf7ZDG3meGbwUzxcAFk9V7ABI9dQwiefd8NazMnSMTv-bG09clf4s_QNkIrcwlfE4vDHuaCchMrPoEGZF04GzmhQFXNdK1cLTyPndMo_Q6QbHlRsyxwyfbAUf68Hfal35s_ESF7kV5O_2cdaq/s320/dfgsdf.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEex_lNtTocsoqHNUbOTo4NllJTFR6dASMJo0WtbEH7ASmR_smresQUCgTjnppJAzKZ5mmKWsxRW31sJKwIkOkspm8xngrI4TIHwTdEG2sy-nEU9rqwRNpXLQUxo9rJjeMPPMF-DquX-He1QuR2Kzg4NOJWMDeFGHNth1Uai1vNDJJoSjIGPNDDbHJ/s1363/cd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1000" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEex_lNtTocsoqHNUbOTo4NllJTFR6dASMJo0WtbEH7ASmR_smresQUCgTjnppJAzKZ5mmKWsxRW31sJKwIkOkspm8xngrI4TIHwTdEG2sy-nEU9rqwRNpXLQUxo9rJjeMPPMF-DquX-He1QuR2Kzg4NOJWMDeFGHNth1Uai1vNDJJoSjIGPNDDbHJ/w133-h181/cd.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The early
1990’s program "<b>Batman: The Animated Series</b>" is a long-standing staple of both comic-book
iconography, and animated productions in general. For me, while I’m certainly a
long-time fan, my earliest childhood fondness of the show actually began with
its final season, which was re-titled “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The New Batman Adventures</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pXrcPa9SAyRU24lxMma1h7QOgetxuYP51p6_aj9Hu5-cKCfXX8EgXtml-uAj9g1FH3GhO5Hcvw1qGi6twZyU1V_YOtjo-y9NPPjbKwSRFi_Yc4anIqdK--Jjr0agP7G8Yhlj61wYve8eK7TXolRnMTleZZtbwjzknunfz-F7ywxSEQn1Ho1FWfI_/s640/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pXrcPa9SAyRU24lxMma1h7QOgetxuYP51p6_aj9Hu5-cKCfXX8EgXtml-uAj9g1FH3GhO5Hcvw1qGi6twZyU1V_YOtjo-y9NPPjbKwSRFi_Yc4anIqdK--Jjr0agP7G8Yhlj61wYve8eK7TXolRnMTleZZtbwjzknunfz-F7ywxSEQn1Ho1FWfI_/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is when the show transitioned from Fox Kids to Kid’s WB, the animation style and character designs were heavily altered, and it was joined with “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Superman: The Animated Series</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, as part of the Batman and Superman Adventures hour. </span>The opening to this hour block was extraordinary, and got me hyped every time.
The two naturally had a number of crossovers with each other, and all tie-in
material to Batman following this season seemed to take more from it as a base
point. I really like the overall look and feel of this season, with its
permanent red-sky backdrop, and animation style that fit along with the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Superman</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
show of its time. It was still the same continuity, writers and voice cast, but
at the same time, it was almost like its own self-contained spin-off series,
with its own unique look and feel.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7fyV0iSsyYr2hG2O9NIL9ZXNg4tFUPulujCTnI_LeHWYs9kOaUA80AAhgeZWtFVz625sGk3bpVXK1l444e5HOefxoQnXNk-gVTXnBnp0UnSHjn37ZauvI305ucPx8P4aMVKOy1cg8esj1glV2-rLixxb1sQNJx37mg7AvF6jIBGBOZ1amItYJF0a/s960/dfgdr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7fyV0iSsyYr2hG2O9NIL9ZXNg4tFUPulujCTnI_LeHWYs9kOaUA80AAhgeZWtFVz625sGk3bpVXK1l444e5HOefxoQnXNk-gVTXnBnp0UnSHjn37ZauvI305ucPx8P4aMVKOy1cg8esj1glV2-rLixxb1sQNJx37mg7AvF6jIBGBOZ1amItYJF0a/w259-h194/dfgdr.jpg" width="259" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoroHVE1VbZkquLM-MQSHokdktyFrQiNc4tTXPfi78G2GKAqCzI6ZLFOzfz46GG57g1HuqggV1RUG2h7o1EC_GTP4wm0-u7f6wF2hiOVgXD-LtaXZHPMeD9fSeEisfP6dBhwAgkeXFu9gKvbRtJwOwfPLrM7Pni3yiVvznaITxeuCvU2FNNjivCLG/s957/uoiy.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="957" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoroHVE1VbZkquLM-MQSHokdktyFrQiNc4tTXPfi78G2GKAqCzI6ZLFOzfz46GG57g1HuqggV1RUG2h7o1EC_GTP4wm0-u7f6wF2hiOVgXD-LtaXZHPMeD9fSeEisfP6dBhwAgkeXFu9gKvbRtJwOwfPLrM7Pni3yiVvznaITxeuCvU2FNNjivCLG/w257-h193/uoiy.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">While the
original classic 85 episodes of “<b>Batman: The Animated Series</b>” were more
consistent in quality, I just have more of a nostalgic tie to these final 24
episodes, as this is where my feelings for the character, and by extent his
world, first took shape. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk5vfWGVX6XNNAtpX8PZwPVb-eVCZDIZV1I-QkyF3RZxxh-fEBjLYFUIj5R9jKVFBAuSYMUfu6aWWP3uTJTQSbnSXwPSa49K-ftdrhWXHKEI1PPfJqLyZ3EGrIzfxvuyOfwg6AFHuhjf8kjKhI_pcBT6iOEYAFLPTgaFowlacP5COO-mVkKlXedcU/s320/Picture18.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk5vfWGVX6XNNAtpX8PZwPVb-eVCZDIZV1I-QkyF3RZxxh-fEBjLYFUIj5R9jKVFBAuSYMUfu6aWWP3uTJTQSbnSXwPSa49K-ftdrhWXHKEI1PPfJqLyZ3EGrIzfxvuyOfwg6AFHuhjf8kjKhI_pcBT6iOEYAFLPTgaFowlacP5COO-mVkKlXedcU/s1600/Picture18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s when I was first introduced to most of the
characters, and it features my favorite ensemble of main characters. For
example, this season features my all-time favorite portrayal of Batgirl, with a
slick yellow and black costume design, and legendary voice actress Tara Strong
in the role. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Batman’s original partner Robin has now grown-up, taking on the
role of Nightwing, and subsequently for me is a far more engaging character.
Even the new young Robin Tim Drake was more interesting, and one of my favorite
variations of the character Robin. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYnDC3KnrUMLLChj-HUPvdXU-gIRs2FL8DW_dW3sSVMKqhC0puCEBvasdzLGMprJ8rfBgM_BfSQkxa24GneLMf5EU0444wSXyThKYu0hIlvpucD7LUjlBi1nmOaC3b5ryJkJWt9kCSIYvlKtQeAO1BjcPlKmfgD8qrp3TJnUEwgj8P3Xml3cyB0CD/s248/iuoy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="248" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYnDC3KnrUMLLChj-HUPvdXU-gIRs2FL8DW_dW3sSVMKqhC0puCEBvasdzLGMprJ8rfBgM_BfSQkxa24GneLMf5EU0444wSXyThKYu0hIlvpucD7LUjlBi1nmOaC3b5ryJkJWt9kCSIYvlKtQeAO1BjcPlKmfgD8qrp3TJnUEwgj8P3Xml3cyB0CD/s1600/iuoy.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While not every episode was perfect, there
was still something about this consistent group dynamic that always got me a
little more excited to go on a new adventure in Gotham city, even more so than
the original episodes of the series did. As such, I thought it would be fun to
stack all 24 episodes of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The New Batman Adventures</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” on a list, to see
which are the ventures I like least, to the ones I love the most. So … not
based on any objective quality, and just my feelings … here’s my personal
ranking of all 24 episodes of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The New Batman Adventures</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” … from my
least liked … to my most loved.</span><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#24 “<b>The
Demon Within</b>” (Episode 18) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6q1z_J5Uum7-KeRYrOQN_MazPwK8wUmFt8Z5LGK2xBwvFx4v2VyISsLc6ie4n5Jlb1TfjFLe80pv0V7VrirQYFp1KhC7LqxK6YaX9mA-S6eBE7WgyV3HS5M0RQsbKZoO9i4OKpZZRjBQzPJnmt4-vgut87UX_doq4qqPOUM49Mta09vjvmB0w7eqM/s330/bvnui.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="330" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6q1z_J5Uum7-KeRYrOQN_MazPwK8wUmFt8Z5LGK2xBwvFx4v2VyISsLc6ie4n5Jlb1TfjFLe80pv0V7VrirQYFp1KhC7LqxK6YaX9mA-S6eBE7WgyV3HS5M0RQsbKZoO9i4OKpZZRjBQzPJnmt4-vgut87UX_doq4qqPOUM49Mta09vjvmB0w7eqM/w239-h184/bvnui.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgFLf4jiNPnFeeQ6_2FE7l8k2L3OQqI5kKp47PlMsUu1ZxRg75MOZ0zkVekSMOsPxQxeLmXYFiWn38R8kBpHiB0-671Z2kPCCY9QLuAGC5_3JP6hMdJCLd09_CUGlSYr1BEk8rMjnhWgUPwqLHVnwvcbcUEG8vwaOb1w3iDL8E7v04YwkoCQ_cKRZ/s1000/ouiy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgFLf4jiNPnFeeQ6_2FE7l8k2L3OQqI5kKp47PlMsUu1ZxRg75MOZ0zkVekSMOsPxQxeLmXYFiWn38R8kBpHiB0-671Z2kPCCY9QLuAGC5_3JP6hMdJCLd09_CUGlSYr1BEk8rMjnhWgUPwqLHVnwvcbcUEG8vwaOb1w3iDL8E7v04YwkoCQ_cKRZ/w246-h185/ouiy.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When a nasty Witch Boy named Klarion arrives
in Gotham city, he steals a magic rod that will give him control of a mystical
entity called Ertegun, which once served the wizard Merlin. With the demon
under the boy’s control, he goes on a childish rampage through the city …
stealing Ice Cream, cake, and trashing a theater … until Batman and Robin
arrive to put the little brat in his place. While don’t hate this episode, I
just find it the most outlandish and generally forgettable of the whole bunch.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpa1bbBDLeC2Mw4xgww6jrzGLXOVB636EDJMtY16MwF3iYXevS_SeGyDilYFjNmhJjikYVOGhUChYVrbkqf4U2KO9V9IvDAw0dj9kKbvCJZgDRv7cUQZPYtXcl4j2J-IYIv_1GxkLoMUBLRI39owcx8v6yo029eEqbAENPUvVjgTYxLctfTRk27ei/s480/bvnfhuyi.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpa1bbBDLeC2Mw4xgww6jrzGLXOVB636EDJMtY16MwF3iYXevS_SeGyDilYFjNmhJjikYVOGhUChYVrbkqf4U2KO9V9IvDAw0dj9kKbvCJZgDRv7cUQZPYtXcl4j2J-IYIv_1GxkLoMUBLRI39owcx8v6yo029eEqbAENPUvVjgTYxLctfTRk27ei/s320/bvnfhuyi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Occasionally, Batman will go into outlandish territory, but this is the only
case in which he crosses into straight-up supernatural fantasy. Both the
characters and events of this episode carry over into the “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Justice League</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
series, and truthfully, I feel this episode should have been a “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Justice
League</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” venture, as I don’t feel it fits with Batman’s universe. There is
some decent animation and designs on display, but nothing else about this
outing ever really stuck with me either. On a sadder note, the villain boy
Klarion was voiced by the late Stephen Wolfe Smith, who passed away shortly
after this episode aired, which I feel is worth mentioning.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#23 “<b>Critters</b>”
(Episode 14) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOGlO1q2uCZEJDRujP3S2P_FZb3WKmBpg2lqMGDBcR6WvHSqa3yv354Cp3kazTP28V6rnPpYNlFANZOwl5CBZgnaI5Cgbd93I0tJr9bVKQeG_TP0EmjDBdDDNqOG9gANaMDELaoUfMWHHT7-7XyEiqdR0pxxOsPXOh9eW-DWgX34w8qk_LO3deMnz/s260/cvxds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="260" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOGlO1q2uCZEJDRujP3S2P_FZb3WKmBpg2lqMGDBcR6WvHSqa3yv354Cp3kazTP28V6rnPpYNlFANZOwl5CBZgnaI5Cgbd93I0tJr9bVKQeG_TP0EmjDBdDDNqOG9gANaMDELaoUfMWHHT7-7XyEiqdR0pxxOsPXOh9eW-DWgX34w8qk_LO3deMnz/w235-h183/cvxds.jpg" width="235" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3lEmHNZmfT5tY-Nhk65fDYITZLpLWA7WS13iqK61SJ99i79urBVQhI8a3Fo5PhgFGM01ZAWoERvhqT_WPFMAt1WLHcn2qxolso_H4gGiXEqYeUE8Y5-KsfoMRJO0lztzsxxpCJ4o4SSsQxU6-xMKrUQxT_TdHzED4p1AZgLtzyb6UQQPXhExIA1P/s507/Picture17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="507" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3lEmHNZmfT5tY-Nhk65fDYITZLpLWA7WS13iqK61SJ99i79urBVQhI8a3Fo5PhgFGM01ZAWoERvhqT_WPFMAt1WLHcn2qxolso_H4gGiXEqYeUE8Y5-KsfoMRJO0lztzsxxpCJ4o4SSsQxU6-xMKrUQxT_TdHzED4p1AZgLtzyb6UQQPXhExIA1P/w274-h182/Picture17.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Farmer Brown and his pretty daughter have enlarged farm animals
as a proposed means of distributing more beef. Naturally, this experiment goes
south, the proposal rejected, and Farmer Brown vows revenge. As such, he and
his daughter unleash giant mutated cows, chickens, and bugs on the city, with
Batman, Robin and Batgirl being the only ones who can stop them. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigReQVo3lSwhb7z9ZmXSPbLhS30amYOaOmQ0I_QigXnDf0FdihPQH0ffShnQ-MQKXA0uAhNEIaaV7me1qI_KhvuUV-4H3FjMVFVQ4Kova8F7tsUmnMQmZh17Nsiknnuggkr6NA0AZpB9kURzUrK4-SUv-KNIjiGcmri7s1N3OtUM1FR9_j0G3JgNTt/s640/hjkuup.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="640" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigReQVo3lSwhb7z9ZmXSPbLhS30amYOaOmQ0I_QigXnDf0FdihPQH0ffShnQ-MQKXA0uAhNEIaaV7me1qI_KhvuUV-4H3FjMVFVQ4Kova8F7tsUmnMQmZh17Nsiknnuggkr6NA0AZpB9kURzUrK4-SUv-KNIjiGcmri7s1N3OtUM1FR9_j0G3JgNTt/s320/hjkuup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is one of
the more famously bad episodes of the season … and from that ridiculous plot
synopsis, you can probably imagine why. I must admit, while this episode
naturally ranks low for me too, it’s honestly never boring to watch, and
occasionally crosses into the realm of so bad it’s fun. Still, Farmer Brown has
to be the most disposable Batman rouge of all time, and the image of the
Bat-family on a bright and colorful farm setting, fighting a cranky old man and
his scantily dressed daughter … who’s jacked on beef steroids … is not one of
the shows shining moments.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#22 “<b>Love
is a Croc</b>” (Episode 9) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQNetRUX68KQ0VlStujvBlLHBAEn6T4j_l8JVezK2rlxyIyirlADYwi1qoSSx4jhggYOnOPD-EsvxbXTVyppNbdlFdBb9YBQ9rrGxy2Edd3Cg-y-PAlgEOBVG96DOCRWArcPxOY7owZsQDNMgEf-C0z-NvJkJOnQZLY5kiSXJpveTift-jPrKVsgm/s500/vbcf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQNetRUX68KQ0VlStujvBlLHBAEn6T4j_l8JVezK2rlxyIyirlADYwi1qoSSx4jhggYOnOPD-EsvxbXTVyppNbdlFdBb9YBQ9rrGxy2Edd3Cg-y-PAlgEOBVG96DOCRWArcPxOY7owZsQDNMgEf-C0z-NvJkJOnQZLY5kiSXJpveTift-jPrKVsgm/w236-h187/vbcf.jpg" width="236" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikkZrgms5c5e-jrZiRtZ63KFkPqSdkBRP2EWou4demsEN-n9KmrdVT7K823jAaU1uPgE5BrCnyR2RfIV1tIZ-3RicwOq7qeFtykMXHABcPNrQF4vXUB2VgHGC6KA4olnAIQMf98YBQG3X0_XW9uHs5HfL4oDDFCi7gPCdtFVQKmgtWTIN4XunDnAx/s250/Picture19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="250" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikkZrgms5c5e-jrZiRtZ63KFkPqSdkBRP2EWou4demsEN-n9KmrdVT7K823jAaU1uPgE5BrCnyR2RfIV1tIZ-3RicwOq7qeFtykMXHABcPNrQF4vXUB2VgHGC6KA4olnAIQMf98YBQG3X0_XW9uHs5HfL4oDDFCi7gPCdtFVQKmgtWTIN4XunDnAx/s1600/Picture19.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s once again time for a super-villain team-up …
although, this personally isn’t one of my absolute favorites. Batman’s shortest
enemy Baby-Doll has reverted back to her old ways, and has taken a liking to
Killer Croc, viewing him as a misunderstood outcast, just like her. The two go
out on a successful crime-spree together, but deep down, Killer Croc is waiting
for a chance to ditch the little lady, as soon as he gets a big score … much to
Baby Dolls dismay. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Killer Croc’s re-design was a welcome one, with green scales that actually made him resemble a reptile, as opposed to the grey stone-man look he had in the original.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6JTczGfE0vlusCFTunCaHmPNZOa4AbKs3kOC-S8qZWRiBTLuUYCymVPXN4Z_TI4mlxjtHurcWx0EKiXkWe_ChefouWtMh5ZtCvr9c2vKUJnTpIRZDde4jkOI0Jt2oYhqjLRKNuL5Go9IlflI8ZFbCksQ9kTUwWNUcoMv4vZ4_pFP0Hr4PyYznOqr/s480/drtcr.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6JTczGfE0vlusCFTunCaHmPNZOa4AbKs3kOC-S8qZWRiBTLuUYCymVPXN4Z_TI4mlxjtHurcWx0EKiXkWe_ChefouWtMh5ZtCvr9c2vKUJnTpIRZDde4jkOI0Jt2oYhqjLRKNuL5Go9IlflI8ZFbCksQ9kTUwWNUcoMv4vZ4_pFP0Hr4PyYznOqr/s320/drtcr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">On the opposite side of that coin, the classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Babby-Doll</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
episode from the original series is one of the all-time greats, but I feel the
character herself was stronger as a one-and-done villain. I don’t think
bringing her back to be paired with a B-tear rouge, and predictable out-come
was really necessary. Also, while Batman and Batgirl have some good moments, I
still wish there was more of them in the episode, as I felt they just got
side-lined. Still, with all that said, this was a passable episode, with some
strong moments, and it’s always going to be a general treat to see how
different villains from this universe work-off each other. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#21 “<b>The
Ultimate Thrill</b>” (Episode 11) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcoVV0APtYA1B62zEEAY5O7LZSwKyn9bRXIazmNTmC0DKg7CWdmKfQfdCD0AkY8iKtdesVOxRos1Fib_0xaVvwgOWN0wjkOZFayBvLbJYdWXfu2zMRKgEE29__fTDIL9Q-5TDYS2ESZHEeLkfPp0IJlSqaEqUYZzSJAfDaXdqLnq9KKkRx7oGDe55/s640/Picture16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcoVV0APtYA1B62zEEAY5O7LZSwKyn9bRXIazmNTmC0DKg7CWdmKfQfdCD0AkY8iKtdesVOxRos1Fib_0xaVvwgOWN0wjkOZFayBvLbJYdWXfu2zMRKgEE29__fTDIL9Q-5TDYS2ESZHEeLkfPp0IJlSqaEqUYZzSJAfDaXdqLnq9KKkRx7oGDe55/w250-h187/Picture16.jpg" width="250" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFHMipf4SW-4eZrnVf7DtvIhv4IbJqlH6cOncF2ZRmbK9_oKQ87M26iap9YELJ-2mX2J-2y84oMhBTQhMPMJiXWzA8VcQmm7yFpoFQL7gi4ty3cZ7X9DY8Elxn6RywcqM2wWRokxyTGIc06iVWNSjm8JLqM1E3dA8KtHGjbelweols1Ut117BidEE/s250/Picture18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="250" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFHMipf4SW-4eZrnVf7DtvIhv4IbJqlH6cOncF2ZRmbK9_oKQ87M26iap9YELJ-2mX2J-2y84oMhBTQhMPMJiXWzA8VcQmm7yFpoFQL7gi4ty3cZ7X9DY8Elxn6RywcqM2wWRokxyTGIc06iVWNSjm8JLqM1E3dA8KtHGjbelweols1Ut117BidEE/s1600/Picture18.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">When former stunt-woman and insane
daredevil Roxy Rocket arrives in Gotham, she seeks the greatest adrenaline rush
of all time … being pursued by Batman. Thus, she commits a number of thefts for
the Penguin as a means of batting out the Dark Knight for one death defying
chase after another. Personally, I find everything with the Roxy character
repetitive, and kind of boring … but I like everything with the Penguin. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoWNj7Zkd-VViyt2S5YvMQPNXvgaENt36TKJiOUrXWU3sNaTzFcmdvJNiG6qtMi_vx2IBb6gBcAPM9uow3ra2DSfZjswxfhgt9mFWXgjSkROVA-dzGfU5h9GVPlUfZ5i25h1lQrvn6YNyABIOi2DtREZzlS2R8y5T2EXZcjLUK74dGkukpZDbzwaD/s600/Picture17.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYoWNj7Zkd-VViyt2S5YvMQPNXvgaENt36TKJiOUrXWU3sNaTzFcmdvJNiG6qtMi_vx2IBb6gBcAPM9uow3ra2DSfZjswxfhgt9mFWXgjSkROVA-dzGfU5h9GVPlUfZ5i25h1lQrvn6YNyABIOi2DtREZzlS2R8y5T2EXZcjLUK74dGkukpZDbzwaD/s320/Picture17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While
Penguin is featured throughout the season, this episode is the closest he gets
to being a main villain. Throughout the show, he owns a successful night-club called
the Ice-burg lounge, and keeps a clean appearance on the surface, when secretly
he’s doing shady deals and diamond smuggling on the side-lines. Maybe a
Hot-Take on my part, but this is how I like Penguin the best, posing as an
up-right citizen, while getting away with miss-deeds in the underworld crime
rings. His setting of the Ice-burg lounge is a great design, packed with
detail, personality, and is one of my all-time favorite reoccurring locations
through the series … everything else in this episode is just kind of
average. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#20 “<b>Cult
of the Cat</b>” (Episode 15) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DPyIvLLfOi7ktw-ptILxi8pYf5cbjOvMMr8LkWsSVZjEwYSq-VZoIWftguoldwQ-ybJDeqzKlu4LMWaz9RDko2mpdMMgT3BS2YfLBadVjBcham5d7hQsIR623CQdmV3VVCfQOha1nmtSwzhR77z-t826w_QA2mN6YlUMKT325SijVAIcuwd5jPWh/s597/Picture14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="597" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DPyIvLLfOi7ktw-ptILxi8pYf5cbjOvMMr8LkWsSVZjEwYSq-VZoIWftguoldwQ-ybJDeqzKlu4LMWaz9RDko2mpdMMgT3BS2YfLBadVjBcham5d7hQsIR623CQdmV3VVCfQOha1nmtSwzhR77z-t826w_QA2mN6YlUMKT325SijVAIcuwd5jPWh/w241-h181/Picture14.jpg" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9h98ft0GOnTPyQf-P0SwDZ6NSRJ6o9jzY1oOxf5POZ58-6krwMj3uFWnUl2uEMltCh8Hx6snYhftZ-w-Mun62a4uXSIad6VpiOS0OvmRvm9VfAyrmP7EF-ACKE5GPR1lPb0ZHbz_bMEwYrj6UQ_6yDakZprdkLF3uDCwTjxvwkWsofvXBKknDPG0b/s600/Picture13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9h98ft0GOnTPyQf-P0SwDZ6NSRJ6o9jzY1oOxf5POZ58-6krwMj3uFWnUl2uEMltCh8Hx6snYhftZ-w-Mun62a4uXSIad6VpiOS0OvmRvm9VfAyrmP7EF-ACKE5GPR1lPb0ZHbz_bMEwYrj6UQ_6yDakZprdkLF3uDCwTjxvwkWsofvXBKknDPG0b/w245-h184/Picture13.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For Catwoman’s final appearance in the show
(excluding the DVD short film “<b>Chase Me</b>”), we see her steal from a
psychotic group of lethal cat-worshipers, making her their main target for a
ritual sacrifice. Batman naturally comes to her rescue, and the two go from one
exciting chase to another, with this evil cult on their tails. While Batman
initially seems on his A-Game, he really should have learned by now that Catwoman
really isn’t one to turn your back on. In the flash of a second, Catwoman
betrays Batman, and uses him as a means to gain access into the cat cult. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9hrIp5w28lcO0qtf5eJZWiN396GcwpVNDc9i1ZDsQvzNmeLVSqK7vPynJkRee06HopTB_UinWtzhfkIA03gL3nOqqwsuQhFp0R5iY3JlzF0XBpOtPQzzGBWqI1D_4t2on0S9jQsB4ZVP9Q5nCvpqpd6rc9TuWfoCPstmpi1nADkQN6xgnxt9rlP8/s1436/uykuo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1436" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9hrIp5w28lcO0qtf5eJZWiN396GcwpVNDc9i1ZDsQvzNmeLVSqK7vPynJkRee06HopTB_UinWtzhfkIA03gL3nOqqwsuQhFp0R5iY3JlzF0XBpOtPQzzGBWqI1D_4t2on0S9jQsB4ZVP9Q5nCvpqpd6rc9TuWfoCPstmpi1nADkQN6xgnxt9rlP8/s320/uykuo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It
all builds to an exciting battle in a giant gladiator style arena, as our hero
battles a giant Sabretooth cat monster, and we see if Catwoman really has gone
bad … or if she still has feelings for her Dark Knight. For all the character
development Catwoman received in the original show, I do feel this episode
downplayed her as simply a crook who gets away with theft. While I don’t think
it worked as a send-off episode for the character, it still works as an
enjoyable Catwoman adventure on its own, with the cat-cult being worthy foes,
and there’s a number of decent set-pieces in which the stakes are high, while
our two leads have some fun banter with each other. It's an okay watch, just
not one of Catwomans absolute best either.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#19 “<b>Animal
Act</b>” (Episode 16) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vn-YDgOV3JZwWUe8NiGkfkKWS8I6V0mgpDbyFPVQinYumOwStiW9-hjDBAM8WX_POfnQYn9jojU6ckSugFwYED5rPBc32wLPhpjjtsHjk92MlXHksxY4koq_FgXYfj9FIMQ6mphmCx7Y7HmkhNJbW7_gqa9WM2YgGtu9WLalTXm7JFi-6-xQ_Wbw/s540/Picture12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="540" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vn-YDgOV3JZwWUe8NiGkfkKWS8I6V0mgpDbyFPVQinYumOwStiW9-hjDBAM8WX_POfnQYn9jojU6ckSugFwYED5rPBc32wLPhpjjtsHjk92MlXHksxY4koq_FgXYfj9FIMQ6mphmCx7Y7HmkhNJbW7_gqa9WM2YgGtu9WLalTXm7JFi-6-xQ_Wbw/w264-h173/Picture12.jpg" width="264" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDEOr0fL42h7YwUkVL9qhgDALTPGoGC9cx7RM6oHplI4mjvQlpSyO2GpgE86JizzMF89n9StnyqAkeI9gymxZNh18p_PEfkOpM0jsx0HvIK2GBpqlhimXdiGTshnEEovI2HLSEnJpHc8wjB_X4Nx3Q0wmxSO2L4-6DGw5_B8f_lVjM8ml3D7dsgge/s350/Picture11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="350" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDEOr0fL42h7YwUkVL9qhgDALTPGoGC9cx7RM6oHplI4mjvQlpSyO2GpgE86JizzMF89n9StnyqAkeI9gymxZNh18p_PEfkOpM0jsx0HvIK2GBpqlhimXdiGTshnEEovI2HLSEnJpHc8wjB_X4Nx3Q0wmxSO2L4-6DGw5_B8f_lVjM8ml3D7dsgge/w232-h174/Picture11.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Bat-Family is following a trail of mysterious
robberies, and during a stake-out, it’s revealed that the crooks, oddly enough
… are circus animals, apparently trained to commit theft. Nightwing recognizes
them as animals from the very circus he was raised at, before he became
Batman’s first partner Robin. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NUor08Gs0Hhv5N-g4xGvfjmJq6GT_OVIFxDLPsSxKugq--xa394oBkURo4Udv12k0uT38WFf-S03AZ1l-FhngjUyrVMI75iSlUMTp-reNmx7YfwhVTBW4l-A4ZYYtwJvhhDGjLEQqC2pwcSrDmWeC1N-tXbfAgQNxJnMvWVojjXMt09K1OC8j3rV/s535/Picture10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="535" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NUor08Gs0Hhv5N-g4xGvfjmJq6GT_OVIFxDLPsSxKugq--xa394oBkURo4Udv12k0uT38WFf-S03AZ1l-FhngjUyrVMI75iSlUMTp-reNmx7YfwhVTBW4l-A4ZYYtwJvhhDGjLEQqC2pwcSrDmWeC1N-tXbfAgQNxJnMvWVojjXMt09K1OC8j3rV/s320/Picture10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thus, he, Batman and the new young Robin visit
his old circus home, and we get to see more details of the circus world that
was his up-bringing. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nightwing also reunites with an old flame named Miranda …
who just happens to be the animal trainer. Batman instantly suspects her as the
culprit, which leads to some intense conversations between he and his former
partner. The tension between Batman and Nightwing is the highlight of the
episode, with ominous shadow effects, and it builds on our excitement for later
in the season, when we learn the story of why the first Robin left Batman. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE9KjWqdjQoitr4_5DV-bMf4Q6KW9kCJfg56LQIv5iUey3z748tyFpLOF20OPbEnCV6K5nzepitvrctu6hw-YpzgIefDF0_bpzJHdTBhMIW6h3dyX4xK6OnSzQ6UtglsKS-OPYllKnm1tuqrQdJsCjxV786WM3m4-jgvnNdxqr2vGGe45Lho8UN3q/s640/Picture9.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE9KjWqdjQoitr4_5DV-bMf4Q6KW9kCJfg56LQIv5iUey3z748tyFpLOF20OPbEnCV6K5nzepitvrctu6hw-YpzgIefDF0_bpzJHdTBhMIW6h3dyX4xK6OnSzQ6UtglsKS-OPYllKnm1tuqrQdJsCjxV786WM3m4-jgvnNdxqr2vGGe45Lho8UN3q/s320/Picture9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s
eventually revealed that the Mad Hatter was the culprit in control of the
animals, and it builds to a fun climax with our hero’s battling an army of
mind-controlled circus performers and animals under the big top. This episode
is often dismissed as one of the lesser offerings, but I think it’s a little
better than its reputation would suggest. Nightwing in general is one of my
favorite characters, so any episode centered on him, and further explores both
his upbringing and friction with Batman is going to be decent on some level.
Also, the Mad Hatter is always a welcome villain, and one that I feel deserves
more attention. While some of the jokes in this episode don’t work, including a
dumb closing scene, this is still a worthwhile outing with the Bat-Family. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#18 “<b>Double
Talk</b>” (Episode 4) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo85v3DCqBx7D-saRP9dSuspVd4w4BAi8M60VnookK_MgT_dAHgaDRwla9hBCWF9GFQVV1dRO7k-QKAx5X36IdxXpDm3PHg4--oMugwR0XZvk5CgR3cM4KS6Rca4FVxBUHEw3sPd-8T5WZSbVQZ7Li4YyHqPGnNqtbJcG5KJjM_ztujo4twwqB1yrz/s1000/hjkuy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1000" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo85v3DCqBx7D-saRP9dSuspVd4w4BAi8M60VnookK_MgT_dAHgaDRwla9hBCWF9GFQVV1dRO7k-QKAx5X36IdxXpDm3PHg4--oMugwR0XZvk5CgR3cM4KS6Rca4FVxBUHEw3sPd-8T5WZSbVQZ7Li4YyHqPGnNqtbJcG5KJjM_ztujo4twwqB1yrz/w240-h178/hjkuy.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_jRAlLqFP_7MFGvZQesXOCNt_0Oa8JzVfgHvKI9qVFFOX2-yeR7eoUalnBKUnZARVpM51V4O5TqO9pNljILHR0UMMv17yVYQJe_l-ZLH9V_7KywUQKL6zRcFJF4uydgRJOKTi-h41b-WgNI3oQB_kp0XSNdLQpPl57q5CKIRlfJ6sZtz8Oi1E-nS/s600/vcbxcvb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_jRAlLqFP_7MFGvZQesXOCNt_0Oa8JzVfgHvKI9qVFFOX2-yeR7eoUalnBKUnZARVpM51V4O5TqO9pNljILHR0UMMv17yVYQJe_l-ZLH9V_7KywUQKL6zRcFJF4uydgRJOKTi-h41b-WgNI3oQB_kp0XSNdLQpPl57q5CKIRlfJ6sZtz8Oi1E-nS/w240-h180/vcbxcvb.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">One of Batman’s more sympathetic rouges … the
Ventriloquist … has been released from the Asylum, and is finally acting as his
own man, without being dominated by his wooden puppet persona called Scarface.
Unfortunately, despite his best efforts to reform, a group of gangsters bully
him back into becoming Scarface once more, and taking the role as their crime
boss. Scarface in general has always been an underappreciated gem among
Batman’s rouges, and I personally feel this is his best episode. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ocxTGe67FsSDe9HiEhnI20KyaRbfAV2HHmHsP2mPdbbmAU-OPDlRzPhmYnerUEhDUIsZ1TZoHB4ci28TjwMQlqGgBvvWxzLPFmBr4mF2TgQIWAUd3UxylGF1anFGx_Jh2VMDTnupzVcIqIgRfPEdMuRbk5wgjjdERbwb5NOxMNrR4SUf02tKxYfP/s2000/j.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2000" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ocxTGe67FsSDe9HiEhnI20KyaRbfAV2HHmHsP2mPdbbmAU-OPDlRzPhmYnerUEhDUIsZ1TZoHB4ci28TjwMQlqGgBvvWxzLPFmBr4mF2TgQIWAUd3UxylGF1anFGx_Jh2VMDTnupzVcIqIgRfPEdMuRbk5wgjjdERbwb5NOxMNrR4SUf02tKxYfP/s320/j.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Watching the
Ventriloquist fight for dominance over his alter ego is like watching a drug
attic put away an addiction. It’s also one of the rare cases in which I’m
rooting for the antagonist to pull through … even Batman is on his side, acting
like a figurative guardian angel. The creative animation during the dream
sequences are the highlights of the episode, and there’s even references to
classic horror movies … mainly the 1973 classic “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Don’t Look Now</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, in
which a perceived illusion is really a dwarf, who’s armed to kill. Scarface’s
re-design is one of the better ones of the season, and his story comes to a
satisfying conclusion.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#17 “<b>Torch
Song</b>” (Episode 10) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRH6Z_6upZutaPSU90UxdB630ojrs4CZiwBMXHM3uQk0DH4rZvG-lIDreHWBTy7EFkcBSho2ynneLxx87VqZ4eEd2A1oUnI0PLieQjSx_q8s_WZeTusQMl2LC1_fcUf7x8AIaxRXSQ74dGPMjEXqPRk3PtbFcf34ZVD4IMQ3KhCzp72GRQ060LVZJt/s1000/iupuio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRH6Z_6upZutaPSU90UxdB630ojrs4CZiwBMXHM3uQk0DH4rZvG-lIDreHWBTy7EFkcBSho2ynneLxx87VqZ4eEd2A1oUnI0PLieQjSx_q8s_WZeTusQMl2LC1_fcUf7x8AIaxRXSQ74dGPMjEXqPRk3PtbFcf34ZVD4IMQ3KhCzp72GRQ060LVZJt/w253-h196/iupuio.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTgWXnupVn5UR_gTfbzXYVcq9Wi-UZibZXVpYet9Jq3kwbMXUpe5K0JSRlxuMHZGvIiFEgAynyrkB6DIWDBiRZNPXttZ9nvK_fAYa23ESxkZxiRsf-u0phrFM--Tzat5SgZ-Q3W2q6OzSPjwqDBOploMe8h33hYISbWxQmUFxq_XIh9j8W3Wvu0dt/s500/rsf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTgWXnupVn5UR_gTfbzXYVcq9Wi-UZibZXVpYet9Jq3kwbMXUpe5K0JSRlxuMHZGvIiFEgAynyrkB6DIWDBiRZNPXttZ9nvK_fAYa23ESxkZxiRsf-u0phrFM--Tzat5SgZ-Q3W2q6OzSPjwqDBOploMe8h33hYISbWxQmUFxq_XIh9j8W3Wvu0dt/w263-h197/rsf.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Popular Gotham stage singer Cassidy is having a hot
time in the cold town … quiet literally, as her ex-boyfriend is out for
revenge, and with his new flight suit and signature flame-thrower weapon, is
trying to set his old-flame a-blaze. Batman and Batgirl do their best to keep
the singer safe, although ... this new villain called Firefly, may be too hot
to handle. Firefly is one of those lesser-known Batman foes, who I’m always
hoping gets a little more attention than what he’s gotten. In this outing, he’s
a straight forward threat, with a direct goal, and while it’s nothing too deep,
it makes for an engaging watch, and his pyrotechnic powers are utilized well in
some blazing action scenes. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmntTeXiVLknOIxclcxN30ZUY_LKfAg3AB8rCeVgToxn9wPFbO7z63eHx6yesQ2N3y9J52iQCTJ7tMZCDijS4uTudW9RTuK3UGs_EBPRg_VCcuQB0z2bkc89WHYmONDQ6ulnwAKte7oM-gxxNEB6ATQwAbMuWq9SHVniVlOJf-naeat9ZfjmdqZUVK/s1080/iuo8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmntTeXiVLknOIxclcxN30ZUY_LKfAg3AB8rCeVgToxn9wPFbO7z63eHx6yesQ2N3y9J52iQCTJ7tMZCDijS4uTudW9RTuK3UGs_EBPRg_VCcuQB0z2bkc89WHYmONDQ6ulnwAKte7oM-gxxNEB6ATQwAbMuWq9SHVniVlOJf-naeat9ZfjmdqZUVK/s320/iuo8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Also, while I’ve never been a fan of Batman and
Batgirl as a romantic pair … I do love their chemistry in this episode, as they
do feel like people who grew a close friendship after experiencing so much
together. They even manage to make a dated 90’s reference to “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Pinky and the
Brain</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” rather charming. Detective Bullock also gets a funny scene, in which
raiding a fridge is more important than collecting evidence at a crime scene.
It’s all around a standard episode … executed in a fun and exciting presentation.
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#16 “<b>You
Scratch my Back</b>” (Episode 5) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_MkFt36XyRWc3OZkqbxF2D8bOEWO87mHhPSXu_sUqkTbtI6-6sILhIf_s0iPkV47HG7ZGEtIjxIqQN9H-hNQffPAcXyGGgxJb6IBWExdj93hs6K8fUkFsiAsKlf1WPRTutPJOzS5V1frc4OreounFpeiWe1gxHklgBE1ZpoDwaLdk7H128HeiShB/s960/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_MkFt36XyRWc3OZkqbxF2D8bOEWO87mHhPSXu_sUqkTbtI6-6sILhIf_s0iPkV47HG7ZGEtIjxIqQN9H-hNQffPAcXyGGgxJb6IBWExdj93hs6K8fUkFsiAsKlf1WPRTutPJOzS5V1frc4OreounFpeiWe1gxHklgBE1ZpoDwaLdk7H128HeiShB/w248-h186/Picture8.jpg" width="248" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJdGFv8RdtN3VICDtLMGPpfVlrC4bCMPJCJ0VzzZmyEZZmdqO9Xf9n9_qBNFfeC-_xtVAxppelFnAiu6rTuV7QUrPznPNCCdEYWa04CYehZ1ssixqlsAMdszrahL4BGlPE1m58vAc-7RMpGFmG0BATe00izKKIvrLgW_rH8h7pk0sdAAwPE4tbnHW/s958/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="958" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJdGFv8RdtN3VICDtLMGPpfVlrC4bCMPJCJ0VzzZmyEZZmdqO9Xf9n9_qBNFfeC-_xtVAxppelFnAiu6rTuV7QUrPznPNCCdEYWa04CYehZ1ssixqlsAMdszrahL4BGlPE1m58vAc-7RMpGFmG0BATe00izKKIvrLgW_rH8h7pk0sdAAwPE4tbnHW/w251-h189/Picture7.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To prove he can fly without Batman’s shadow
overhead, Nightwing goes out after a smuggling ring, only to find himself
tangled-up with Catwoman. The two engage in a battle of wits, as neither fully
trusts the other, and in this game, only one can come out as the winner. This
marked Nightwing’s first leading episode, and it’s great to see how far he’s
come, as well as where his relations are with both Batman and Batgirl. That’s
all good … the bad however comes in the form of Catwoman. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7pNgWja8Z6az34Gi_i7AJ-H-GzujgVApjdfg2PvSYPVaV0re2ukUMgnlXtDMsI1kiAGQO3RGL5p_lmMLJqgbWEQiT30aaO1Z-YshAUFgrVhqSp5YaM0nASs6KGdVnxNhr1-CUaRhKeVz0zH4HaK4WfeuVKKuvGXT8ZNsT9Lt5XN_UwZuFFvH-lUh/s1000/rytgf.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1000" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7pNgWja8Z6az34Gi_i7AJ-H-GzujgVApjdfg2PvSYPVaV0re2ukUMgnlXtDMsI1kiAGQO3RGL5p_lmMLJqgbWEQiT30aaO1Z-YshAUFgrVhqSp5YaM0nASs6KGdVnxNhr1-CUaRhKeVz0zH4HaK4WfeuVKKuvGXT8ZNsT9Lt5XN_UwZuFFvH-lUh/s320/rytgf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This marked the first
appearance of her new re-design, and for whatever reason … I can’t stand this
illustration of Catwoman. She looks too young, too small, and the design itself
is just so flat and basic that it barley stands out against the background.
It’s a shame it’s so distracting, because the actual set-up of Catwoman and
Nightwing teaming up, while also trying to out-wit the other, is a great
concept, and leads to some terrific action … including a white knuckled duel between
Batman and Gotham’s Captain Hook. For Nightwing, this is an excellent episode,
and a proper progression of his character, but for Catwoman, it’s an
unfortunate downgrade … mainly in the design. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#15 “<b>Legends
of the Dark Knight</b>” (Episode 19) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzRXAQb7VJL8wJ-HG5_oe32ThLlSYfMrbHZW68xRwGNdhXE0gp4y5tSaDgLsmu5tP0plw-E_S7adbLJmWNOB6dTgYdghiwJpgCdzaxAPB3z7ngSE9JEGvzjIpmzXUfLx4qOhTJcNhg4MIKLsV4Z5sgqPvpAe2n5fP20sq75Xmzd30AQt8IKIpsWA9/s584/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="584" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzRXAQb7VJL8wJ-HG5_oe32ThLlSYfMrbHZW68xRwGNdhXE0gp4y5tSaDgLsmu5tP0plw-E_S7adbLJmWNOB6dTgYdghiwJpgCdzaxAPB3z7ngSE9JEGvzjIpmzXUfLx4qOhTJcNhg4MIKLsV4Z5sgqPvpAe2n5fP20sq75Xmzd30AQt8IKIpsWA9/w257-h187/Picture5.jpg" width="257" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04WBa02XheCmgaqru65E4o6qhom6efhd24-qCgwv5FPFM8kbnnDDunoq-4CmsZYdSv0_w2GodhGV00-vKXD1028Kg84P7PgTERbGtNgCxbfJ7UzDZ4Neg7mhQ--dOP7-z4jrIMAsxAJ1JJDxlOoAt-l4x2bwQJ2cP1AV6LdvgMPjA77SaxvqE94hR/s540/890.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04WBa02XheCmgaqru65E4o6qhom6efhd24-qCgwv5FPFM8kbnnDDunoq-4CmsZYdSv0_w2GodhGV00-vKXD1028Kg84P7PgTERbGtNgCxbfJ7UzDZ4Neg7mhQ--dOP7-z4jrIMAsxAJ1JJDxlOoAt-l4x2bwQJ2cP1AV6LdvgMPjA77SaxvqE94hR/w249-h187/890.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now we come to one of the bigger fan
favorite episodes, and while I consider this instalment a classic, I love it
more as a tribute to the characters legacy, as well as a concept perfectly
realized, rather than an episode I’d want to sit down and watch. A group of
kids in Gotham are crazy big fans of Batman, each with their own uniquely different story of how they interpret the character, and each tale is a loving
tribute to different eras of Batman. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">The first is a nod to the campy 50’s comics, with an art style to match, as Batman and Robin fight the Joker, after trying to robs a giant musical-themed museum.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMmH_YhcNsYnMPH199B-YFvECDQRWtwHyhog_nQA33TAl4ocSFvERyYodXjCLuJzhbqp-3vwtclnSLuqWZNDJlaJKd3o2Ifof80773zsz1rsVgF0MlTpK5hrBAHYrOEAS6uahP1HqRuay7i1IwWn5w6MTIJ1QNDPpE7oT-1MeMWmdtuJcd6RuofeW/s640/Picture6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMmH_YhcNsYnMPH199B-YFvECDQRWtwHyhog_nQA33TAl4ocSFvERyYodXjCLuJzhbqp-3vwtclnSLuqWZNDJlaJKd3o2Ifof80773zsz1rsVgF0MlTpK5hrBAHYrOEAS6uahP1HqRuay7i1IwWn5w6MTIJ1QNDPpE7oT-1MeMWmdtuJcd6RuofeW/s320/Picture6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The second story is a short re-telling of
Frank Millers famous graphic novel “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Dark Knight Retunes</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, in which
the aged Batman and female Robin battle a mutant army … oh, and Michael
Ironside is the voice of Batman, which is awesome. Even Joel Schumacher’s
panned live-action films are winked at in one scene, as we see a boy named Joel
express his feeling on him. Finally, in present day, the kids get to watch the
real Batman as he takes on Firefly. Like I said, this episode isn’t one of my
absolute favorites to re-watch, but it’s still a loving tribute to his
different iterations, very unique in its presentation, and there’s a good
reason it’s remained a fan favorite. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#14 “<b>Mean
Seasons</b>” (Episode 13) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKtMI5uXspYK1FHnVSlV76QJdCA50M0j5_stc0TvJfUsCca8Sl2kPI9sFfu26uCA8YtC1l9gyndLQ-5JGulcjtYH5YiW69_7bzgz3qyrjhUCfl6AV7QQCKKbOWTDu8TrJqhve4WkU6CfxLKuUJppXcasEgMmPr9KujW3W2DHhmaRbTnHNxy9vMob8/s1200/uyde.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKtMI5uXspYK1FHnVSlV76QJdCA50M0j5_stc0TvJfUsCca8Sl2kPI9sFfu26uCA8YtC1l9gyndLQ-5JGulcjtYH5YiW69_7bzgz3qyrjhUCfl6AV7QQCKKbOWTDu8TrJqhve4WkU6CfxLKuUJppXcasEgMmPr9KujW3W2DHhmaRbTnHNxy9vMob8/w271-h162/uyde.jpg" width="271" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi-K8Iw7JIx6IT2NyYzIYv5vt0WGnsauXGDufBQ-JySwYWA4WWNrB5jUotnOHLVwqdh1sRLDQIhVXerifneg2isMZJzwv0_8yitaDGMVuCKDy2BwXJSuJFO1UtPEyTixj4klbqgK_zNPuRXl0IFbDGIUUMk2l8SPrqZGoC6uzyKL4lHF1M0a7hfsf/s1389/657576.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1389" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi-K8Iw7JIx6IT2NyYzIYv5vt0WGnsauXGDufBQ-JySwYWA4WWNrB5jUotnOHLVwqdh1sRLDQIhVXerifneg2isMZJzwv0_8yitaDGMVuCKDy2BwXJSuJFO1UtPEyTixj4klbqgK_zNPuRXl0IFbDGIUUMk2l8SPrqZGoC6uzyKL4lHF1M0a7hfsf/w212-h164/657576.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A new masked threat in Gotham is targeting various
show hosts, and each of the villain’s methods are based around different
holidays, and seasons of the year. As such, the police dub this new female foe
as Calendar Girl. Batman and Batgirl are naturally on the trail of this
mysterious criminal, and the more they discover, the more disturbed, and even
sympathetic her story gets. Miranda Page was a former fashion model and
actress, but she was forced away from the spot-light … not because of bad
acting, or talent, but simply because she turned thirty. Now, despite still
having a beautiful face, she can’t look at herself, feels she’s deformed, and
vows revenge on all who wronged her. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAI4dcYptJu146rhlgOwIof7WXYt72f3yQLbAxhCDwYfz0OJ5zZNJ74uYk_LxH0JLrSYrtJFNSaudDZF_GIVf4NyO0GoFTwnO6Fyl7KTGxNdUNAqIrLtZBbK8sELov-SHjA-HsLG1WHguf6MNsroppBsdVORSzQR27EY97_lOOkyEF8_6vdYr5cqi/s500/gutikuiy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAI4dcYptJu146rhlgOwIof7WXYt72f3yQLbAxhCDwYfz0OJ5zZNJ74uYk_LxH0JLrSYrtJFNSaudDZF_GIVf4NyO0GoFTwnO6Fyl7KTGxNdUNAqIrLtZBbK8sELov-SHjA-HsLG1WHguf6MNsroppBsdVORSzQR27EY97_lOOkyEF8_6vdYr5cqi/s320/gutikuiy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This episode manages to juggle some exciting
action, an intriguing new villain, along with some decent themes and commentary
on the dangers of show-business, and asks … How much effect can age have on an
individual? … Is it really a stopping point, or is it just a number? This new
villain was inspired in part by the preexisting Batman foe called Calendar Man,
along with elements from another female antagonist called The Manikin, who
appeared in the early 1980’s detective comics. Personally, I prefer Calendar
Girl, as she conveys both a menacing presence, with a striking design, yet
still has a relatable backstory.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#13 “<b>Beware
the Creeper</b>” (Episode 23)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw29TX_nfHNfy6WwUZmvLNjvRnRZPSxVXWoG3KBdZA296UNRlpPIxemUTdtqyEMqJvUvSGIMkIOyBhMgjCKj0UtZK7_sA3lwb_zezz0h1EINsZrnRniAIEpzC6EIAKhIOeJS4oDkp9tgcd33x6eqL-ltWgXEC-7QWEmxhWUPCnZBZh-6VRECQWssr/s640/gfhg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw29TX_nfHNfy6WwUZmvLNjvRnRZPSxVXWoG3KBdZA296UNRlpPIxemUTdtqyEMqJvUvSGIMkIOyBhMgjCKj0UtZK7_sA3lwb_zezz0h1EINsZrnRniAIEpzC6EIAKhIOeJS4oDkp9tgcd33x6eqL-ltWgXEC-7QWEmxhWUPCnZBZh-6VRECQWssr/w253-h189/gfhg.jpg" width="253" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVW0Ct4qiSbiQcVoblHMbwkCKJ20mZJZp8-LLy-bK4U_Cd6AIYy6eG3vhVi8nvf9-BGmEGMHIRF2Q5CMvhrKiJRofq2YMB1Qz3w3J82HzOMfuorEY9JpwPMBqwFbbLQ82UmfVuXiO_nugWhgk10ii0_zu6lmSqMHh-4YDJmyVs4vH9XsNy0kbilB2i/s640/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVW0Ct4qiSbiQcVoblHMbwkCKJ20mZJZp8-LLy-bK4U_Cd6AIYy6eG3vhVi8nvf9-BGmEGMHIRF2Q5CMvhrKiJRofq2YMB1Qz3w3J82HzOMfuorEY9JpwPMBqwFbbLQ82UmfVuXiO_nugWhgk10ii0_zu6lmSqMHh-4YDJmyVs4vH9XsNy0kbilB2i/w253-h189/Picture3.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Gotham City is looking back on the seven-year
anniversary of the Joker, and how he came to be the famous clown prince of
crime. A local news anchor is broadcasting the event at the very chemical plant
that the villain was created, and to no-one’s surprise, Joker himself shows-up
to steal the spot-light. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHU_cEQn5TwwVI187na7vqUpffqJFiGuQKqtlt4gX6xzaRVjK5R3hHkoPVlMdLQAoPYsNswTz3aZ0EiYGxumcbjbx3rNttcN__Sc--8XmXId3N39xUje_ZiFcg1uWX3xUHDIaphcJOhQHtxq6AkYwenzxPpxyVEqFNbiLeNDGu9JgfvZWd4j42I6FM/s209/fgchdf.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="209" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHU_cEQn5TwwVI187na7vqUpffqJFiGuQKqtlt4gX6xzaRVjK5R3hHkoPVlMdLQAoPYsNswTz3aZ0EiYGxumcbjbx3rNttcN__Sc--8XmXId3N39xUje_ZiFcg1uWX3xUHDIaphcJOhQHtxq6AkYwenzxPpxyVEqFNbiLeNDGu9JgfvZWd4j42I6FM/s1600/fgchdf.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">Amidst the attack, the anchorman is dropped in the same vat of chemicals, giving birth to yet another psychotic, hyperactive nut-case, this time referred to as Yellow Skin Wacky Man … but he prefers to be called The Creeper. As he lets himself loose in town, Creeper finds he’s smitten with Harley Quinn, and is eager to dethrone The Joker as the new king of crime. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As such, a battle between two psychopaths ensues, as Joker and Creeper out
match one another, while Batman and Robin are caught in the crossfire. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmQ3P4lacqdY8xU5VUwKMTP9WUZmFZbful8PUSPB7f-t9zOwyIZO1Ig2ndGmLbVZSM3PX1gfawGyVzHl3DAOVPopArjuuNNhM6aKpKtUW8FtEEcS5-RMUiBEoYSQnqwWHEO-R7cLnOJ6LzyAiBiF2qIIvueyg2qVEZF7-w0v9NzeOkTADmHEx29B4/s320/vbctr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="320" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmQ3P4lacqdY8xU5VUwKMTP9WUZmFZbful8PUSPB7f-t9zOwyIZO1Ig2ndGmLbVZSM3PX1gfawGyVzHl3DAOVPopArjuuNNhM6aKpKtUW8FtEEcS5-RMUiBEoYSQnqwWHEO-R7cLnOJ6LzyAiBiF2qIIvueyg2qVEZF7-w0v9NzeOkTADmHEx29B4/s1600/vbctr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is
certainly one of the more fun and comedic episodes of the show, and the Creeper
himself is a highly entertaining presence, especially with Jeff Bennett hamming
it up in the role. Harley Quinn, despite being a damsel for most of the
episode, still stands out as a bright spot with some snappy quips … and for a
funny scene in which she acts seductive for the Joker in a giant pie. In
general, the concept of a wild man who’s too much for even the Joker to handle
is a very fun idea, but I do wish there was more of the two-characters clashing
with each other. Other then that, this episode is worth watching for a laugh. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#12 “<b>Holiday
Knights</b>” (Episode 1) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKQeub1gk_z1Lmpzbvi2svftcGV_Ws5bhIdTRtVPWnJ20eNGhPFJdlM6QcHe6fzkjXodnWbM6g66gYJ8x_1G6LoVfo5wnYNV7iP5GAcHrS79xcjAHlViF-I8q5maN2R75EjDZF0fa2obAFWzOW61Gq0bBAUpsGibklcp0ftleF_VI6y5JL8UUc8QG/s480/cxvi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKQeub1gk_z1Lmpzbvi2svftcGV_Ws5bhIdTRtVPWnJ20eNGhPFJdlM6QcHe6fzkjXodnWbM6g66gYJ8x_1G6LoVfo5wnYNV7iP5GAcHrS79xcjAHlViF-I8q5maN2R75EjDZF0fa2obAFWzOW61Gq0bBAUpsGibklcp0ftleF_VI6y5JL8UUc8QG/w228-h185/cxvi.jpg" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCZK0X0SvgGaiJAKZGKmTHIo8R41vZUG4Q5q09x084w_iX5EUWuyQEarYOrPPv-rm_06-0WinAhXFCyUO2PG3FuvKxBTpWh2xeszfXaVVO8xY78MaLE2sqT_yxXM9Go_um9TmkkqIj-uBooSdj8cpPNWRra7eym9V41Hlq7aKYk22J3uqWEFDzCqz/s1399/uhyi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="1399" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCZK0X0SvgGaiJAKZGKmTHIo8R41vZUG4Q5q09x084w_iX5EUWuyQEarYOrPPv-rm_06-0WinAhXFCyUO2PG3FuvKxBTpWh2xeszfXaVVO8xY78MaLE2sqT_yxXM9Go_um9TmkkqIj-uBooSdj8cpPNWRra7eym9V41Hlq7aKYk22J3uqWEFDzCqz/w248-h186/uhyi.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now we come to the second of Batman's Christmas
episodes, and while not on the same level as the original “<b>Christmas with
the Joker</b>” from the first season, I still can’t help but enjoy this one as yet
another special holiday offering, one that I gladly re-watch around the
Christmas season. “<b>Holiday Knights</b>” takes a very different approach from
any other episode of this season, as it’s an anthology revolving around various
events throughout the month of December in Gotham City. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTRarBGRJZGVV4frqDFI4Sig5P2--t0x0jkotlVlwwoeCp8hGpPgirRXegltx58rDV__RmcS1zbBdC51n1ycZycutgH-yKzAzkQczfnHPr4_U4h0r7SVJ4J7kH1fVehQw6BJZIeJdeTOXyQpYKrazqZUyehQpqfCLfp9j4MGx4GKKoHkaFOm2PODu/s447/hgyews.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="447" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTRarBGRJZGVV4frqDFI4Sig5P2--t0x0jkotlVlwwoeCp8hGpPgirRXegltx58rDV__RmcS1zbBdC51n1ycZycutgH-yKzAzkQczfnHPr4_U4h0r7SVJ4J7kH1fVehQw6BJZIeJdeTOXyQpYKrazqZUyehQpqfCLfp9j4MGx4GKKoHkaFOm2PODu/s320/hgyews.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">First, Bruce Wayne has
to escape the clutches of both Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, who are taking
advantage of his money to go on a Christmas shopping spree. Then, two police
officers disguised as a mall Santa and an attractive elf find themselves aiding
Bat Girl in taking out Clayface. Finally, it all comes to a close with a New
Years eve celebration, in which the Joker threatens to bomb time square. Each
event has their own holiday appeal, the animation is great, and it’s just
another really cool merging of Christmas with super hero action.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#11 “<b>Judgment
Day</b>” (Episode 24) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQBDhTm5Zzuui7JE6uk5fcQwyyZ4WoQZpISIH6U_9kvokMx6eaAQP3yKFBCdNkY06GzB6OovqwprS4Lf2iBmGg6iS3kkbXbPHzOB97n93YmO17pUH0Y3C52i0arssLPaTtZIQTeYPmmtsacbUYiuNqEbMb_tpcZRNlZ_cqmHFkL2VZCoI5B60LbSR/s600/rtd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQBDhTm5Zzuui7JE6uk5fcQwyyZ4WoQZpISIH6U_9kvokMx6eaAQP3yKFBCdNkY06GzB6OovqwprS4Lf2iBmGg6iS3kkbXbPHzOB97n93YmO17pUH0Y3C52i0arssLPaTtZIQTeYPmmtsacbUYiuNqEbMb_tpcZRNlZ_cqmHFkL2VZCoI5B60LbSR/w231-h186/rtd.jpg" width="231" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsOloQbDJJzNH6pkUQOvQRr5t1128C9t0JWc9UYQXXn02o0XK7kzGwHOj2A-PPoGNoLZmXlF1iSf-3WchgHwjOGD--e787mqhwWciCmCKEZNE8nyJwUB2APIOyTXgFz8GXZ3EodS4I-hVaddCYtaZeGY-DVuNLGNwnEv2_9fcghSEaH_enTdgTiT4/s743/Picture15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="743" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsOloQbDJJzNH6pkUQOvQRr5t1128C9t0JWc9UYQXXn02o0XK7kzGwHOj2A-PPoGNoLZmXlF1iSf-3WchgHwjOGD--e787mqhwWciCmCKEZNE8nyJwUB2APIOyTXgFz8GXZ3EodS4I-hVaddCYtaZeGY-DVuNLGNwnEv2_9fcghSEaH_enTdgTiT4/w247-h187/Picture15.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A new faceless vigilante simply regarded as “The Judge”
has just arrived in Gotham, and he’s using lethal force in his efforts to kill
off Batman’s rouges gallery of criminals. Many rouges in the vein of The Penguin,
The Riddler and Killer Croc nearly meet permanent demise, if not for the
interference of Batman. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXyeIREz_tem531_sdrvnVqfzrJEFaGN1GWfuxMgBmyXqy8cNEZeNnvvHnzUaf4XP96lBWnyjRfryyudht_X8gpVipkMsqIG_HVQZZOKOxXkZZyam4dafrhFsBT4i83Ed5Sdu-6JXalO17LMx8Klnq3_nhNdTu_1jcjd6eEZFUL5LSEt--POUUpen/s225/Picture16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="225" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXyeIREz_tem531_sdrvnVqfzrJEFaGN1GWfuxMgBmyXqy8cNEZeNnvvHnzUaf4XP96lBWnyjRfryyudht_X8gpVipkMsqIG_HVQZZOKOxXkZZyam4dafrhFsBT4i83Ed5Sdu-6JXalO17LMx8Klnq3_nhNdTu_1jcjd6eEZFUL5LSEt--POUUpen/s1600/Picture16.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The one rouge eager to take matters into his own hands
is Two-Face, who isn’t going to stand by and wait. We also discover that the
Judge was enlisted by a councilman, who aims to do what Batman never could …
kill off the criminals without mercy. This raises some moral and ethical
debates for Batman to ponder, as the city would obviously be safer if all his
enemies got killed off, but dose that sill make it right to commit mass
genocide on such a high scale … even if they aren’t good people. It’s a great
issue to raise in a Batman episode, and had it been given more focus and
debate, this could have been one of the all-time great episodes. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22gcpIgLDFJ7Q31r3wy5izesjsH-876dDoL017O1UizQuZ3fH473d0KTp3jkwStf0amElB6TOVuKWUtYV5E91f6sITUofCwDYz6rijOLZfzz7HrbLhL6QTIgbZ9cL3A2xSWyXcGMVqGA_kTPmzJ-wx7u-tZqBH-Hutc4mae8YTusPplGEhofTKb1O/s480/drtry.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22gcpIgLDFJ7Q31r3wy5izesjsH-876dDoL017O1UizQuZ3fH473d0KTp3jkwStf0amElB6TOVuKWUtYV5E91f6sITUofCwDYz6rijOLZfzz7HrbLhL6QTIgbZ9cL3A2xSWyXcGMVqGA_kTPmzJ-wx7u-tZqBH-Hutc4mae8YTusPplGEhofTKb1O/s320/drtry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While this episode
is certainly a strong instalment, I think it could have been better, mainly if
it spent less time focusing on Two-Face and his development, as opposed to
Batman, who really should have spent more time pondering, and even questioning
the issues raised in the episode. The Judge is arguably my favorite new rouge
to come from this season, with a striking presence and design … although, he’s undermined a little by the twist ending. Still, even if it falls short of it’s full
potential, it’s still a highly recommendable episode, further develops Two-Face as one of
my favorite main villains, along with the novelty of an exciting new antagonist
at the center.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#10 “<b>Joker’s
Millions</b>” (Episode 7) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6gJV6hwcYNmvhESL_EAP3Y1eL1W5StI9FG0DQ6Yhzh934D4B5BhF8EdiUGpIA1Abg-IOaZP0-YY-sJaA_dJo9pndyOaMvEoDd2DncieZWHk94u38nJqhlPxPKCrZ6ixxVEdeWpozAW6p6PDAdJy7SmXXcIJV1g6vtf4lsESY9apYAbYmpmpP7Gqn/s320/Picture13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="320" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6gJV6hwcYNmvhESL_EAP3Y1eL1W5StI9FG0DQ6Yhzh934D4B5BhF8EdiUGpIA1Abg-IOaZP0-YY-sJaA_dJo9pndyOaMvEoDd2DncieZWHk94u38nJqhlPxPKCrZ6ixxVEdeWpozAW6p6PDAdJy7SmXXcIJV1g6vtf4lsESY9apYAbYmpmpP7Gqn/w263-h191/Picture13.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmp_LnhavypigUiwNgXfGb8YF8iGkWACnKeQxVNXCOjxYX0dTMVd3k2rY4kYvpTso2JtP_5jhqpksrqmxWVlQ05hjbSUvxRwHNiy7RPzRp0hro3vFUFtSnpmpC1Tnfh_i_nDduWUIuys25UchbIGUb-2Vdy03Q8EExFAV8tm4nYJmmWSh5Cf1m6Wk/s731/Picture14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="731" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmp_LnhavypigUiwNgXfGb8YF8iGkWACnKeQxVNXCOjxYX0dTMVd3k2rY4kYvpTso2JtP_5jhqpksrqmxWVlQ05hjbSUvxRwHNiy7RPzRp0hro3vFUFtSnpmpC1Tnfh_i_nDduWUIuys25UchbIGUb-2Vdy03Q8EExFAV8tm4nYJmmWSh5Cf1m6Wk/w196-h192/Picture14.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Gotham’s famous clown prince of crime finds himself
short on cash, and is desperate to make some coin. One day, following the
passing of a rivel gangster, Joker suddenly finds himself inheriting millions
of dollars, enough to buy his own state pardon, and becoming one of the
wealthiest men in town … much to Batman’s frustration. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlYnR6v5QtlAispngXNpPkletcBxhb2EocQdsRjXzm7fUKqJJk1FYxZS6IKwhlVg2mAfUBZdIJ0WREv3iU8nW43ZqRj4b8B5Civwm3IN6H6fL8q2ITWEiHsghKDpO84eS2a6f0eBwoD1HU1MuNHuuUHus4ttZjM1LNWS_QnfdNCQn0FUBYNDZ8qPf/s1200/gfthft.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlYnR6v5QtlAispngXNpPkletcBxhb2EocQdsRjXzm7fUKqJJk1FYxZS6IKwhlVg2mAfUBZdIJ0WREv3iU8nW43ZqRj4b8B5Civwm3IN6H6fL8q2ITWEiHsghKDpO84eS2a6f0eBwoD1HU1MuNHuuUHus4ttZjM1LNWS_QnfdNCQn0FUBYNDZ8qPf/s320/gfthft.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, after Joker
gets a visit from the International Revenue Service, he finds himself owing a
large sum of money, and discovers this was all one big set-up by the former mobster
to take the fall … and in the most humiliating way possible. This leads to one
of my all-time favorite Joker quotes … “I’m crazy enough to take on Batman …
but the IRS … no thank you!”, and naturally, it doesn’t take Joker long to
revert back to his old ways of stealing money. Speaking personally, while this
may not be the greatest Joker episode ever made … I do find it the funniest,
and most enjoyable. Something about the set-up, payoff, and consistently
amusing details just put a big, dumb joker grin on my face. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan7SwbbGBpxBl-paPsuPQ7AXM_lufIYUgIeT6sbEhTEfAP-VTzm_Hf2OZKlWVPEZ3LNxzLVI7t_uajRcEli3qLXsJKGT2aI3DFEz-Yc8i3OH-QVNsXvUxT-_krOO8h7o0OrwJr6cq46Y1szeWRtRayLRU-nrLXrT-a6AXnDKeTX7kX8qgWDfJ0Nz2/s1200/dfgr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan7SwbbGBpxBl-paPsuPQ7AXM_lufIYUgIeT6sbEhTEfAP-VTzm_Hf2OZKlWVPEZ3LNxzLVI7t_uajRcEli3qLXsJKGT2aI3DFEz-Yc8i3OH-QVNsXvUxT-_krOO8h7o0OrwJr6cq46Y1szeWRtRayLRU-nrLXrT-a6AXnDKeTX7kX8qgWDfJ0Nz2/w216-h162/dfgr.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s an episode
that simply embraces its silly premise, and like I said, is arguably one of the more humorous of the whole show. Joker’s lines and mannerisms are priceless, the
Bat-family all get involved, each with perfect reactions to everything, and Harley
Quine likewise has a number of funny sequences as she tries to escape from
prison, and get her revenge of Joker for being left behind. It’s a special case
in which this show went for a light and care-free tone, and it was just kind of
perfect, with everyone clearly having fun working on it. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#9 “<b>Chemistry</b>”
(Episode 22) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSJfuNURxj3nwGbfp5FQ0bcweYY12PnLN9UEcfhQFwqVaRVME1ACUO6vFoT47sIZQ7gHJJqyP1CWlzhHHkmqoK124ZdrC2ftrFyxGkxYrKApZ7qBpJywmwqobI-IsKq3quhWl6paRId11uPJy2cVuNkEllCVfOm9l0El2JuyKOEshFuirc-SWfo9y/s635/oir.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="635" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSJfuNURxj3nwGbfp5FQ0bcweYY12PnLN9UEcfhQFwqVaRVME1ACUO6vFoT47sIZQ7gHJJqyP1CWlzhHHkmqoK124ZdrC2ftrFyxGkxYrKApZ7qBpJywmwqobI-IsKq3quhWl6paRId11uPJy2cVuNkEllCVfOm9l0El2JuyKOEshFuirc-SWfo9y/w236-h178/oir.jpg" width="236" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFEXh8dbK1ybo-aSIz6QC7qAPBNqB7zgiKLOrx4lVMHD98ScTWDDH7xZku_lZ97KE4owplGPS_XhKW1vpt7W_lQjR7egUqXlAoQrccAS1XXnnzN558JunAR9NrdWpCBZW_Kc4PL5tZndWq2xLFvKi9XwzhKLKCr8MAOG9z1eyqEEzGOwIA0IeIr91/s624/Picture11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="624" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFEXh8dbK1ybo-aSIz6QC7qAPBNqB7zgiKLOrx4lVMHD98ScTWDDH7xZku_lZ97KE4owplGPS_XhKW1vpt7W_lQjR7egUqXlAoQrccAS1XXnnzN558JunAR9NrdWpCBZW_Kc4PL5tZndWq2xLFvKi9XwzhKLKCr8MAOG9z1eyqEEzGOwIA0IeIr91/w230-h180/Picture11.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As impossible as it may seem, Bruce Wayne has finally met the
love of his life … a woman so perfect, he not only marries her, but decides to
retire Batman for good … so somethings up. Red flags start waving when Bruce
notices that many of his friends and fellow wealthy single members of Gotham
have also found seemingly ideal mates, and all with matching green eyes. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-AOV-OCumGa5xLdC4PeL86Q4foStYs9Dm_Hj6WaoFxTKcmPbA6aD7n85rbGNTxLp18mtiJwHzh0yUIKYlIafdqwmiN1p0WPY6xnq6VNxYcXN8-lBlCmgfgtrY14WNhDPn4lIcv4UsapYtE9g8e3HFX647aXdqXeS9vSSldPem6vQPtC7TUmFpmKS/s520/Picture12.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="520" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-AOV-OCumGa5xLdC4PeL86Q4foStYs9Dm_Hj6WaoFxTKcmPbA6aD7n85rbGNTxLp18mtiJwHzh0yUIKYlIafdqwmiN1p0WPY6xnq6VNxYcXN8-lBlCmgfgtrY14WNhDPn4lIcv4UsapYtE9g8e3HFX647aXdqXeS9vSSldPem6vQPtC7TUmFpmKS/s320/Picture12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Turns
out these perfect mates were actually plant people, specially grown by Poison
Ivy, to kill off their wealthy partners and inherit all their money. While
Poison Ivy makes five appearances in this season (two of which are just
cameo’s), this is her only solo villain outing without Harley Quinn at her
side, and it’s a nice change-up to once again see Poison Ivy acting large and
in-charge as the main threat. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">The premise also fits right into my wheel house of Sci-Fi horror, and features some effectively nasty imagery. There are also some nice interactions with all the members of the Bat-family, which has always been a high mark of this season. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We even get to see a lot of Bruce Wayne acting
heroic out of costume, which is another welcome change-up. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjI1RVKfagillqt7VjUZWIdQMZ3o0C0djiLPBRThHxe0VYgcgAjXQN6sNjng0ohlYRnZbjvSJlAQBGV3i_xK74pxp6dqY8k2J80BV81g-Kfs8fq8mYDfyDm6XnS4mltuV8-YmRtX_0EJF0mcxMweqyWZ3F1dlsDkbpVKNfXGY9kn6Yz5WrtEhuam-/s1094/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1094" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjI1RVKfagillqt7VjUZWIdQMZ3o0C0djiLPBRThHxe0VYgcgAjXQN6sNjng0ohlYRnZbjvSJlAQBGV3i_xK74pxp6dqY8k2J80BV81g-Kfs8fq8mYDfyDm6XnS4mltuV8-YmRtX_0EJF0mcxMweqyWZ3F1dlsDkbpVKNfXGY9kn6Yz5WrtEhuam-/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lastly, the
climactic final battle on a cruise ship made for an effective set-piece, and
for a while marked the death of Poison Ivy. While she did return in a crossover
episode of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Static Shock</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, it was satisfying for this episode to finally
see one of Batman’s main rouges finally bight the dust. While this episode
didn’t take the characters in any new directions, it still hit so many genera
marks I enjoy, that it’s always stuck with me as a personal favorite
episode.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#8 “<b>Sins
of the Father</b>” (Episode 2) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndbOJOlV8m8zUlBQvr_YkflmrgiwozAdY7_FOvGvxDXLTZduslNstD2GeuN5XgvD1kMLgjFxi86BWbStrZVLWmPFeF2FC9SdNeZfyWgA_n9xUzr-gIcax7Q6UGIJRDvE9Av5S7mbq5KOai4VV0_LlqT_kDfa-5W7hHwd-glldkLtVI95OlZwgSoBR/s640/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndbOJOlV8m8zUlBQvr_YkflmrgiwozAdY7_FOvGvxDXLTZduslNstD2GeuN5XgvD1kMLgjFxi86BWbStrZVLWmPFeF2FC9SdNeZfyWgA_n9xUzr-gIcax7Q6UGIJRDvE9Av5S7mbq5KOai4VV0_LlqT_kDfa-5W7hHwd-glldkLtVI95OlZwgSoBR/w239-h179/Picture3.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ILffCwRDa4thl26mcSvHufGfRmGtjacjp8ycgDyk3jUHFbvVLJYJ4JlaToZjwZ5eFWcKUMMKENBSjZMnzFwlbq4xmPiFKz1USjnvGwOC2nNehI2EICJTambNuApeYLTGcTi1MJ1Jaj4iKx9WMTYhCkjBLp6VPJ-NOlrxc6jUQaPkLpKjRxKojbVu/s600/rt4ewtw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ILffCwRDa4thl26mcSvHufGfRmGtjacjp8ycgDyk3jUHFbvVLJYJ4JlaToZjwZ5eFWcKUMMKENBSjZMnzFwlbq4xmPiFKz1USjnvGwOC2nNehI2EICJTambNuApeYLTGcTi1MJ1Jaj4iKx9WMTYhCkjBLp6VPJ-NOlrxc6jUQaPkLpKjRxKojbVu/w240-h180/rt4ewtw.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">While this wasn’t the official first episode
of the season, it’s mainly still the pilot episode, which gives us the full
story of how the young orphan Tim Drake became the new Robin, and how the
actions of his late father led to a current scheme being hated by Two-Face, who
aims to hold the city ransom with a deadly bomb. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD8eJFHAG_k-ATbeRF5yzuAhimY-8alQ5C6BShKpHlQMqD4SsBpi8_p_a-9OccOKlkRWE33Gkik3qpX2wcZWUWJZpcxkCjUhJv61I0SrBX3UTBW98zn322XKZ3BOGFz1FPBn2dz1bm4e1vycJ4BnC92-ZBbkLIStE0bJGaGA8NpzU-oBn2XSWpOFc/s500/hgy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD8eJFHAG_k-ATbeRF5yzuAhimY-8alQ5C6BShKpHlQMqD4SsBpi8_p_a-9OccOKlkRWE33Gkik3qpX2wcZWUWJZpcxkCjUhJv61I0SrBX3UTBW98zn322XKZ3BOGFz1FPBn2dz1bm4e1vycJ4BnC92-ZBbkLIStE0bJGaGA8NpzU-oBn2XSWpOFc/s320/hgy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">This is a very special episode for me, because back when I first saw it as a kid, it marked my own personal introduction to the character Two-Face, who quickly became one of my all-time favorite Batman villains. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This also marks one of Two-Faces most openly sinister, and
imposing roles as a main threat, and he drops one of my favorite lines … “After
I trigger this bomb, there will be two kinds of people left in Gotham … the
dying, and the dead!”. Aside from that, there’s a lot of novelty to seeing this
new Robin take his first flight, and how he meets both Batman and Bat Girl for
the first time. It’s a solid episode, with suspenseful action, and it
officially sets the tone for the season moving forward.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#7 “<b>Never
Fear</b>” (Episode 6) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDy-nxd8mLRqtW3HhWbYYQ_-S9-voK-ZNm7BPo4_Pq5N1VCuOyEX8edf7ibAzK0J4Krx7ho3sCmbuG2dYrFbKuYsDTPS0JYALwMHk-XcopqjskT84bkdWpBBjWj2m_LfocJd8SLGHp3VJXh3EWIhQva0SJLORjd-zZz9CphKp7XX2QuZ5ryZ0kVzo/s640/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDy-nxd8mLRqtW3HhWbYYQ_-S9-voK-ZNm7BPo4_Pq5N1VCuOyEX8edf7ibAzK0J4Krx7ho3sCmbuG2dYrFbKuYsDTPS0JYALwMHk-XcopqjskT84bkdWpBBjWj2m_LfocJd8SLGHp3VJXh3EWIhQva0SJLORjd-zZz9CphKp7XX2QuZ5ryZ0kVzo/w251-h188/Picture8.jpg" width="251" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BmCYai3VIUhQri0KeTEpa77NlPvlPk1f2VIKKGAH77JzpAIX4xNJCj30NBumsC03ca95MSNNTTFrieXH3WDUIiQ9G4oihY88U61ZzdlGJdC9p-xf4Y5SZChoGx4wFiqsOhr_gK7L9uz94vdccTNr4Q6N36xUcF9gjVOfWyZK7WwKKHiGlfbf636v/s350/Picture9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="350" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BmCYai3VIUhQri0KeTEpa77NlPvlPk1f2VIKKGAH77JzpAIX4xNJCj30NBumsC03ca95MSNNTTFrieXH3WDUIiQ9G4oihY88U61ZzdlGJdC9p-xf4Y5SZChoGx4wFiqsOhr_gK7L9uz94vdccTNr4Q6N36xUcF9gjVOfWyZK7WwKKHiGlfbf636v/w249-h187/Picture9.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Scarecrow has once again remerged from the shadows,
and is threatening the city with yet another deadly gas. Sounds formulaic
enough, but there’s a catch this time … he isn’t inflicting fear, instead he’s
taking fear away, and leaving people without a strong continence between right
and wrong. Batman himself gets hit by the gas, and now has no fear of taking
lives, which forces Robin to adapt to the situation, and make hard choices …
even if that means turning on Batman. This marked the first appearance of the
Scarecrow in the new series, and straight to the point … he had the best
do-over of any villain in the show. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaYridBXyO9S-RINYyfw_gOBpPIepOicrItElRvpknABxATUVlwur49g1zfhqzeztTNnTisT5bEFyCd8NdudK2g0lg-XrrXqfAs3WVN6GJeyDVFkcgYuRamFmi_jR3n1l7BvujmgCtrNBngYCUtlOcGsG3DxaSa2v7SKyGD0deJM51v1AC1yVeR_D/s922/cfg.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="922" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaYridBXyO9S-RINYyfw_gOBpPIepOicrItElRvpknABxATUVlwur49g1zfhqzeztTNnTisT5bEFyCd8NdudK2g0lg-XrrXqfAs3WVN6GJeyDVFkcgYuRamFmi_jR3n1l7BvujmgCtrNBngYCUtlOcGsG3DxaSa2v7SKyGD0deJM51v1AC1yVeR_D/s320/cfg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Not only was the design more imposing, but
veteran horror movie star Jeffrey Combs absolutely shined in the role, giving
this villain the most chilling presence he ever had. Also, the message of how
we need fear to survive, and make the right choices, is a great lesson, as so
many people view fear as a negative emotion. This episode also highlights the
new young Robin as someone capable to think on his feet, and make hard choices.
Lastly, I can’t help but feel the climactic train fight with Scarecrow might
have been an influence on “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Batman Begins</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” years later. It’s all around
one of Scarecrows greatest episodes, and a bright spot in this final
season.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#6 “<b>Cold
Comfort</b>” (Episode 3) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNH4NMsVkk0dfc8dnKF1upnNQ9bi4MaqrJ-b6_vhuGUjk9teTjiVTAuD0LEXeXRBdZaw6iiQtlAton8WiZYCuMVEmDa2nnDTipwuf9J1RIYClRMun6A3IhtcnD05gR0uBLSeqjJCdlJu9VnCLaqM2_wMMjhSjihx2JRrBgNj9zyDzpV13B7uMDpAWk/s480/vcbdfghd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNH4NMsVkk0dfc8dnKF1upnNQ9bi4MaqrJ-b6_vhuGUjk9teTjiVTAuD0LEXeXRBdZaw6iiQtlAton8WiZYCuMVEmDa2nnDTipwuf9J1RIYClRMun6A3IhtcnD05gR0uBLSeqjJCdlJu9VnCLaqM2_wMMjhSjihx2JRrBgNj9zyDzpV13B7uMDpAWk/w248-h186/vcbdfghd.jpg" width="248" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjca8-VaNXGvQtoJalcI13dwNxqCGMKQ5fuwE6ksVC85YK8eXeXQrJr5sBj8uNG8L4S7uBRLOAqrWUX7p2Ya8ilkAvcbtqOImfUfyt713B_b80F8K4tYa6dvXaiyRrUPNZ7v11NYknr36hjtA1Evnt_mANHVzjT6KRV-YpGFvvqMgrj0oNTHoMMn24l/s606/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="606" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjca8-VaNXGvQtoJalcI13dwNxqCGMKQ5fuwE6ksVC85YK8eXeXQrJr5sBj8uNG8L4S7uBRLOAqrWUX7p2Ya8ilkAvcbtqOImfUfyt713B_b80F8K4tYa6dvXaiyRrUPNZ7v11NYknr36hjtA1Evnt_mANHVzjT6KRV-YpGFvvqMgrj0oNTHoMMn24l/w224-h186/Picture2.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Of all Batman’s villains, Mr. Freeze is my personal all-time
favorite, so naturally, his only appearance in the season would rank high on my
list. While Mr. Freeze’s story admittedly had perfect closure in the animated
movie “<b>Subzero</b>”, it just wasn’t fitting to continue the Batman series
without one of his most popular villains present. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWAcRnqmk85PaebEta6rz8uBiUioGq8_-ZGFdTItRCHjQIgy0CNl12dRykdsGcDXsTvP0eI_X6p2fQokV278GS8YiLKH0G6aLgTboyCV0eksymJO9X3xcFa5ke8mrblG_r0uzz0XPMPeYNlu2cr2nV7mxLRNU5_gK624lklk6onU07WBXQ0fOimTX/s962/estsr.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="962" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWAcRnqmk85PaebEta6rz8uBiUioGq8_-ZGFdTItRCHjQIgy0CNl12dRykdsGcDXsTvP0eI_X6p2fQokV278GS8YiLKH0G6aLgTboyCV0eksymJO9X3xcFa5ke8mrblG_r0uzz0XPMPeYNlu2cr2nV7mxLRNU5_gK624lklk6onU07WBXQ0fOimTX/w284-h213/estsr.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thus, in his return episode
titled “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Cold Comfort</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, Mr. Freeze took on a noticeably darker persona.
His suit was literally darker, but this time the character didn’t have the same
sympathetic goals driving his actions. This was Mr. Freeze after he lost
everything, no longer able to reunite with his love, as most of his body was destroyed,
and replaced with cybernetic limbs. As such, he’s going to make sure that
everyone in Gotham feels his same level of pain and loss. In other words, he
has now officially become Darth Vader ... or maybe Dr. Loveless from “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Wild,
Wild West</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, as he’s got these silly spider legs now. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZzotmzl_Lxt3Lh-68hoUTqEv1BaIGePM61CKJLaU3d1unFHpWkKcEwx9LohkhykscCzYxPdf8JBWKvmbtPphLrQ15J4Tl-azVUEOiAA7dHimIfzPW6nyph_xIcVQT9iP3qdpCaf0ANCSgT1822kMSnStN5HluCxQsgyeW68Af4mbbZYf4Dk4Cu2x/s1200/tru.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZzotmzl_Lxt3Lh-68hoUTqEv1BaIGePM61CKJLaU3d1unFHpWkKcEwx9LohkhykscCzYxPdf8JBWKvmbtPphLrQ15J4Tl-azVUEOiAA7dHimIfzPW6nyph_xIcVQT9iP3qdpCaf0ANCSgT1822kMSnStN5HluCxQsgyeW68Af4mbbZYf4Dk4Cu2x/s320/tru.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Putting that silly
detail aside, this marked the highest threat level the villain has ever been,
and it was genuinely thrilling to see Batman engage him in a climactic final
battle, with the fate on the city in the balance. While I prefer the pathos of
the character, it is still a treat to see Mr. Freeze just go full villain, and
he putts our hero through the fight of his life. Their final duel to the death
is riveting, and we see Batman put in a grey area in which the only way to save
the city is to break his one rule ... and kill Mr. Freeze. However, the final
visual closes the episode on an ominous note, that he’s not really dead, and
that he might return one day.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#5 “<b>Girls
Night Out</b>” (Episode 20) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQoByFMyLie9LQlx7pzJF1h13MiozTOoXf91QtZ0vDyr-u57aQqCk9LSxhctCoqwc3BNX8vEIirrAUKoy5HSYoii6_OX3PGL5xw5Oo4T_QhBrr_p9VtgpYqSkt1_GbH6CefWvCVO44epiYlDugUDsjnQIjZfQh-6Nrcd8CLMDKSp3T34xpMwbSgOQ/s960/uio.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQoByFMyLie9LQlx7pzJF1h13MiozTOoXf91QtZ0vDyr-u57aQqCk9LSxhctCoqwc3BNX8vEIirrAUKoy5HSYoii6_OX3PGL5xw5Oo4T_QhBrr_p9VtgpYqSkt1_GbH6CefWvCVO44epiYlDugUDsjnQIjZfQh-6Nrcd8CLMDKSp3T34xpMwbSgOQ/w260-h164/uio.jpg" width="260" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5SJK769Y8Pr5oEtH482mrDbKgvrOMdlkryPrMOs0pkyOO4ybYfZ_Bvw6tvk45VmQIHyaybGD2lWFbSoitEab2sKokwFVhLbgLVb6CLkoR-di3qWH8XRH8bBMtZNQrv_ESFkLx4BGbTlYeY4ebTIdcE-iW2XpyEDfz5EklhkRUWyUgEsrTBRJrN56/s640/cxv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5SJK769Y8Pr5oEtH482mrDbKgvrOMdlkryPrMOs0pkyOO4ybYfZ_Bvw6tvk45VmQIHyaybGD2lWFbSoitEab2sKokwFVhLbgLVb6CLkoR-di3qWH8XRH8bBMtZNQrv_ESFkLx4BGbTlYeY4ebTIdcE-iW2XpyEDfz5EklhkRUWyUgEsrTBRJrN56/w218-h164/cxv.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m probably a minority for ranking this episode
so high, but the truth is, this little crossover with “<b>Superman: The
Animated Series</b>” is one of my personal favorites. For me, not every great
episode of Batman has to be dark or tragic, and sometimes a light-hearted
excursion is very welcome. My personal favorite “fun” episode comes in the form
of this pairing between Batgirl and Super-Girl titled “<b>Girls Night Out</b>”.
When the Superman villain called Livewire escapes from prison, she teams up
with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn to have a destructively fun night on the town.
With both Batman and Superman out on missions, it’s up to Batgirl and
Super-Girl to take action. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAzvKKOLfG02onfXc1n-beV950BsIB5ExT_CiSuOr6AVfsvWIpMAvQm1VOEQx6lcFXxH5fUuoz6EVRk3YfywzkuOucl7PP2ohnPKj-bOv8WtevsaLtwtTuo-Zy7MsFUhhL-8vwOBiI7XHgGLJo3JRQ1PNnJgKCNiHcNBKCO9AGkO8aQ_OsYP-3w8i/s2224/uidz.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1668" data-original-width="2224" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAzvKKOLfG02onfXc1n-beV950BsIB5ExT_CiSuOr6AVfsvWIpMAvQm1VOEQx6lcFXxH5fUuoz6EVRk3YfywzkuOucl7PP2ohnPKj-bOv8WtevsaLtwtTuo-Zy7MsFUhhL-8vwOBiI7XHgGLJo3JRQ1PNnJgKCNiHcNBKCO9AGkO8aQ_OsYP-3w8i/s320/uidz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Kind of a hot take for me, but Batman and Superman
have had so many crossovers, that the novelty has all but warn out. On the flip
side, it’s just a real treat for both of these iconic female sidekicks to team
up. Also, unlike their superiors, Batgirl and Super-Girl get along great, and
honestly make for a really cute pair of friends. It’s also fun watching the
villains work-off each other in this episode, and I like how their just out
enjoying themselves, and not hatching any giant scheme against the city. While
some lines are a little cringe, there are still more than enough funny quips,
sweet action, and it’s just a really cute little episode.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#4 “<b>Mad
Love</b>” (Episode 21) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIybdm0zZOKsMCa7pLUvw5yDuCaaApPj7m2797Ogx50GvZJ4KpXUKOcW4fW4TsvqWf4HAdgD8jQJV7d7AuvTTAfgCLtwgwJO_6FQU8EJNjR1dxYHwTQom4HzTPiPP-oBs1FuwqRBHedBowAmVx8tTric4JHdS_csssluc4sSCergGRWDhpjwjjfdlK/s640/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIybdm0zZOKsMCa7pLUvw5yDuCaaApPj7m2797Ogx50GvZJ4KpXUKOcW4fW4TsvqWf4HAdgD8jQJV7d7AuvTTAfgCLtwgwJO_6FQU8EJNjR1dxYHwTQom4HzTPiPP-oBs1FuwqRBHedBowAmVx8tTric4JHdS_csssluc4sSCergGRWDhpjwjjfdlK/w250-h187/Picture7.jpg" width="250" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IXof_QuKaftKZTtQG0hfxQH3cXlv_BcQbG9iUBcK7rlRNmevhiXREyM_EQH22dNR9EqgMEm0phXm2qYda-6RguShnYD_WWzpK1wN0vdzouaXlhOjQJReLI_oPQBsaewmlXP-rtnIi1MmXMVnSJ2dCb3cOrGXXmKXoh89N-MeruKSKwwgH7zBFdJr/s1000/iop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IXof_QuKaftKZTtQG0hfxQH3cXlv_BcQbG9iUBcK7rlRNmevhiXREyM_EQH22dNR9EqgMEm0phXm2qYda-6RguShnYD_WWzpK1wN0vdzouaXlhOjQJReLI_oPQBsaewmlXP-rtnIi1MmXMVnSJ2dCb3cOrGXXmKXoh89N-MeruKSKwwgH7zBFdJr/w241-h186/iop.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Widely regarded as one of the great classic episodes
of the show, it’s the long-awaited installment revolving around the backstory
of how the Joker gained his loony love interest Harley Quinn. Through
flashback, we see the early days of how Harley was once a doctor at the Asylum,
and the Joker was her prized patient. Little did she realize that he was cleverly
twisting and turning the screws in her head, to the point where she fell madly
in love with the clown prince of crime. In present day, Harley is ready to
finally settle down with Joker … if only Batman would stop distracting him. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzasOzwLCulnETGFE84HhAP2gZz4SJXwSTB24r37HBC8FgXqIhazOd3qcmRDnzQnv9TpOQcBu8AphsALkemPHknr-YqaVbb4qnfbelAfVJ_OZNtgrqxT50y0ODBex4AaGS0r4Zsbr6MF-JvwMfYgJP55Cr87Uh2m17Divcj5JnoRzOeuG4-qs5Xck-/s964/iuouipu.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="964" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzasOzwLCulnETGFE84HhAP2gZz4SJXwSTB24r37HBC8FgXqIhazOd3qcmRDnzQnv9TpOQcBu8AphsALkemPHknr-YqaVbb4qnfbelAfVJ_OZNtgrqxT50y0ODBex4AaGS0r4Zsbr6MF-JvwMfYgJP55Cr87Uh2m17Divcj5JnoRzOeuG4-qs5Xck-/s320/iuouipu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">Thus, she sets-up an elaborate trap to finish him off for good … much to the Jokers anger. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While Harley had always been a great source of levity in the
show, this episode really paints her as a tragic figure, with no escape from
her one-sided romance with Gotham’s most notorious rouge. I’d also pin this as
the Jokers most imposing episode, both as the quiet patient who gradually took
over the mind of his nurse, and as the ruthless villain who takes out all his
anger and frustration on the one person who loves him. For any long-time fan of
either Harley Quinn or the Joker … this episode is required viewing. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#3 “<b>Growing
Pains</b>” (Episode 8) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdw3fcz3L7lUnL12xFMjCYIZfKCtMFu3QBhXBedajwog8HooMNNQ26vENgFI33yv0h3wF2LTKCAMaxYAwm9uj2c6XKm6UvOv_OECF9FIIf99shQ0qp2cKCC5OF9nT4bFrAlpYMHtH9GPs73ylXJP8o7mqfXNsTCwp27xorGnuMqsiK8dD86xmFH9A/s700/zxca.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="700" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdw3fcz3L7lUnL12xFMjCYIZfKCtMFu3QBhXBedajwog8HooMNNQ26vENgFI33yv0h3wF2LTKCAMaxYAwm9uj2c6XKm6UvOv_OECF9FIIf99shQ0qp2cKCC5OF9nT4bFrAlpYMHtH9GPs73ylXJP8o7mqfXNsTCwp27xorGnuMqsiK8dD86xmFH9A/w241-h180/zxca.jpg" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CNUku6lXZZLq8_jf9G-0E4fHd3aznkejNlizgTIq4idIB4pQMpngRkdB8u_u5k3sMu0Kgp9M88mR0O0mFx9Bteq_9BZeBVPzt1iv-DcmBFlhjB-utLbhqIsSaCtju0hoPLJPQDZfHSht75bDJpLwWNlHkR98nBCG0Vgh8G1vfrn772BL9zPOmbo3/s449/trurs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="449" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CNUku6lXZZLq8_jf9G-0E4fHd3aznkejNlizgTIq4idIB4pQMpngRkdB8u_u5k3sMu0Kgp9M88mR0O0mFx9Bteq_9BZeBVPzt1iv-DcmBFlhjB-utLbhqIsSaCtju0hoPLJPQDZfHSht75bDJpLwWNlHkR98nBCG0Vgh8G1vfrn772BL9zPOmbo3/w242-h180/trurs.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In animated programs, you commonly expect the hero to
always save the day, and close everything on a positive note. However, in the
case of Batman ... well, sometimes there just isn’t a happy ending at all.
Personally, I think one of the most daring, memorable, and all-around tragic
episodes is this Robin centered episode titled “<b>Growing Pains</b>”. During
patrol, Robin comes across a frightened little girl, who’s lost her memory, and
is being chased by a shady fellow, who claims to be her father. Robin naturally
comes to her defense, and is determined to help this girl re-discover her past.
As the two spend time together, a sweet little connection bloom’s between them. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Unfortunately, the truth is revealed, and it turns out this little girl isn’t a real child at all. She’s a clay puppet created by Batman’s deadly shape-shifting enemy Clayface. During a tense battle, the girl rescues Robin, but at the cost of her own life.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oOxwktIP_PsOGV-8V6TmslMuQDh0Jcvo0SBg_uN04b2eVJw8mS5aiBdNIAE_xQikac3yBF74fyG2Bg3IDaOWAg1jNrHeXKEpG0q9LcsSq9C2f0ZIf7RWJKuuLQw6O7msVMArvt3qRlogP8OqVTy9mZ_sv3dBd0L1okvIGb-I3vdjqTyKzCvn7pYZ/s800/vcfdg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oOxwktIP_PsOGV-8V6TmslMuQDh0Jcvo0SBg_uN04b2eVJw8mS5aiBdNIAE_xQikac3yBF74fyG2Bg3IDaOWAg1jNrHeXKEpG0q9LcsSq9C2f0ZIf7RWJKuuLQw6O7msVMArvt3qRlogP8OqVTy9mZ_sv3dBd0L1okvIGb-I3vdjqTyKzCvn7pYZ/s320/vcfdg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While the child technically wasn’t alive to
begin with, she was real to Robin, and still, the image of this sweet little
girl melting away at the hands of Clayface is quite horrific. Outside of the
heartbreaking ending, this episode also features some depressing elements of
poverty. The most notable moment being when Robin finds a small group of
homeless children living under a pile of rocks. That’s not the kind of content
you typically get in a children’s program, but hay, that’s why this show is so
great. It takes chances, and isn’t afraid to hit the kids with the drama. While
the suspension of disbelief is very high in this episode, it’s still one of the
more touching, yet darker Batman outings, and one of my absolute favorites.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#2 “<b>Old
Wounds</b>” (Episode 17) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVr1R0v3S4nB_ILIwYBesEv2-IzLKmJU60Q4bSF0zQaLxYOOD8L9dht_Kk1XgLljYmRoz6Z7sdsmuU_LfQxWP7qPjgw7_k98e1JVOdw3TZKQab88dSH1lLsdhlKZXXDXlj4u7M2hq5XY-0aeq2HRy0aMHMel9Dz4D1v6mYfrFYrUY29sdhwzCdgxLq/s320/gjy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVr1R0v3S4nB_ILIwYBesEv2-IzLKmJU60Q4bSF0zQaLxYOOD8L9dht_Kk1XgLljYmRoz6Z7sdsmuU_LfQxWP7qPjgw7_k98e1JVOdw3TZKQab88dSH1lLsdhlKZXXDXlj4u7M2hq5XY-0aeq2HRy0aMHMel9Dz4D1v6mYfrFYrUY29sdhwzCdgxLq/w291-h164/gjy.jpg" width="291" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscSyx_5ICRdswwJEaI6hdqAH62f6euEg6O1Pb7ZWWUjWXY0HjwyCbS_7Z87pbMJqpSwsQ0K-Hkvr2W6LHNI-TAykA8VBBy-UlSEmeuDN-IVAnYy5UZADqLYyxTKq-fpyYzTsqXIrogdqM4csWZmlufuDYefyVLmBIXl9m4tb2USAB9CGkOwsmK9UB/s584/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="584" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscSyx_5ICRdswwJEaI6hdqAH62f6euEg6O1Pb7ZWWUjWXY0HjwyCbS_7Z87pbMJqpSwsQ0K-Hkvr2W6LHNI-TAykA8VBBy-UlSEmeuDN-IVAnYy5UZADqLYyxTKq-fpyYzTsqXIrogdqM4csWZmlufuDYefyVLmBIXl9m4tb2USAB9CGkOwsmK9UB/w219-h164/Picture5.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Throughout the season, there was a built-up mystery
revolving round the original Robin, why he left both Batman and Batgirl in
favor of fighting crime as a solo hero, and why he apparently has a reserved
grudge against his former father figure. Seventeen episodes into the season,
and we finally get our answers, resulting in one of the shows all-time greatest
offerings. Robin and Nightwing pair-up to take on a group of thugs, and after
some heated tension, end-up having a heart to heart on what it’s like to be the
boy wonder. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE-y9D21rdFkEbXEE4K9b-p8baR5wUp-xyBYaytg6yXgh7WAzUXxPOhtKec_n2KavJqXF0ZYRy79zCgQZemnKNvzqsfsHYANavAKysBV7Y7r_d8Wtk1GtFEq0NH33bJIQ5_yAHbFvuuluA53Qt_sqZLi-vGHcm_ldeTjwLUVxYvBiPuRazxUCG71w/s377/Picture4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="367" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE-y9D21rdFkEbXEE4K9b-p8baR5wUp-xyBYaytg6yXgh7WAzUXxPOhtKec_n2KavJqXF0ZYRy79zCgQZemnKNvzqsfsHYANavAKysBV7Y7r_d8Wtk1GtFEq0NH33bJIQ5_yAHbFvuuluA53Qt_sqZLi-vGHcm_ldeTjwLUVxYvBiPuRazxUCG71w/s320/Picture4.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Through a flashback, Nightwing relays the story of how he fell out
of Batman’s graces. The Joker was once again hatching a plan against Gotham
city, which was putting pressure on Batman, to the point where he lost sight of
his own moral code. Batman and the former Robin tracked down one of the Jokers
goons to his apartment, only to discover he’s a family man, but Batman isn’t
hesitating to beat the information out of him right in front of his wife and
toddler son. Robin soon realizes that the years of fighting villains has
finally taken a toll with Batman, to the point where he’s lost his ability to
empathize. What really pushed Robin over the edge was that Batman was keeping
further secrets from him, like how his girl friend Barbra was really Batgirl
the whole time, and that he was willing to put her life in danger. </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd9tF-oDNdLdsTXgv0QNlnId6ePDPTwbt79hNKeTAai5DI8Pi_nhpUVV-VlSAokHhIWLwY5gFz9S2ZxOIjg1uBwDwAFAFm2YXgAB5FzAaUT3xgYXJ6iTU_QqiIdRR-b8HH4TDi7D44GlRqOZdtCTQlFb3mpbCGnU7nTy--2rHjLq-tmtysoK13nXT/s587/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="587" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd9tF-oDNdLdsTXgv0QNlnId6ePDPTwbt79hNKeTAai5DI8Pi_nhpUVV-VlSAokHhIWLwY5gFz9S2ZxOIjg1uBwDwAFAFm2YXgAB5FzAaUT3xgYXJ6iTU_QqiIdRR-b8HH4TDi7D44GlRqOZdtCTQlFb3mpbCGnU7nTy--2rHjLq-tmtysoK13nXT/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Apparently,
Robin leaving was the one thing that helped Batman come back to grips with what
he’d lost. In the present, Nightwing reunites with the thug Batman tried to
interrogate, and discovers that he not only reformed, but Bruce Wayne gave him
a job, and is providing for his struggling family. While Nightwing can’t undo
what happened, he is ready to apologize to Batman, and move on. The episode
closes on the most triumphant note of the whole season, as he and the young
Robin sour off into the night, set to heightened music, and the Bat-signal
shining ahead of them. Personally, I feel this could have been the season
finale, as no other episode is this character driven or intensely dramatic. In
my view, it’s all around a perfect episode, and one that I highly recommend
checking out.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">#1 “<b>Over
the Edge</b>” (Episode 12) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxJ4gktgFXZHfLZg_878SyqytIBnlirqc218xLCTXC7M04tDSC4VXJSaobcAWTyH0749_ZKUUhJfOtvkhiElDvacZZcwVr97GLNZ_2nB60ghFMXPSmQVSGGOAffH4AkpPtStujJ6kVmMjHRmyWEBHlo40m3PX2AlDWrvEGrdEQVbHPgvnPETz3Ojj/s640/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxJ4gktgFXZHfLZg_878SyqytIBnlirqc218xLCTXC7M04tDSC4VXJSaobcAWTyH0749_ZKUUhJfOtvkhiElDvacZZcwVr97GLNZ_2nB60ghFMXPSmQVSGGOAffH4AkpPtStujJ6kVmMjHRmyWEBHlo40m3PX2AlDWrvEGrdEQVbHPgvnPETz3Ojj/w240-h191/Picture1.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MFP6Z25vg_rTk5Op9mzb8KMtw84tXlELiboYi1fGIu8owKz4RGnfo9EDDu7KPi36W95HiylQ34aP0yWeHj2ddE_w0anzHNRTckbV0WENYSHAcl7JYPdjGKs1RTFnQ2ibTuybwt1WQoAhqApKHlaTJmfz992HAZuzbyTSDVv8wsx3pLlVepfSqSR3/s635/trff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="635" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MFP6Z25vg_rTk5Op9mzb8KMtw84tXlELiboYi1fGIu8owKz4RGnfo9EDDu7KPi36W95HiylQ34aP0yWeHj2ddE_w0anzHNRTckbV0WENYSHAcl7JYPdjGKs1RTFnQ2ibTuybwt1WQoAhqApKHlaTJmfz992HAZuzbyTSDVv8wsx3pLlVepfSqSR3/w256-h192/trff.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Coming in at Number One is this classic episode,
which always seems to show-up on everyone’s favorite Batman episodes list … and
for good reason, because it’s firkin amazing! The premise is about as jaw
dropping and brutal as they get. During a confrontation with the Scarecrow,
Bat-girl tragically loses her life, much to the dismay of her father, police
commissioner Gordon. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-Tdrj10O3DOqO9j_BLfuJWOkvMzJBEWKQ01hpgM9pTYnjPkxJwpJ5MU-cCoacFB__M0i0NoYDqgbovUJYmccCoa1E79ji3UcOSq17sb-SRSsPjW7J_m5f-c-WLh5xyWZXJY5HoKw0hSmUggE8lmJBX3-IdPqdB3wWJX6btK1caYlKUo87rLOoYC8/s333/rdgtrhtr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-Tdrj10O3DOqO9j_BLfuJWOkvMzJBEWKQ01hpgM9pTYnjPkxJwpJ5MU-cCoacFB__M0i0NoYDqgbovUJYmccCoa1E79ji3UcOSq17sb-SRSsPjW7J_m5f-c-WLh5xyWZXJY5HoKw0hSmUggE8lmJBX3-IdPqdB3wWJX6btK1caYlKUo87rLOoYC8/s320/rdgtrhtr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Consumed by anger, he and the police force wage war
against Batman, and for once discovers his secret identity. “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Over the Edge</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
is a great “what if” story, highlighting what could happen when friends are
turned on each other, and secrets are revealed. Following a thrilling invasion
of Wayne Mansion, our hero finds himself on the run from both the law, and from
the criminals who now know his identity. Robin is forced to turn himself in,
both Nightwing and Alfred are arrested, and to top off everything else, Gordon
makes a deal with Bane to ambush Batman, knowing that he’ll show up for her
daughter’s funeral. It’s as insane as it sounds, and it’s as epic as episodes
get. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEvqyOo_3HF7evcsNelmuzn6UHJ008BqAyMxlCvB-hYfi839DEPypovVv3b1uIAAPQ27iecvqQgjHhCyNzhpezqGa3y8yNX9vl4Eb1CUDeEn-kvC0PMif6KQOq1wDwgbxGMoB-pxopPEX9-ui1PYwi0667gO8FIT9ow18jRZQvqmTRiH1YYZ-LfZV/s333/dfgerge.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEvqyOo_3HF7evcsNelmuzn6UHJ008BqAyMxlCvB-hYfi839DEPypovVv3b1uIAAPQ27iecvqQgjHhCyNzhpezqGa3y8yNX9vl4Eb1CUDeEn-kvC0PMif6KQOq1wDwgbxGMoB-pxopPEX9-ui1PYwi0667gO8FIT9ow18jRZQvqmTRiH1YYZ-LfZV/s320/dfgerge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It’s ambitious, unique, fast paced, and pulls no punches. The action
sequences are among some of the shows best, and the violence is very tense,
especially by the standards of children’s programming. Bat-girls death scene is
a horrific spectacle, and one of the show’s most heartbreaking moments. Also,
the final rooftop battle between Batman, Bane and Gordon is the stuff of
legend. My only real qualm with this episode is that the ending is a little too
abrupt, and kind of a cheat. Regardless, it’s still a top-tier Batman outing,
and it’s my favorite from “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The New Batman Adventures</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo7mtY13EMgihQMBWAZfCaGwHJ1-j9MfeUJsD0l7brBjfYV4EnQmqB4BpTErxdeWkZXZJytJQGRwAgZUztiN1f4SpWajJD0Fyz0qZM6-8X_hsozPaFWLmIGh9-mgnYHkt_ylerU4L72ViVtdZ4RpTOK0_2CQW9g__uKPtaxf9yBOtqW9UWMfBE-_d/s400/iopg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqo7mtY13EMgihQMBWAZfCaGwHJ1-j9MfeUJsD0l7brBjfYV4EnQmqB4BpTErxdeWkZXZJytJQGRwAgZUztiN1f4SpWajJD0Fyz0qZM6-8X_hsozPaFWLmIGh9-mgnYHkt_ylerU4L72ViVtdZ4RpTOK0_2CQW9g__uKPtaxf9yBOtqW9UWMfBE-_d/w400-h300/iopg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the shows you Love! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE END <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067689119003947635.post-25845567927459361922023-04-17T20:17:00.024-07:002023-04-17T21:48:52.310-07:00Disney’s Peter Pan (1953) (Movie Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxk2AWFJkv8zO12FhohCFV-QFhMLbTGrPKvJPQ21GUK2TyfQB51lVwYakMTC5zRI10gB1gnU7-Hnm62-W0jD6d-lmwC-XsAH0IK4kficZ_l6mi7ILLiULaJp93i0MYC9B6Xs_bhyH9U28qp3EcmLF5hDfNW4V-j6CtCGqWDAQ5QXttoq8UDdMAjkD/s720/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="504" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxk2AWFJkv8zO12FhohCFV-QFhMLbTGrPKvJPQ21GUK2TyfQB51lVwYakMTC5zRI10gB1gnU7-Hnm62-W0jD6d-lmwC-XsAH0IK4kficZ_l6mi7ILLiULaJp93i0MYC9B6Xs_bhyH9U28qp3EcmLF5hDfNW4V-j6CtCGqWDAQ5QXttoq8UDdMAjkD/w280-h400/2.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
it comes to stories of magical excursions into fantasy worlds, the tale of “<b>Peter
Pan</b>”, or “<b>The Boy who Wouldn’t Grow-Up</b>”, has always been a very
special one to me. It began with the stage play by J. M. Barrie in 1904,
revolving around the titular Peter Pan, who invites a trio of siblings to the
magical island of Neverland, where if they choose to stay, they’ll never grow-up. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBJd1NPOtRyi_njFPSeia32rnBDqsw5_NUAqlTzy7y_RfMSMrcmpnak0LALwn0JYsD2qGIQuSXqYUsHKHk7_zGZDKW8ZFF5LOGMKneBgj7MhrrtkY8b3pTz1BsvgECqv6MUbBdymv_8eX4PenWYRyrkOehhwshX9ELbtiKOEuqK3_3Aa8BJzw3HUq/s2800/frtg.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1575" data-original-width="2800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBJd1NPOtRyi_njFPSeia32rnBDqsw5_NUAqlTzy7y_RfMSMrcmpnak0LALwn0JYsD2qGIQuSXqYUsHKHk7_zGZDKW8ZFF5LOGMKneBgj7MhrrtkY8b3pTz1BsvgECqv6MUbBdymv_8eX4PenWYRyrkOehhwshX9ELbtiKOEuqK3_3Aa8BJzw3HUq/s320/frtg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When I was I kid, I was fortunate to see a live stage production of the play,
which I remember being a great experience. However, it’s Disney’s 1953 animated
picture “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Peter Pan</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” that I look back on with the most fondness. This
marked Disney’s 14</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> animated picture, and was actually one of his
earliest planed film adaptions, but like so many of his projects, was postponed
due to World War 2. Never the less, when the film saw the light of day, it was
a success, and has been preserved as a classic. There was a time, during my
childhood of the 90’s, that I viewed </span><a name="_Hlk132549412" style="font-size: 12pt;">“<b>Peter Pan</b>”
</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">as my favorite Disney movie, up until the release of 1997’s “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Hercules</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”,
which became my other childhood favorite. Looking back as an adult, I wouldn’t
place “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Peter Pan</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” quiet as high on the Disney totem pole as when I was a
kid, but I do still have a great deal of fondness for it, and I think it’s
all-around one of the best to come out during Walt Disney’s life-time. In fact,
I’d go so far as to say that “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Peter Pan</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is my favorite Disney production
from their animated silver age of the 1950’s and 60’s. </span><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VZcaX_DPszY6muf7BYO1_PnQ6kOZFg4igynw19l86amz_mpK00Yh-BUw93OzFifwfxQ9UFgI2sn7fvbh31BMI1gQqza4txpFkXzmohHkFkc3dRLSZUdeusOuxuZnYBzwSAqpCtlK6GfhKAor5wkVdCqkjzzC0LeZwKiKQpY79_6PWal6fbEZ1YRV/s705/yiuypiu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="705" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VZcaX_DPszY6muf7BYO1_PnQ6kOZFg4igynw19l86amz_mpK00Yh-BUw93OzFifwfxQ9UFgI2sn7fvbh31BMI1gQqza4txpFkXzmohHkFkc3dRLSZUdeusOuxuZnYBzwSAqpCtlK6GfhKAor5wkVdCqkjzzC0LeZwKiKQpY79_6PWal6fbEZ1YRV/w250-h208/yiuypiu.jpg" width="250" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAH4tMRqAzp9QUTBXmyLhrWRx8XfDi-ehTOAoc1wKyyHADcvppkrgdZkZcdFV-1nMMuOf_PSIThWKAjdrCXrF5sX-eqH1bwLxkHevPasNXW1f1ncg5aEUOn5L0xiQXSrjtbZCn98wP-OzmZM7iBl8zhjCVgYbulkm9HCrGajvSb5TL04Llnm7a6jU/s1440/oipu.jpg" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAH4tMRqAzp9QUTBXmyLhrWRx8XfDi-ehTOAoc1wKyyHADcvppkrgdZkZcdFV-1nMMuOf_PSIThWKAjdrCXrF5sX-eqH1bwLxkHevPasNXW1f1ncg5aEUOn5L0xiQXSrjtbZCn98wP-OzmZM7iBl8zhjCVgYbulkm9HCrGajvSb5TL04Llnm7a6jU/w253-h208/oipu.jpg" width="253" /></a></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our story is about the Darling Family, specifically
three children who are obsessed with the adventures of Peter Pan. The eldest
sister named Wendy, is the instigator of these tales, which her parents dismiss
as fantasy’s she created. Wendy however, is insistent that her tales are real,
much to the irritation of her father, who being a practical man, believes it’s
time for her to grow-up, and leave these fantasies behind. The thought of changes
and growing up alarms Wendy, as she questions if she’s really ready to put
these fantasies to bed. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_-czofUPVZskJx01vec0h4SbNMOMGGnwkn3H4bBiLCNXfseBIb0gZon1dspMbI6dFCAvHa1-bW2gbFeadt4K9n8iEX3_J9RPFgU3CCcQv3MfrlsOzu9CDiQUzr9I8hkrkQ3AxYCUFUQCgnXuwxYtd7VKdpUYFq6_zd9egvq40YZb_rZ-sycyKuoG/s960/Picture28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_-czofUPVZskJx01vec0h4SbNMOMGGnwkn3H4bBiLCNXfseBIb0gZon1dspMbI6dFCAvHa1-bW2gbFeadt4K9n8iEX3_J9RPFgU3CCcQv3MfrlsOzu9CDiQUzr9I8hkrkQ3AxYCUFUQCgnXuwxYtd7VKdpUYFq6_zd9egvq40YZb_rZ-sycyKuoG/s320/Picture28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One magical night, she and her two younger brothers are
visited by none-other then Peter Pan himself, and true to the source material,
invites the kids to his magical island paradise of Neverland, where they’ll
never have to worry about growing-up. At first, it’s an enchanted dream come
true … up until they become the target of a ruthless band of pirates, led by
the nefarious Captain Hook, who’s out for revenge against Peter Pan, as his mischievous antics continue to fuel the pirate’s wrath. The more adventures
they go on, the more Wendy finds herself displeased with Pans cocky attitude,
and becomes a titular mother figure, acting as the voice of reason amongst all
the boys.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPBL3tQAG-atLflUS4ZKx9zlB3If-K-C_M2StsoSiofYIQg_kzFF_ipAR2EcEdqzp6GH_UtAFG-Ps6rwj0LfwKl-eyABPDRT1ztMA1I1bWh9qhcrtTx_LYLYqWgMfZ4TOaLyFerJV72Vez-DWJvm-JcFO9Lmq4zX_WMEMsSCiLVDJrSXmNy_X19JX/s480/PPa1.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPBL3tQAG-atLflUS4ZKx9zlB3If-K-C_M2StsoSiofYIQg_kzFF_ipAR2EcEdqzp6GH_UtAFG-Ps6rwj0LfwKl-eyABPDRT1ztMA1I1bWh9qhcrtTx_LYLYqWgMfZ4TOaLyFerJV72Vez-DWJvm-JcFO9Lmq4zX_WMEMsSCiLVDJrSXmNy_X19JX/w243-h197/PPa1.jpg" width="243" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFQ2j7ZYNU9zot-dTeets_1n_QVyFQomMldBxKMYGka_DaAHe_U97Tvw31tkMC5zbUnD9dtpTXXnAHZxQJUJk7ePe99lT2vZCM8odd_kLnOH_9GldY_7I_4SkVs7Ga4UKZPdIuS7KMwUb1PPyOMu0U9txukV9jsORjrF90bIjPLNelo1dWJnnE-cK/s640/Picture22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFQ2j7ZYNU9zot-dTeets_1n_QVyFQomMldBxKMYGka_DaAHe_U97Tvw31tkMC5zbUnD9dtpTXXnAHZxQJUJk7ePe99lT2vZCM8odd_kLnOH_9GldY_7I_4SkVs7Ga4UKZPdIuS7KMwUb1PPyOMu0U9txukV9jsORjrF90bIjPLNelo1dWJnnE-cK/w264-h198/Picture22.jpg" width="264" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s kind of ironic, Wendy initially went to
Neverland to never grow-up, yet through the experience, finds herself maturing
in both mind and attitude … while still maintaining her youthful heart at the
center. The over-arching theme of growing in mind, yet still staying young at
heart is what makes this story so special and personal to me. Over the years, I
do my best to maintain my own youthful spirit, while still properly maturing
into adulthood. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2xqot-IabGuKtV6mKBiX0jwPSjLbqH6g0x3VLImEku96pjNIfkOXN8kqWQ1CStdzbkhuhe1tL0woiZcBiTFrUK9VL8NV4LSCdpF6-vH1GcfUsq8B0vn8IN-kteLRQ8Osf4Uhla8YMDMbjndMOR75GYUvVPP67vxx40tvrliG7SGKytWI0mVeQ3J3/s530/PP2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="530" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2xqot-IabGuKtV6mKBiX0jwPSjLbqH6g0x3VLImEku96pjNIfkOXN8kqWQ1CStdzbkhuhe1tL0woiZcBiTFrUK9VL8NV4LSCdpF6-vH1GcfUsq8B0vn8IN-kteLRQ8Osf4Uhla8YMDMbjndMOR75GYUvVPP67vxx40tvrliG7SGKytWI0mVeQ3J3/s320/PP2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While certainly a tight rope to walk on, this tale has always
been a healthy little reminder that you can have both, as long as you have
proper focus on where you mature, and where you still maintain that youthful
spark. Going back to the Disney movie, this marked the very first time that
Peter Pan would be played by a male actor, as opposed to all previous stage and
movie productions, in which Pan was traditionally played by a female actor. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZPKpJq_JmtjZgK8v4N3LWpDGq4mCjM4cPzW46Cm59wHk32Az0-75yMT1BZdLzCTIbfDKhUbbpTXY1J6KBarLjpryr766PSfju62i25Q6y2pjicq3ajsTitnIqY7bKeKsn8yBvUycqq_kzBHCJFnVRejW9d5tGKi9b9MjhFOh1Q19xYLg91owDW2F/s404/DPP1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="404" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZPKpJq_JmtjZgK8v4N3LWpDGq4mCjM4cPzW46Cm59wHk32Az0-75yMT1BZdLzCTIbfDKhUbbpTXY1J6KBarLjpryr766PSfju62i25Q6y2pjicq3ajsTitnIqY7bKeKsn8yBvUycqq_kzBHCJFnVRejW9d5tGKi9b9MjhFOh1Q19xYLg91owDW2F/s320/DPP1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
young Bobby Driscoll was already a long-standing presence in Disney
productions, staring in Disney’s first live-action 1946 production of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Song
of the South</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, as well the live-action segments of Disney’s 1948 animated
feature “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Melody Time</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, along with his award-winning performance in
Disney’s 1948 movie “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">So Dear to My Heart</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and eventually the leading
role of Jim Hawkins in Disney’s 1950 picture “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Treasure Island</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”. As for
the character of Pan himself … his name may be the title, and he's front and
center of the cover … but I never really viewed Pet Pan as the main lead of the
story. He’s more like the catalyst to put events in place, whether it be taking
the kids to Neverland, or instigating conflicts with the pirates … but it’s not
really his story.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwYGaNdstPvyPQzkITAGLz6Bj57ehtEE4CtRrfUkAep0oYPVCbdTXJp9GkRLYI9d6-SEoyDQzqhyMApTun66eV26QQCwgS7sm2VWfeX_mJxYu4Dya9O02puu7O1UW9QdaP7itF3PDMlqdeD4l5XLCHj1DHABG5ZeHhqtSjOM96j7HzvbbNogKUJe2/s434/PP5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="434" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwYGaNdstPvyPQzkITAGLz6Bj57ehtEE4CtRrfUkAep0oYPVCbdTXJp9GkRLYI9d6-SEoyDQzqhyMApTun66eV26QQCwgS7sm2VWfeX_mJxYu4Dya9O02puu7O1UW9QdaP7itF3PDMlqdeD4l5XLCHj1DHABG5ZeHhqtSjOM96j7HzvbbNogKUJe2/w254-h197/PP5.jpg" width="254" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcQxY9PljD0lT1Yjojlv9m8xgcUPC7H4ankdNrGB8kDVwxFylf82aXQT0cA9tSu8LuLh9VF0oD8ekyAJ45ecEwTasKsc2cUpah8Na6Z-f9V7v-VmfUJJ26wUDS-1ESOTt4ViPv_KbASaBtylg--t2T_UOHjVCxdBtfSeXTNCPcB-w6EN_sqmpEbuM/s640/uyouio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcQxY9PljD0lT1Yjojlv9m8xgcUPC7H4ankdNrGB8kDVwxFylf82aXQT0cA9tSu8LuLh9VF0oD8ekyAJ45ecEwTasKsc2cUpah8Na6Z-f9V7v-VmfUJJ26wUDS-1ESOTt4ViPv_KbASaBtylg--t2T_UOHjVCxdBtfSeXTNCPcB-w6EN_sqmpEbuM/w228-h197/uyouio.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, the real lead character of this story
is Wendy, as her arc is at the heart of the films theme, and she’s the one who
goes through the biggest change by the end of the film. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwePbFIXJcZt_zu6f71UI5rjJZJjWfNDYsce_pMLdaa9tTaaU44y1T3gPha7Gr4uW3e-A15-VDHoSOIjHNe6FzqisSmfbtaHWwB71MN0K2jLdRO592_lNgsRdTnldDRa4ixgqFBM03VldyRBZkEUWJlaXA_KwtHeNQH-tR50O8tVDPZHMujjveqYqQ/s414/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="414" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwePbFIXJcZt_zu6f71UI5rjJZJjWfNDYsce_pMLdaa9tTaaU44y1T3gPha7Gr4uW3e-A15-VDHoSOIjHNe6FzqisSmfbtaHWwB71MN0K2jLdRO592_lNgsRdTnldDRa4ixgqFBM03VldyRBZkEUWJlaXA_KwtHeNQH-tR50O8tVDPZHMujjveqYqQ/s320/0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Honestly, I always felt
Wendy deserved to be on the same pedestal as any of the classic Disney Princess
that came out during Walt Disney’s time … her signature blue nightgown already
gives her a dress look. However, while I’d describe someone like Snow White, as
akin to a child in young adults body, Wendy by contrast always felt like a
young adult in a child's body. Despite her reasonably mature nature, Wendy is
still a kid, and the film does a great job balancing her two personas. She does
get curious, excited, and when she act’s cute, she’s genuinely cute. Huge props
to voice actress Kathryn Beaumont, who took the role of an innocent child, and
made her sound both mature and intelligent, yet still maintaining a sense of
whimsical enchantment. Of course, Kathryn Beaumont was just coming off voicing
Alice in “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Alice in Wonderland</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, and showcased once again how to make for
an above average, entertaining child-character. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCevPxfV8aIfuF2ZhPkW02z92NAR4sEqaNi_Xg5CnfFOxDemyzYkVb808M6SXnZmP0CbfBRolnFlabGGiXVfBrWt-NjEnd5G6QMMaF8ImZhTS-_OK5EuyokU5yupZLCfaJMIN0KsMCMsiH7LJS-Uxm_x6jZk4efZk8sgmX2ZfRWm-CNAXhPvm8Iw7C/s327/PP6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="262" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCevPxfV8aIfuF2ZhPkW02z92NAR4sEqaNi_Xg5CnfFOxDemyzYkVb808M6SXnZmP0CbfBRolnFlabGGiXVfBrWt-NjEnd5G6QMMaF8ImZhTS-_OK5EuyokU5yupZLCfaJMIN0KsMCMsiH7LJS-Uxm_x6jZk4efZk8sgmX2ZfRWm-CNAXhPvm8Iw7C/w192-h241/PP6.jpg" width="192" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAevL6NW-UrBpqN8-1bwFc34og71xUvlOqaSiERd1NIzgKVmsIe7h1S8I3lawd5dJpeHZfxys8ktUYj0iWv7hZKX4sTULp9WjyqmSgM_u_NUPM8HAwnRQ9W2m1MmllcR8r3fd--8EW5GlUR-ebDjtChh_Mr6EkGyriUYTeplgT5nuHS4xyV4QmzRG-/s499/Picture13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="499" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAevL6NW-UrBpqN8-1bwFc34og71xUvlOqaSiERd1NIzgKVmsIe7h1S8I3lawd5dJpeHZfxys8ktUYj0iWv7hZKX4sTULp9WjyqmSgM_u_NUPM8HAwnRQ9W2m1MmllcR8r3fd--8EW5GlUR-ebDjtChh_Mr6EkGyriUYTeplgT5nuHS4xyV4QmzRG-/s320/Picture13.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, the other big character who steals
the show is Captain Hook, who was one of my childhood favorite Disney villains.
With his signature sharp hand piece and red suit, he always stood out to me as
one of the most iconic movie pirates. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDH_JsIBwUy-z-yZ00keoOilS-rf9TZUWvs97mTjgIhtI5eUqZ7YBVolS0Zx78ssDPa5j_nl_7h5q_IAszOBRAKfEYj3keCpXmQQtsExFtaBYf6bW60ememwHfTWBepN1y23smpPrNrEYtq6Ji-Grb8K91LUB6SsXi13rBuT_NYBa1t6HL6lf5dLt/s960/Picture24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDH_JsIBwUy-z-yZ00keoOilS-rf9TZUWvs97mTjgIhtI5eUqZ7YBVolS0Zx78ssDPa5j_nl_7h5q_IAszOBRAKfEYj3keCpXmQQtsExFtaBYf6bW60ememwHfTWBepN1y23smpPrNrEYtq6Ji-Grb8K91LUB6SsXi13rBuT_NYBa1t6HL6lf5dLt/s320/Picture24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While he’s a little threatening, he’s
mainly played for laughs, and it makes him a lot of fun to watch. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Hans Conried delivers an equally theatrical vocal performance as Captain Hook, and just like in the stage play, he also provides the voice of Wendy’s father. As a side note, I always loved how this version spotlighted a connection of sorts between Captain Hook and the father, as at the end, the dad comments that the silhouette of Hook’s pirate ship in the sky looks familiar … like something from a long-forgotten past.</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The animation
on Captain Hook is especially great, with a lot of theatrics on display, both in how the
character moves and reacts. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8OBcMfixOVf6STaUoPJIUb5gy5qnuOXkYBQ2fL5tQ2TChTBfNg_9KtVJ3No_Gxprh3p8dIqXBc6-nYJtBMoqcybzqfFcj0via_U2p4WGC8oGNV1A3bZVWZ-Gi67PmcUoQ1WYX05YMIHMfG7G_-fOkuMePnX0ToE08ApB7OVyua3MueFLOZHWr371/s1280/uyjty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8OBcMfixOVf6STaUoPJIUb5gy5qnuOXkYBQ2fL5tQ2TChTBfNg_9KtVJ3No_Gxprh3p8dIqXBc6-nYJtBMoqcybzqfFcj0via_U2p4WGC8oGNV1A3bZVWZ-Gi67PmcUoQ1WYX05YMIHMfG7G_-fOkuMePnX0ToE08ApB7OVyua3MueFLOZHWr371/w291-h218/uyjty.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Animators Frank Thomas and Wolfgang Reitherman
brought him to life through the animation, and Hook’s slapstick encounters with
Tic Toc Crocodile make for some of the best scenes in the whole film, in which
the animation on Hook really pops. When it comes to evil henchmen, I feel most
Disney villains can stand on their own, but in the case of Captain Hook … he is
not complete without Mr. Smee. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I think they have the best relationship of any
Disney villain and henchman, as Hook is usually dominate of Mr. Smee, but he’s
also dependent on him, and would go to peace’s without his support. It makes
for a fun dynamic, and leads to a number of funny arguments. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqYQPbv6SpJQ9Yn7S4EGA_MURPkrFHR3VpTmvhyYIC1OFKVOd1S-YtO6sy53XW2zxBNRjiEZNzLr08FXr0f-mpED2dYYacoC1Kle-Zb58OvQrB0sjHHzFhKiEkKIGvXtYxOmuihZ7v-E5fAtr0rEHU9ASdPHns7s9R-u9PKg0j2Tv-l5m1UMg6CI6/s595/Picture1rtrtr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="595" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqYQPbv6SpJQ9Yn7S4EGA_MURPkrFHR3VpTmvhyYIC1OFKVOd1S-YtO6sy53XW2zxBNRjiEZNzLr08FXr0f-mpED2dYYacoC1Kle-Zb58OvQrB0sjHHzFhKiEkKIGvXtYxOmuihZ7v-E5fAtr0rEHU9ASdPHns7s9R-u9PKg0j2Tv-l5m1UMg6CI6/w216-h217/Picture1rtrtr.jpg" width="216" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Wbf1ywWpSg-qb1_IQpp0s0lOFQcVu_SankSckCBsgdN0Z4s0lfIpoRu34qpJZ_IKgYAwa2A2XUXJSQav8tntJj0HNdWXzMg5q5kAPJEFepMT-gOuOREjeAXGOEUeZ4WQ5Ps6gqaP5__CAsO3Iib6DaRF9xqBJN1Mya5j4gJKQ0tO-ADlJ_cPHHZ/s460/Picture21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="460" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46Wbf1ywWpSg-qb1_IQpp0s0lOFQcVu_SankSckCBsgdN0Z4s0lfIpoRu34qpJZ_IKgYAwa2A2XUXJSQav8tntJj0HNdWXzMg5q5kAPJEFepMT-gOuOREjeAXGOEUeZ4WQ5Ps6gqaP5__CAsO3Iib6DaRF9xqBJN1Mya5j4gJKQ0tO-ADlJ_cPHHZ/w261-h218/Picture21.jpg" width="261" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for
Wendy’s two younger siblings, John Darling and Michael Darling, they play their
parts just fine, and even the dog Nana, despite being a silent animal, still
manages to convey a lot of personality. Although … the big one in this regard
is Tinkerbell, who’s an icon in the realms of silent characters in cinema. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3uWlUGW-V-VWif0mRbc0_I5YPYUlmh9ZRRuFirE6m9bA2sPAbfUHhv36rB5tJ2gLn9haWt2HKJYmtAl0YzEHVD6mPT_gr26XBHYo1dFxBs9jF25Wv4uzE1lSTYiPsZ5jJleDzzxeCoXK0d7mMk5vg6GvuoG3wVWJkqF0JzQ2jxfSHxOxbxo7K1J1/s368/Picture11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="368" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3uWlUGW-V-VWif0mRbc0_I5YPYUlmh9ZRRuFirE6m9bA2sPAbfUHhv36rB5tJ2gLn9haWt2HKJYmtAl0YzEHVD6mPT_gr26XBHYo1dFxBs9jF25Wv4uzE1lSTYiPsZ5jJleDzzxeCoXK0d7mMk5vg6GvuoG3wVWJkqF0JzQ2jxfSHxOxbxo7K1J1/s320/Picture11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">She’s
a stuck-up, yet passionate little fairy, who speaks through a variety of body
movements, facial expressions, and a surprisingly heated temper. It’s actually
her stuck-up pride contrasting with her bubbly persona that make her so
likable. Tinkerbelle’s attitude and personality actually helped pave the way
for many of Disney’s later princesses in the vein of Jasmine. Margaret Kerry was
the live-action reference model for Tinkerbell, and really helped give this
silent character a voice of her own. Actually, Tinkerbell is one of those rare
cases, in which a supporting character took on a life of their own outside of
the movie, and is arguably Disney’s second biggest mascot behind Mickey Mouse. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVc3DQi6tkexnW1MK5zbsTGzTRU4LpN1GkkCs2NOrlUsJzyVQcAoiflsV8IGUmwyd4j1wNGw_mqCI3p8-8XToNdqU-WRV8N0vjY35VmXeB1cLgRm0zhAoU_TJeVMDuuyygD8PyR4V8cUDeD3n56kbzn0rHCYrMyE8bfAnCu-LYIB-OOuJShkUEtbP/s1078/z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="659" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVc3DQi6tkexnW1MK5zbsTGzTRU4LpN1GkkCs2NOrlUsJzyVQcAoiflsV8IGUmwyd4j1wNGw_mqCI3p8-8XToNdqU-WRV8N0vjY35VmXeB1cLgRm0zhAoU_TJeVMDuuyygD8PyR4V8cUDeD3n56kbzn0rHCYrMyE8bfAnCu-LYIB-OOuJShkUEtbP/s320/z.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It always amused me that most of the marketing with Tinkerbell features her with
a magic wand … which she never had in the movie, yet it’s become a staple of
the character. Another thing I didn’t really notice as a kid is that she’s
absent through a good chunk of the film, either banished or captured by hook,
and when she comes back, I feel like there should have been a little more with
her. While I’m glad the Disney film omitted the irritating “I believe in
fairies” moment from the play, I still feel the aftermath of Hooks bombing, and
Pan trying to keep her light on could have been a little longer. Lastly, I feel
Tinkerbell should have had a heart-to-heart moment with Wendy during the
epilogue … after trying to kill her and all, there should have been some kind
of meaningful resolution to her jealousy. It didn’t have to be long, just
something to show that Wendy and Tinkerbell are on good terms.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUTrQ2svbGT-QO-9ZUQC_Nh_JBoGTjviDrFgam_7NzHMicOqyEHJH79AaR11wUbTsDDFAVt1tNefTHNkFyZ3bUjclAKm9qYO6zM9UZYk1oikxgxdJBMQmLFw9SgvIZqCJ52NWpxKTyO_yIJCfXUP60udFu6RMEpuysC3y37u6gfDvldmZJAgD5IF8/s720/Picture23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUTrQ2svbGT-QO-9ZUQC_Nh_JBoGTjviDrFgam_7NzHMicOqyEHJH79AaR11wUbTsDDFAVt1tNefTHNkFyZ3bUjclAKm9qYO6zM9UZYk1oikxgxdJBMQmLFw9SgvIZqCJ52NWpxKTyO_yIJCfXUP60udFu6RMEpuysC3y37u6gfDvldmZJAgD5IF8/w242-h182/Picture23.jpg" width="242" /></a></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQxNn-BFr_naTWuZAF374K-7gIcu85gjm-Ps9ISDF52z9AFYZRviVghgYvGpVYtGFQKBj1MKrgIneTN0idMRddnpMrRBsuEgp3LPdvZpPyKWpvloiH_YbF_z-qDijCRBh2JCWS5gQhnioczRJFa2A3xHkI1wyJiO4kcxWvRt4uXcczGEXIs9TZwiC/s677/bio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="677" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQxNn-BFr_naTWuZAF374K-7gIcu85gjm-Ps9ISDF52z9AFYZRviVghgYvGpVYtGFQKBj1MKrgIneTN0idMRddnpMrRBsuEgp3LPdvZpPyKWpvloiH_YbF_z-qDijCRBh2JCWS5gQhnioczRJFa2A3xHkI1wyJiO4kcxWvRt4uXcczGEXIs9TZwiC/w244-h183/bio.jpg" width="244" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One common criticism aimed at the film is
that it glances over the darker elements of the source material, and is mainly
appealing for little kids, with less for older viewers. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7CniQx4LN8crn8YPeWjLi1hM7WqjVLVo5vLZnqKH5vMvUrx7DdccB6FawKvz7W4iApun0lU5DHH84tl3f1pwqn1wCtyEr2OU_p0575n21HREHsRq6cY3lwOhQ0_XcabWoJDtNs5yfviLp_aNLAslGyH57R6FavTDfMfa1OohKS6RnIspG-Dtkqqc/s500/t7867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="500" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7CniQx4LN8crn8YPeWjLi1hM7WqjVLVo5vLZnqKH5vMvUrx7DdccB6FawKvz7W4iApun0lU5DHH84tl3f1pwqn1wCtyEr2OU_p0575n21HREHsRq6cY3lwOhQ0_XcabWoJDtNs5yfviLp_aNLAslGyH57R6FavTDfMfa1OohKS6RnIspG-Dtkqqc/s320/t7867.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">I’ll admit that Disney is at it’s best when it offers something for both kids and adults, but with that said, I feel the lighter tone was warranted for “</span><b style="font-size: 16px;">Peter Pan</b><span style="font-size: 16px;">”. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Following
after the darker elements of “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Alice in Wonderland</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”, this was a nice
return to form, and the film isn’t without its qualities that make it an above
average children’s film of its time. The pacing of the film is great, as it
moves from one memorable set-piece to another, and there’s a decent amount of energy
and action on display. The big climactic showdown at the end of the film on Captain
Hooks ship always got me excited, and the final sword fight between Peter Pan
and Hook was a great warm-up to the duels I’d see in live action-adventure
films down the road. The staging is great, and there’s some really cool shots
that I feel were quite cinematic for its time. Unlike in the play, Captain Hook
doesn’t die at the end, as Walt Disney insisted he was just too fun a character
to kill off. While I usually prefer the villains killed off, this is one case in which I'm glad the bad guy lived. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwLxjfWXELh5KiWBh8KfMHGf6w2alYrT2wW-AjOHaiV6L2HtQSh-iT1WzkPoZ0wQjmHCGdI7cemwP8YIQs9ljGPorPV676MItxCwcXLQXBGY27yZxDfJvSvi-ru2FgaUMR0CYigym24jWmUCKdymwpcnomeDDVKeUT8qpQu5jYn-xuq9HQuml9nBZ/s379/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="379" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwLxjfWXELh5KiWBh8KfMHGf6w2alYrT2wW-AjOHaiV6L2HtQSh-iT1WzkPoZ0wQjmHCGdI7cemwP8YIQs9ljGPorPV676MItxCwcXLQXBGY27yZxDfJvSvi-ru2FgaUMR0CYigym24jWmUCKdymwpcnomeDDVKeUT8qpQu5jYn-xuq9HQuml9nBZ/w239-h197/Picture2.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oG7aWXSDl1I9CfSpmSDCDt7eTt-upDvbK-Tsu8Yjut8j0p5EmGL9zDQh7Wxf3CNSscgejxAJAeP_9PKiiXYH-5PdMvXDv7pMskmAWAAf3rNfKSSJBKodjHp_e6f8e25-hLClfmBy2NV9NSZ2w6CpG3CcROHjI5hvtlY8UQWkELbsmH4wnhE0f5Ot/s500/Picture19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oG7aWXSDl1I9CfSpmSDCDt7eTt-upDvbK-Tsu8Yjut8j0p5EmGL9zDQh7Wxf3CNSscgejxAJAeP_9PKiiXYH-5PdMvXDv7pMskmAWAAf3rNfKSSJBKodjHp_e6f8e25-hLClfmBy2NV9NSZ2w6CpG3CcROHjI5hvtlY8UQWkELbsmH4wnhE0f5Ot/w263-h198/Picture19.jpg" width="263" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The animation is wonderful, with a variety of
colorful backdrops, and all kinds of iconography on display. The kids
silhouetted against Big Ben, flying through the clouds, Hook’s ship lifting
up into the sky, and even Skull rock is a memorable, original location. T</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">he details of Tinkerbells Pixie dust was another impressive feat for the time, as well as costly, as there was no CGI back then, and all those little flakes had to be drawn-in, but the effect still looks great. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4v8WltVwS6pNm9g1Rm7tRpQ0EI3XELObJakkyTliTUeLLX7F0AumneR1b0aU4_xqxOrjoCgx92xXbRxbU8Zdgv4cPYnO34Uap7_txIAkghrgOjXoaI7XMizrHIEuSp1HvufZmNvtxcTaL3J4l7-8vYZkzCeM6BlV10onvuRGVR9liMolAXUd0MW_/s960/Picture12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4v8WltVwS6pNm9g1Rm7tRpQ0EI3XELObJakkyTliTUeLLX7F0AumneR1b0aU4_xqxOrjoCgx92xXbRxbU8Zdgv4cPYnO34Uap7_txIAkghrgOjXoaI7XMizrHIEuSp1HvufZmNvtxcTaL3J4l7-8vYZkzCeM6BlV10onvuRGVR9liMolAXUd0MW_/s320/Picture12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">Another o</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ne of
my favorite little animated details is near the end, when we transition from
Neverland to Big Ben, and then cross-dissolve into a grandfather clock in the
Darling house … it’s hard to explain, but there’s something magical and
atmospheric about that moment. Neverland itself feels like a character, a while
not quite as fantastical as Wonderland, it still has a lot of personality, and
feels like a place I’d want to explore. It’s an island in the sky, and runs the
gambit of colorful inhabitance, including fairies, lost boys, pirates, Indians
and mermaids. I will say, I always wanted more from the mermaids, like maybe
they could have been nicer to Wendy, or at the very least had a song number. I
absolutely would have preferred a musical number with the mermaids over the
boys singing “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Following the Leader</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQBImmY01FmgHklQHTc3LeR0vhG2m3ewWf2GmDdP3wHPL7jJspng6uQEGbFJfy8W9Krd--wwY4hWxtaAIqo7ek9jmsLeYWz_DArWj6ULgo_bOF8T0W7G7-LhhjNyRHoKjXWhUIwEMkvKGCUgPoV6imdpFmbKTr54jmdnx0CrYDiIgxns13M9K_bKC/s720/Picture1trtry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="620" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQBImmY01FmgHklQHTc3LeR0vhG2m3ewWf2GmDdP3wHPL7jJspng6uQEGbFJfy8W9Krd--wwY4hWxtaAIqo7ek9jmsLeYWz_DArWj6ULgo_bOF8T0W7G7-LhhjNyRHoKjXWhUIwEMkvKGCUgPoV6imdpFmbKTr54jmdnx0CrYDiIgxns13M9K_bKC/w159-h184/Picture1trtry.jpg" width="159" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKTq58m7CCX9L1NaqpX-rAQIO5IVWvCPsRNVWPLMWC_k7ps_l5hPW88f-BvuykbXL4pnvuZ9iGcqPHp8nc3wK_aXigLsYB_i5xYKBCf7qYHQOYkcL_nru64W3coq_FB6I2dab_-szUtFLe1mxPuFkhj-HnCnIV5KJRIfPaCqlOCSYGb1YmpSJTWcV/s500/Picture27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="500" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKTq58m7CCX9L1NaqpX-rAQIO5IVWvCPsRNVWPLMWC_k7ps_l5hPW88f-BvuykbXL4pnvuZ9iGcqPHp8nc3wK_aXigLsYB_i5xYKBCf7qYHQOYkcL_nru64W3coq_FB6I2dab_-szUtFLe1mxPuFkhj-HnCnIV5KJRIfPaCqlOCSYGb1YmpSJTWcV/s320/Picture27.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The catchiest song of all is “<b><span style="color: #00b0f0;">What Made the Red Man Red?</span></b>”, which has a lot
of energy, and an engaging beat. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpYfSmHFWMGDArTI7iLVxnW_JT6ObvjiPgkd_Nme4u9iS-u-4OrZ7jDa0DHSByakRCZ34kJDeJzkWBdbbPPOxE9mD-PoUtiXyTY0NprSgZc2H7eR70dTM57nujIuylhQqWju2b4am-QEzU5f8L62cL_LJcf-jndV8Px9DmvB4E3-gDybOBLt5nsYa/s337/DPP11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpYfSmHFWMGDArTI7iLVxnW_JT6ObvjiPgkd_Nme4u9iS-u-4OrZ7jDa0DHSByakRCZ34kJDeJzkWBdbbPPOxE9mD-PoUtiXyTY0NprSgZc2H7eR70dTM57nujIuylhQqWju2b4am-QEzU5f8L62cL_LJcf-jndV8Px9DmvB4E3-gDybOBLt5nsYa/s320/DPP11.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 16px;">Of course, this song, as well as the Indians in general have become the subject of much controversy … which is a fair criticism, although, even when I was a kid, I never took them seriously as a proper portrayal of Native American Indians. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As a side note, I wish there could
have been more of Tiger Lily in the film. Despite not being on screen for very
long, she once again conveyed a lot of personality through her animation, and I
always loved her little dance during the song. The remaining songs are okay,
but I like them more for there sequences as opposed to the songs on their own.
The big “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">You Can Fly!</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” song is
definitely more of a memorable sequence, then it is a great musical number. The
opening song “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">The Second Star to the Right</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">”
is fine, but I like it more for the still images that highlight what we’re
about to see in the film. Wendy’s song “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #00b0f0;">Your Mother
and Mine</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” is kind of boring on its own, but in the film, it makes
for a decent calm before the storm. I remember as a kid, I loved “</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: red;">The Elegant Captain Hook</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">” song, and viewed it as
one of the great, catchy Disney villain musical numbers, but looking back, it’s
nothing too special, at least when compared to other great villain songs. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQn2xra2f7KQ_D06UoE6wr-Elf7mImdn6G5f53kVrgIz_tRyiR5ZI8OY4UYmfR5S4HnajFlyG6PaLDxGqkjcie4VFVPGZXwZOCR8mXOg8IvRTMMsMJg8UQfee0Dy0_ag6VIcEuDeBM-vu75JOemAGyra7Cn008anr5PEknXEhAglzYdXMtWnIWgJTD/s695/PP7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="695" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQn2xra2f7KQ_D06UoE6wr-Elf7mImdn6G5f53kVrgIz_tRyiR5ZI8OY4UYmfR5S4HnajFlyG6PaLDxGqkjcie4VFVPGZXwZOCR8mXOg8IvRTMMsMJg8UQfee0Dy0_ag6VIcEuDeBM-vu75JOemAGyra7Cn008anr5PEknXEhAglzYdXMtWnIWgJTD/w268-h178/PP7.jpg" width="268" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjajDTntIB-r9Dxuie2mNXnJi_HF_hmtB_2rbMttnvC59-RFORUzppbNntmfdu37Css4aNXKajL3E3XvgovvZQDANnkO_ipxp1sCjGGmbk6ts06N9x9-eWIZd0R08y5LxN3VhVtOGnUMhEYhJJk2uDex2nDbDJb9gTaXFuqiJ-PzfNQHJNyofh6Qh/s469/PP8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="469" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjajDTntIB-r9Dxuie2mNXnJi_HF_hmtB_2rbMttnvC59-RFORUzppbNntmfdu37Css4aNXKajL3E3XvgovvZQDANnkO_ipxp1sCjGGmbk6ts06N9x9-eWIZd0R08y5LxN3VhVtOGnUMhEYhJJk2uDex2nDbDJb9gTaXFuqiJ-PzfNQHJNyofh6Qh/w239-h179/PP8.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end, I have nothing but nostalgic
fondness for Disney’s “<b>Peter Pan</b>”, and still consider it a bright spot
from Walt Disney’s time. I wouldn’t call it the definitive version of J. M.
Barrie’s play, but it is the version that has stuck with me the most. The
storytelling is simple, but charming, with a brisk pace, memorable characters,
funny slapstick, and magical atmosphere. More than anything, it’s the themes of
growing up, while still retaining your youthful spirit that makes it special.
For whatever it’s worth, Michael Jackson even cited Disney’s “<b>Peter Pan</b>”
as his favorite movie, even naming his estate, Neverland Ranch after the
setting of the film. While I can’t argue that the film has any demanding for adults, it is still a novelty for those of us who grew-up with it to look
back on. Sometimes, just a delightful little animated offering is all I need,
and I feel this film deserves to be called a classic just like any other early animated Disney offering. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC0jjJ4Ia7v8RgREeOvzwQdaZA2oC1E_DAdWl0C4ezkN-MUc7w09PEjRIwhUxVjBK_BSSPM8EaxPpghQ8ztdrCPYqYFlyLTZz3qxY6YIT7EyilPoQuhHkD0L25l14OqGDC0i75CeRm_izdck1tqC_IRGkHHhP3hl-YRjZ8joLwPZLMlgkTZ2lVZ4_/s1280/Picture25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="1280" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbC0jjJ4Ia7v8RgREeOvzwQdaZA2oC1E_DAdWl0C4ezkN-MUc7w09PEjRIwhUxVjBK_BSSPM8EaxPpghQ8ztdrCPYqYFlyLTZz3qxY6YIT7EyilPoQuhHkD0L25l14OqGDC0i75CeRm_izdck1tqC_IRGkHHhP3hl-YRjZ8joLwPZLMlgkTZ2lVZ4_/w433-h144/Picture25.jpg" width="433" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks for
reading my review of Disney’s 1953 classic “<b>Peter Pan</b>” … and continue to
enjoy the movies you Love! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Mr. Moviehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03553373510010779929noreply@blogger.com0