Movie Night: Our Man Flint.

Review #514: Our Man Flint.

Cast
James Coburn (Derek Flint), Gila Golan (Gila), Lee J. Cobb (Lloyd Cramden), Edward Mulhare (Malcolm Rodney), Rhys Williams (Doctor Krupov), Peter Brocco (Doctor Wu), Benson Fong (Doctor Schneider), and Michael St. Clair (Hans Gruber) Directed by Daniel Mann.

Review
James Coburn certainly looks the part, he's tall, suave, and cool, and he seems to mesh well with everyone. The film attempts to parody James Bond (There were a few parodies like Get Smart and films released to get in on the spy craze, such as The Silencers, with Dean Martin), and it does so rather successfully, and this was years before Austin Powers tried to do this (That film series would later use the telephone ring tone from this film), and Coburn is interesting to watch, and Lee J. Cobb also has his moments, especially when trying to comprehend all of this madness. The story isn't bad and the comedy has its moments (I like that the acronym for the organization Flint works for is ZOWIE), it's a film that also seems to showcase its locations, rather quite well. It may be debatable on if this is any better then Austin Powers, nut what's not debatable is that this is a fun film that is certainly the best way to end the year. Happy New Years to all, and I will see you in 2014.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Spies Like Us.

Review #513: Spies Like Us.

Cast
Chevy Chase (Emmett Fitz-Hume), Dan Aykroyd (Austin Millbarge), Steve Forrest (General Sline), Donna Dixon (Karen Boyer), Bruce Davison (Ruby), Bernie Casey (Colonel Rhombus), William Prince (Keyes), Tom Hatten (General Miegs), Frank Oz (Test Monitor), and Charles McKeown (Jerry Hadley) Directed by John Landis (#328 - Trading Places, #410 - Coming to America)

Review
Meant as a homage to the Road to... film series (that starred Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, who even makes a cameo), Chase and Aykroyd are paired up for the first time and they do okay, they certainly pair up well together, I suppose. The film around them...doesn't. It's a mediocre story with barely funny jokes that amount to a few laughs. Dixon does okay, and the rest of the cast is okay (Frank Oz being the more memorable for me even if he has only one scene), but the jokes are mediocre and why there are a few cameos along the way (Such as B. B. King, Ray Harryhausen and Terry Gilliam), the film still can't get past the mediocrity line, and it certainly pales in comparison to Trading Places or even Coming to America. The film is okay and while it may miss more then it hits, it at least tries, so I guess that makes sense.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Thunderbird 6.

Review #512: Thunderbird 6.

Cast
Peter Dyneley (Jeff Tracy), Sylvia Anderson (Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward), Shane Rimmer (Scott Tracy), Jeremy Wilkin (Virgil Tracy / Hogarth), Matt Zimmerman (Alan Tracy / Carter), David Graham (Gordon Tracy / Brains / Aloysius Parker), John Carson (Captain Foster), Keith Alexander (John Tracy / Narrator), Gary Files (The Hood / Steward Lane), Christine Finn (Tin-Tin), and Geoffrey Keen (James Glenn) Directed by David Lane.

Review
I knew nothing about how "Supermarionation" looked on screen until this film. Supermarionation is (apparently) a filming process that combines scale models and special effects with marionette puppet characters, which is what the series Thunderbirds (and a few other series) used, created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. They both produced and wrote the film, which is a sequel to Thunderbirds Are Go (both films being commercial failures with mixed reception). Now I'm going to be a bit short with these puppets and outright say this film just isn't that interesting to watch. While I admire the Andersons' attempt to make these dummies look less ridiculous, the film that is built around them is just mediocre in plot, short on excitement (The Thunderbird 6...is an old bi-plane. I know it makes some sense to have a link to the past in the apparent future, but this still counts as a cop out.), and just not much fun, unless you count making fun of the big eyed, big headed little puppets. The voice acting is fine (not so wooden, if you will), though had I known anything about the characters before watching this, I probably wouldn't- Scratch that, I'd still be making fun of Captain Foster, or as I like to call him, Evil Man With A Moustache, who joins Ed Rooney, Ming the Merciless and White Goodman in the Evil Men With A Moustache Club, or EMWMC for short. I doubt that kids will spring much interest into the film, and while it does finally show some life at the end, for others its too little, too late. It may be okay for some, but it's just a show of boredom for me. Not sure if it was worth the $1.86 I spent to buy this movie though.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Three Caballeros.

Review #511: The Three Caballeros.

Cast
Clarence Nash (Donald Duck), José Oliveira (José Carioca), Joaquin Garay (Panchito Pistoles), Aurora Miranda, Carmen Molina, Dora Luz, Sterling Holloway (Narrator - The Cold-Blooded Penguin), Frank Graham (Narrator), and Fred Shields (Narrator) Directed by Norman Ferguson, Clyde Geronimi (#178 - Peter Pan and #373 - Cinderella), Jack Kinney, Bill Roberts and Harold Young.

Review
The first thing I noticed is that Donald the Duck's birthday is on Friday the 13th. No wonder he encounters so much misery. This is the 7th Disney film (And the 2nd package film for Disney in the 1940s, along with Saludos Amigos, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fance Free, Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad), and it is a very colorful film to say the least, flashes of blue, green, red, pink, and so much more, making for a bright showstopper that has a good deal to show and say, with a few short stories and a few songs along the way. It's fun to watch and certainly fun to look at as well, Donald, Jose and Panchito are a very nice trio that do indeed make the best of their pairing. The fact that it runs only 70 minutes either hinder or helps the film, either because you want more adventure, or it keeps the film stay fresh and contained, making it relatively easy to watch and a treat as well.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Father of the Bride.

Review #510: Father of the Bride.

Cast
Spencer Tracy (Stanley T. Banks), Joan Bennett (Ellie Banks), Elizabeth Taylor (Katherine Banks), Don Taylor (Buckley Dunstan), Billie Burke (Doris Dunstan), Leo G. Carroll (Mr. Massoula), and Moroni Olsen (Herbert Dunstan) Directed by Vincente Minnelli (#405 - The Reluctant Debutante)

Review
Spencer Tracy is always fun to watch, how he acts towards events in the character's life, like what he does in this film. He at first is skeptical about his daughter's soon to be marriage, but at the end he is accepting of his daughter growing up. Tracy interacts well with the rest of the cast, especially with Taylor, the two interact well as father and daughter, especially when Tracy sees Taylor in her wedding dress for the first time, shown on 3 mirrors no less, which is probably why the shot and the scene work so well. Bennett is also effective, and Taylor (while not being in the film too much), is fine. The film has some chuckles and it never slows its pace, making for a quick, but effective film that would inspire a sequel the following year, and a remake with its own sequel.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Roman Holiday.

Review #509: Roman Holiday.

Cast
Gregory Peck (Joe Bradley), Audrey Hepburn (Princess Ann), Eddie Albert (Irving Radovich), Hartley Power (Hennessy), Harcourt Williams (The Ambassador), Margaret Rawlings (Countess Vereberg), Tullio Carminati (General Provno), Paola Borboni (the Charwoman), and Laura Solari (Secretary) Directed by William Wyler.

Review
Since I am on holiday break, I've had time to review, and I figured that reviewing a movie with Holiday in the title made sense, and so I could watch a movie with Audrey Hepburn in it. Hepburn seems to give off an aura of polite, but effective acting, she has a distinct look and manner, going well with Gregory Peck, who is entertaining to watch. The whole movie has moments of brilliance, like when Peck puts his hand in the Mouth of Truth, or even when just showing the Spanish Steps, which certainly are scenic (given that this film was filmed entirely in Italy), and help carry the tone of the film, a laid back but fun film to watch. The supporting cast is decent, they don't detract from the film nor distract from it, and the scenery is nice to look at, examples being the two I just mentioned. It's a fine flick that is a good treat to watch.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Shall We Dance.

Review #508: Shall We Dance.

Cast
Fred Astaire (Peter P. "Petrov" Peters), Ginger Rogers (Linda Keene), Edward Everett Horton (Jeffrey Baird), Eric Blore (Cecil Flintridge), Jerome Cowan (Arthur Miller), and Ketti Gallian (Lady Denise Tarrington) Directed by Mark Sandrich.

Review
This is my first film review of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and what better way to do it then with one of their collaborations together (As they did ten films in 16 years), so that was a good sign, and I needed one after all the things that happened on Christmas (Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Time of the Doctor, etc...), and this film is very cheerful indeed. Fred Astaire has so much grace, with his dancing and singing, he takes it all in stride, like a professional. Ginger Rogers also does a good job, dancing well with Astaire and being so charming, the two pair off well each other, which is probably why they made so many films with each other. The film is certainly charming and the dance sequences are interesting to watch and fun to look at, the supporting cast do well enough to keep the boat afloat, the film has a surprising length at almost 2 hours, but it certainly doesn't try to pad itself out, and it is an entertaining musical which is always nice. Happy Boxing Day and Happy Kwanzaa, everyone.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Review #507: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Cast
John Call (Santa Claus), Leonard Hicks (Kimar), Vincent Beck (Voldar), Bill McCutcheon (Dropo), Victor Stiles (Billy), Donna Conforti (Betty), Chris Month (Bomar), Pia Zadora (Girmar), Leila Martin (Momar), Charles Renn (Hargo), and James Cahill (Rigna) Directed by Nicholas Webster.

Review
Back when I reviewed (#310) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, I mentioned this particular film, saying only this: "In a way, I could be generous to this film [Home Alone 2] given that originally I was going to review Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, but I backed out of sheer horror 15 minutes in". Yeah, I was being lazy last year, and Home Alone 2 was barely better. But anyways, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians has become a cult classic ranging from being riffed on MST3K, to being made into a musical, to being novelized, all that for a 80 minute public domain film. So how is the actual film? Delightfully awful. I went into this film under the belief it would be horrendous, because why else is it always discussed under awful Christmas films? The acting isn't entirely awful, John Call makes for an interesting portrayal of Santa, I don't think I've had a movie with Santa in which he lets television crews into the North Pole, but I digress. McCutcheon isn't half bad, evoking some of the childlike quality that seems to make up Christmas. The film may be in color, but this is the prime example that color doesn't make a movie better. The film is easy to make fun of, either for its production values (or there lack of), the strange laughter scene, or the fact that Santa doesn't really conquer the Martians, he teaches them a lesson, but the point is that even with all that, the film is mostly watchable and short as well, and while there are other, better Christmas films around, this one is bad enough to work on a day like this. Movies I received as gifts this Christmas: Roman Holiday, Starman, Thunderbird 6, The Spy Who Loved Me, Tango and Cash, and Father of the Bride. Merry Christmas everyone.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Bullitt.

Review #506: Bullitt.

Cast
Steve McQueen (Frank Bullitt), Robert Vaughn (Walter Chalmers), Jacqueline Bisset (Cathy), Don Gordon (Delgetti), Simon Oakland (Captain Sam Bennett), Norman Fell (Captain Baker), Robert Duvall (Weissberg), Georg Stanford Brown (Dr. Willard), Justin Tarr (Eddy), and Carl Reindel (Carl Stanton) Directed by Peter Yates.

Review

Bullitt is notable for one thing, and it must be mentioned first, and it's the car chase. A car chase that goes around San Francisco, between McQueen and the two hit men (played by Paul Genge and Bill Hickman), and the chase is the defining moment of this film, the part everyone who watches the film remembers. The editing (by Frank P. Keller) contributes to the chase because it gives the chase an even greater feel of excitement, the chase sequence is a classic that has undoubtedly inspired many others. While the film has that sequence, it's the only sequence, which is welcome by me, as McQueen does a fine job as Bullitt, Robert Vaughn pairs well with McQueen, as does Jacqueline Bisset, as she has a good effective scene with McQueen over what he does an hour in the film. The film takes its time, but the payoff is good enough to make you forget the wait. I've wanted to review this film for months (sadly not doing it on this film's 45th Anniversary date), and it seems that now, on Christmas Eve was the best time to review it. Speaking of which, there will be a review on Christmas Day, so be ready, viewers.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Review #505: The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Cast
Errol Flynn (Robin Hood), Olivia de Havilland (Maid Marian), Basil Rathbone (Sir Guy of Gisbourne), Claude Rains (Prince John), Patric Knowles (Will Scarlett), Eugene Pallette (Friar Tuck), Alan Hale Sr. (Little John), Herbert Mundin (Much), Melville Cooper (High Sheriff of Nottingham), Una O'Connor (Bess), and Ian Hunter (King Richard the Lionheart) Directed by Michael Curtiz (#125 - Casablanca and #416 - Yankee Doodle Dandy) and William Keighley (#501 - The Man Who Came to Dinner)

Review
This is the first film I've reviewed that starred Errol Flynn, along with the first of Olivia de Havilland, and they both are impressive, especially when they are paired together in scenes. Flynn is quite the adventurer and he does an extremely great job in the action scenes and the swashbuckling. Basil Rathbone (who I wanted to talk about in more detail when I eventually got to reviewing The Hound of the Baskervilles) is an effective adversary, getting a good fight with Robin at the end, but also being a good foil as well. Claude Rains lurks around as a fine villain that while not having a fight scene, is still a useful villain. The rest of the cast are effective at entertaining, especially Herbert Mundin, who while not given much to do, makes an impression, at least for me anyways. The action is excellent and the Technicolor give the film a colorful, yet memorable look. This is a well made, excellent adventure film that hasn't dated much, if at all.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Christmas in Connecticut.

Review #504: Christmas in Connecticut.

Cast
Barbara Stanwyck (Elizabeth Lane), Dennis Morgan (Jefferson Jones), Sydney Greenstreet (Alexander Yardley), Reginald Gardiner (John Sloan), S.Z. Sakall (Felix Bassenak), Robert Shayne (Dudley Beecham), Una O'Connor (Norah), Frank Jenks (Sinkewicz), Joyce Compton (Mary Lee), and Dick Elliott (Judge Crothers) Directed by Peter Godfrey.

Review
Ah yes, another Christmas film, but this time not involving Santa or Scrooge, but with Barbara Stanwyck (and Connecticut to a similar extent) instead. This is my first foray into a film with Stanwyck in it, and she does a pretty fine job, she has her share of dramatic moments, but she also has her share of laughs, helped with the pairing of her and Dennis Morgan, along with Sydney Greenstreet, whose mannerisms and way of speaking help make his lines fun to listen to. The Christmas spirit is certainly present here, with loads of warmth and happy cheer...and good looking food. The film is certainly welcome in a Christmas season like this, snow and all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Christmas Carol (1938).

Review #503: A Christmas Carol.

Cast
Reginald Owen (Ebenezer Scrooge), Gene Lockhart (Bob Cratchit), Kathleen Lockhart (Mrs. Cratchit), Terry Kilburn (Tiny Tim Cratchit), Barry MacKay (Fred), Lynne Carver (Bess), Bunny Beatty (Martha Cratchit), June Lockhart (Belinda Cratchit), John O'Day (Peter Cratchit), Leo G. Carroll (Marley's Ghost), Lionel Braham (Spirit of Christmas Present), Ann Rutherford (Spirit of Christmas Past), and D'Arcy Corrigan (Spirit of Christmas Future) Directed by Edwin L. Marin.

Review

Once again, I'm reviewing A Christmas Carol film (#075 - Scrooged, #076 - Scrooge (1951), #079 - A Christmas Carol (1984), #498 - The Muppet Christmas Carol), with actors like Bill Murray in a mediocre comedy, Allister Sim in a fine telling of the story, George C. Scott rather effectively playing Scrooge, to Michael Caine with Muppets. So with all of the other Christmas Carol films around, how is this? It's an okay film, but it feels really cut down. It lasts only about 70 minutes, it omits the part about Scrooge's past romance and Want and Ignorance are sorely missing, most likely due to wanting a family film, as I'm sure many families will enjoy the scene where Scrooge sees his own grave, truly a happy scene. The actors are fine though, Lockhart is okay, certainly a bright and energetic figure. While Reginald Owen isn't necessarily great, he does bring a presence that carries the film to a short, but mostly sweet finish line. Out of all the Christmas Carol films I've reviewed, this isn't the best one by any means, but if you want something short and mostly sweet, this is the one for you.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Man of the House.

Review #502: Man of the House.

Cast
Tommy Lee Jones (Roland Sharp), Vanessa Ferlito (Heather), Monica Keena (Evie), Kelli Garner (Barb), Christina Milian (Anne), Paula Garcés (Teresa), Anne Archer (Molly McCarthy), and Cedric the Entertainer (Percy Stevens) Directed by Stephen Herek.

Review
I like Tommy Lee Jones, he's a good actor who can be serious (#202 - Volcano, #176 - The Fugitive), but he also has a side for comedy, whether unintentionally (#217 - Batman Forever), or his own way of pairing well with Will Smith (#211 - Men in Black and #212 - Men in Black II), and for once, Jones has a whole cast to deal with. But is it any good? I'd best stick to (#097) Small Soldiers, if I were you. It's not the cast that brings the film down, it's just the cliches that bog an okay idea to begin with. It feels like the film has a checklist of cliches to fulfill: Quirky cheerleaders? Check. Stoic character who warms up to everyone over time? Check. College comedy? Check. Texas pride and Longhorn references? Check. The film itself is okay, but this isn't anything too special. If you like Tommy Lee Jones, it might work alright, but even so, that isn't much to go on, but oh well.

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Third Year Anniversary.

       I had originally started Movie Night on a site called Star Pirates on December 20, 2010, and I had a decent amount of success with the reviews. But after a while, I decided to make a blog with the reviews from the Star Pirates site posted here, I decided to edit the Schedules on the reviews posted as they were originally posted on the SP site, albeit now on my blog. After some editing to the revies and adding labels and making the design of the blog up to a mostly respectable look, the blog is something I feel proud about. It has been 3 years and over 500 Reviews, but we (I and you readers) have done it. I am eternally grateful to all of you, and I hope that this blog thrives for three more years.

Movie Night: The Man Who Came to Dinner.

Review #501: The Man Who Came to Dinner.

Cast
Monty Woolley (Sheridan Whiteside), Bette Davis (Maggie Cutler), Ann Sheridan (Lorraine Sheldon), Richard Travis (Bertram H. Jefferson), Jimmy Durante (Banjo), Grant Mitchell (Ernest W. Stanley), Billie Burke (Daisy Stanley), Reginald Gardiner (Beverly Carlton), Elisabeth Fraser (June Stanley), George Barbier (Dr. E. Bradley), and Mary Wickes (Nurse Preen) Directed by William Keighley.

Review
Based on the comedy play of the same name, The Man Who Came to Dinner tries its best, and while it doesn't always succeed, it certainly hits more than it misses. Monty Woolley certainly is the big attraction of the film, and while he certainly is an odd fellow to watch, he is at least moderately funny to watch. Bette Davis is our leading actress, reportedly wanting the role solely due to wanting to play a comedic role for once, and she does a decent job at it. The rest of the cast is all well and good, and Durante is frantic, but effective. The film starts a bit slow, but it has its fun, and while it could be more, it's well enough, I suppose.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Metropolis.

Review #500: Metropolis.

Cast
Brigitte Helm (Maria and Robot), Alfred Abel (Joh Fredersen), Rudolf Klein-Rogge (Rotwang), Heinrich George (Grot), Fritz Rasp (The Thin Man), Theodor Loos (Josaphat), and Erwin Biswanger (Georgy) Directed by Fritz Lang (#333 - M)

Review
What can I say but...wow. Metropolis is an science fiction epic, probably one of the first of its kind. It's a film from Germany with a storied history, as it originally ran for 153 minutes when first shown, but it was cut down in later showings due to censorship. The film had lost scenes for over 80 years, with a negative of the original cut later found in Argentina just a few years ago, and that was the version of the film I watched, which lasted almost (but not exactly) 2 and a half hours long. And it is tremendous. Tremendous in scope, tremendous in the effects and tremendous in itself. You could argue its one of the best films ever made because of its story, the tremendous effects and its lasting memorability that is the Maschinenmensch. It's a silent film that transcends just being a silent film, if that even makes sense. The actors may be odd in their movements, but they do at least work well with the film. What I found amusing is the contemporary reviews of this, with statements like "The pity of it is that this unimaginative, incoherent, sentimentalizing, and make-believe film, wastes some very fine possibilities." You know who said that? H. G. Wells himself, who was responsible for many novels...and Things to Come, which itself felt like Metropolis. Another criticism came from Lang himself, who said "Anyway, I didn't like the picture – thought it was silly and stupid – then, when I saw the astronauts: what else are they but part of a machine? It's very hard to talk about pictures—should I say now that I like Metropolis because something I have seen in my imagination comes true, when I detested it after it was finished?" It was a misunderstood film that rose up decades after its release, with enough care to restore this, and I applaud them. This is an outstanding achievement for the science fiction genre and film itself. Thank you to all who read these reviews, the old timers and the new comers, thanks.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.

Review #499: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.

Cast
George O'Brien (The Man), Janet Gaynor (The Wife), Margaret Livingston (The Woman From the City), Bodil Rosing (The Maid), J. Farrell MacDonald (The Photographer), Ralph Sipperly (The Barber), and Jane Winton (The Manicure Girl) Directed by F. W. Murnau (#256 - Nosferatu)

Review
This has been a film I've had on my to review list, and I've held it off for until the near correct moment. And what better time then the review before...you know what. F. W. Murnau is once again the director, and he does a really great job directing. The cinematography by Charles Rosher and Karl Struss manages to create a very effective tone, a beautiful one at that. The actors act their emotions well, and they certainly need to, with the limited amount of inter titles, which is certainly unique, and good because having a film constantly explained with titles and not letting the film do it, is welcome by me. The film has excellent visuals, with a story that feels like a fairy tale, and that's a nice thing. Is it one of the best films ever? Maybe not, but it certainly has a case for it. However there is one more case for the silent era, a big grand epic, coming tomorrow, reviewed here on Movie Night.

Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Review #498: The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Cast
Michael Caine (Ebenezer Scrooge), Dave Goelz (The Great Gonzo as Charles Dickens, Waldorf as Robert Marley, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and Betina Cratchit), Steve Whitmire (Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, Bean Bunny, Belinda Cratchit, Beetle, and Lips), Jerry Nelson (Tiny Tim Cratchit, Statler as Jacob Marley, Ma Bear as Ma Fozziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present, Lew Zealand, and Mr. Applegate), Frank Oz (Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, Fozzie Bear as Fozziewig, Sam the Eagle as Headmaster of Junior High Graduates, Animal and George the Janitor), David Rudman (Peter Cratchit, Old Joe, Swedish Chef), Jessica Fox (Ghost of Christmas Past) and Steven Mackintosh (Fred) Directed by Brian Henson.

Review
I've reviewed movies based on the story A Christmas Carol (#076 - Scrooge (1951) and #079 - A Christmas Carol (1984)) before, but this one is a little different, as the Muppets (Last seen by me in #377 - Muppets from Space) intervene in the process, certainly making for a unique adaptation. Michael Caine, while not as good as say George C. Scott, does make a decent Scrooge who is entertaining enough, and he pairs off well with the Muppets. Speaking of which, the Muppets are really entertaining, especially The Great Gonzo and Rizzo, who pair well off each other all throughout the film. The story flows well and the characters are all fine and dandy, and this certainly is a fine way to spend a weekend near Christmastime. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Deck the Halls.

Review #497: Deck the Halls.

Cast

Danny DeVito (Buddy Hall), Matthew Broderick (Steve Finch), Kristin Chenoweth (Tia Hall), Kristin Davis (Kelly Finch), Alia Shawkat (Madison Finch), Dylan Blue (Carter Finch), Sabrina Aldridge (Ashley Hall), Kelly Aldridge (Emily Hall), Josh Hayden (Ben Hall), and Jorge Garcia (Wallace) Directed by John Whitesell.

Review

Deck the Halls...is just awful. It makes Christmas with the Kranks seem tolerable, it makes the Miracle on 34th Street remake seem like a better alternative, it makes fruitcake look like a tasty treat, whatever comparison I use, nothing equates to what Deck the Halls really is: Awful. The plot itself is just...I can't really comprehend it enough to explain, but how does one equate trying to make your house visible from space to be a Christmas film? Also how does one make the film so unlikable? I don't know, but the filmmakers did it, they made an awful Christmas film with characters ranging from near unlikable to bland. What I mean is that the characters that get the most screen time are the least likable, such as the two main leads and the ones that don't get screen time are too bland to care about, such as the children. DeVito isn't awful, but I'd stick to Twins instead. At least he had a fine partner to pair off with in that film, unlike Matthew Broderick, who just doesn't work well with him. Chenoweth isn't bad, and Davis is mild, but not awful. This is one of the worst ideas for a Christmas film as instead of focusing on spending time with the family (and getting mediocre gifts you hopefully won't re wrap next year), the film focuses on...getting a house visible from space. Yes, racking up your electrical bills and nearly driving your family away from you is truly worth it. This is simply the fruitcake of Christmas film, the movie you watch to truly be depressed about Christmas. Ernest Saves Christmas had more dignity (and entertainment value) then this, but if I keep talking about this film, I will go insane. There are much better ways to spend your Fridays, reviewing Deck the Halls is not one of them. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Overall, I give it 2 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.

Review #496: The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.

Cast
Tim Allen (Santa Claus/Scott Calvin), Martin Short (Jack Frost), Elizabeth Mitchell (Mrs.Claus/Carol Calvin), Judge Reinhold (Neil Miller), Wendy Crewson (Laura Miller), Liliana Mumy (Lucy Miller), Alan Arkin (Bud Newman), Ann-Margret (Sylvia Newman), and Spencer Breslin (Curtis the Elf) Directed by Michael Lembeck (#318 - The Santa Clause 2)

Review
The first film (#313 - The Santa Clause) was at least enjoyable, not too bad for a Christmas film. The sequel was mediocre, predictable, felt sort of forced (but I guess workable), and should have ended the series right there. But of course, they made a third film, and naturally, it is about as forced and tired as you would expect. Most of the cast returns, with of course one new addition, Martin Short, and boy does he try to make this film less forgettable...mostly failing. I can't blame him though, I blame the mostly unfunny script that traps him with such mediocre lines like "I invented chill!" and "Excuse me... Did you just accuse me of being skillful and delicious?", but oh well. Allen doesn't really do any better, but with a film so forced, it makes some sense. Even the effects look mediocre, not really noteworthy or terrible, just meh. This is a poor "conclusion" to the film series that probably didn't deserve to be a film series, and a Christmas film you could skip. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Home Alone 3.

Review #495: Home Alone 3.

Cast
Alex D. Linz (Alex Pruitt), Olek Krupa (Peter Beaupre), Rya Kihlstedt (Alice Ribbons), Lenny Von Dohlen (Burton Jernigan), David Thornton (Earl Unger), Haviland Morris (Karen Pruitt), Kevin Kilner (Jack Pruitt), and Marian Seldes (Mrs. Hess) Directed by Raja Gosnell.

Review
I reviewed the first two films (#304 - Home Alone and #310 - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) last December, and while the first film was an enjoyable warming film, the second felt more like a cartoon, undermining the spirit of the film. The third film? It has no defining quality that the previous two films already had. Alex D. Linz is our new hero, and he's an okay actor, though I seriously question how a little kid can make all these contraptions ranging from a trampoline over a frozen pool to a box of books falling on a person hitting them exactly on the head triggered by a thin rope. Half of these gags look they would be life threatening then just a simple injury, like the dumbbells hitting a person's head (which makes the brick to the head in Home Alone 2 sound normal), and so on and so on. The film doesn't really have any funny lines, just slapstick, which doesn't work too well. It feels stiff and awkward, it's a tired franchise trying to make one last gasp work, with or without Macaulay Culkin. John Hughes once again returns to write, but it isn't up to par, maybe he was burned out, given that he would only write four more films after this, in a span of 10 years where his career before that had 19 in 15 years. It isn't even really a Christmas film, there is snow and a few lights, but never any actual Christmas trees. The villains in this film aren't even intimidating or memorable, unlike the Wet Bandits, they seem to be missing a few gears in their head, but I suppose they are meant to be like cartoon characters, no bandit could be this dumb. In the end,  the first two are superior, and this one is more of a retread then any good. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Public Enemy.

Review #494: The Public Enemy.

Cast
James Cagney (Tom Powers), Jean Harlow (Gwen Allen), Edward Woods (Matt Doyle), Joan Blondell (Mamie), Donald Cook (Mike Powers), Leslie Fenton (Nails Nathan), Mae Clarke (Kitty), and Beryl Mercer (Ma Powers) Directed by William A. Wellman (#349 - Wings)

Review
Originally Edward Woods was going to be the main character, until it was decided that Cagney was more effective in the lead role, and it's not hard to see why. Cagney has a distinctive voice for the role and stature, which works especially well for a gangster film. The film itself may seem dated, but it is certainly an interesting look into the criminal world. The rest of the actors are good, and Cagney pairs off well with Woods, which is a fine surprise. The scene most refer to as the most memorable is the grapefruit scene as Cagney smashes it into Mae Clarke's face, leaving in a huff. It certainly is a powerful scene, and it must've been really surprising back in 1931. This film certainly shows its age, given the sound, the use of live ammunition in one scene, but despite that, the film manages to get its point across, about the criminal underbelly of small time gangsters, that can be in any town, any where. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Witches of Eastwick.

Review #493: The Witches of Eastwick.

Cast
Jack Nicholson (Daryl Van Horne), Cher (Alexandra Medford), Susan Sarandon (Jane Spofford), Michelle Pfeiffer (Sukie Ridgemont), Veronica Cartwright (Felicia Alden), and Richard Jenkins (Clyde Alden) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max and #392 - Happy Feet)

Review
I woke up in the morning, realizing it was my birthday today, and in light of that, I decided to not only begin the new month with watching a movie, but a movie I've wanted to watch for a long while, and since I had time on my hands and couldn't think of a movie that actually dealt with birthdays, I watched this. The film itself is mostly enjoyable, and Jack Nicholson (as usual) steals the show. He seems to be born to play this role, he has a good deal of manic energy and scenes to use them in. Cher does an good job, pairing well with Nicholson. Sarandon and Pfeiffer are good, the trio seem to mesh well together. The rest of the cast are alright, and the story is balanced. The climax of the film has been criticized for being overdone or ridiculous in the past, but I don't really hate the climax that much, maybe it's because it just feels right, and I wouldn't know how the climax could be improved on anyway. The film has its ups and downs of lunacy, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. Happy birthday to me. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Review #492: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Cast

William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), Catherine Hicks (Gillian), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Jane Wyatt (Amanda Grayson), Mark Lenard (Sarek), and Robin Curtis (Lt. Saavik) Directed by Leonard Nimoy (#337 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Review

The fourth film closes out the arc left from the last two films, and it does a rather successful job of that, as Nimoy directs once again. For once, there is no clear cut villain, and it's a welcome approach, and it leaves a lot of room for the crew to have their own scenes, and it certainly works, because the film has a good deal of hilarity. Granted the story is...odd, but it certainly is unique, and it digs a way to be enjoyable. The acting is good, especially from Nimoy, who has his own chance to shine, but my favorite scene is when he's on the bus with Kirk and this punk rocker plays his loud music until Spock gives him a nerve pinch. The animatronics by ILM on the whales look really good, and the directing by Nimoy is excellent, and this is probably the best Star Trek film since the second one. It's a shame the fifth one (#225, directed by William Shatner) was so awful, but oh well, at least this one is a treat to watch. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Jingle All the Way.

Review #491: Jingle All The Way.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Howard Langston), Sinbad (Myron Larabee), Phil Hartman (Ted Maltin), Rita Wilson (Liz Langston), Jake Lloyd (Jamie Langston), Robert Conrad (Officer Hummell), Martin Mull (D.J.), and James Belushi (Mall Santa) Directed by Brian Levant.

Review
The first and (thankfully) only Christmas film that Arnold Schwarzenegger did, Jingle All The Way is the perfect way to depress your Christmas, and is a great way to waste 90 minutes of your life. The film likes to have action that barely makes any sense, especially with the jet pack, but my "favorite" part is the brawl with the Mail Santas, but seeing Schwarzenegger beat some...fraudulent mall santas is enjoyable. Speaking of which, Schwarzenegger looks like he just walked into the film at random, and to be fair, he technically did, joining production 9 months prior to production, but at least he is memorable, especially with his line deliveries, with such lines like "Who told you you could eat my cookies?" and Put that cookie down!", but I digress. But of course, Sinbad is around to...pester the audience, I suppose. Hartman isn't given much to do other then play a smarmy character, and the rest of the cast isn't much better, but what do you expect from a film that cares about hammering the commercial aspects of Christmas then plot/characterization? Turboman this, Turboman that, the film hammers in the point that apparently people will trample each other for...a toy. I already knew that, but I guess showing love for your son in the form of a toy is the most magical part of Christmas, next to the relatives fighting and the fruitcake. If you are really, really hard pressed to find a Christmas film to watch...I still wouldn't recommend it.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

Review #490: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

Cast
Mike Myers (Austin Powers, Dr. Evil), Elizabeth Hurley (Vanessa Kensington), Seth Green (Scott Evil), Robert Wagner (Number 2), Mindy Sterling (Frau Farbissina), and Michael York (Basil Exposition) Directed by Jay Roach (#133 - Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and #134 - Austin Powers in Goldmember)

Review
What better way to get over a turkey/ham hangover from Thanksgiving feasting then to finish reviewing the Austin Powers trilogy...with the first film, but even reviewing them in order isn't important, given that all these films could just be watched in any random order (excluding playing them backwards) and still make some sort of sense. The film is alright, some of the jokes work, and others don't as much. Myers is mlidly engaging, and Hurley is good, pairing off Myers decently. I don't know if it's better then its sequel or not, but I'll take this film over Goldmember anyday, and while it sometimes can be awkward (There's a cameo by Tom Arnold...playing a cowboy. No, I am not joking.), it at least is alright to watch if you've got 90 or so minutes to use up. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)

Review #489: Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)

Cast
Arrin Skelley (Charlie Brown), Daniel Anderson (Linus van Pelt), Patricia Patts (Peppermint Patty), Casey Carlson (Marcie), Bill Melendez (Snoopy, Woodstock), Pascale De Barolet (Pierre), Annalisa Bortolin (Sally Brown), Michelle Muller (Lucy van Pelt), and Roseline Rubens (Violette Honfleur, Patty, Violet) Directed by Bill Melendez (#295 - A Boy Named Charlie Brown, #298 - Snoopy, Come Home, and #424 - Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown)

Review
This is the fourth and last Peanuts film (for now), and a trip to other countries is certainly a new premise, and the focus of the film is never veered off course, it's an alright film that while being a bit short (70 minutes), it is entertaining. The voices (save for the everlasting Melendez, who directed and appeared in all four films) are new once again and they do an alright job with the characters we all know and love. The animation is decent, a bit better then Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, and while it isn't too impressive, it's standard for a franchise like this. For once, adults are featured in this film, and while it may sound weird (though hearing that wa-wa-wa through this film would've annoyed me to know end) to hear adults, it at least makes sense to the plot. While it's not the best Peanuts film to watch, it's probably a little better then the last two, but in the end, all four of these films are recommended by me, because they certainly are good ones to grow up with. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.


Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Field of Dreams.

Review #488: Field of Dreams.

Cast
Kevin Costner (Ray Kinsella), Amy Madigan (Annie Kinsella), James Earl Jones (Terence Mann), Ray Liotta (Shoeless Joe Jackson), Burt Lancaster (Archibald "Moonlight" Graham), Timothy Busfield (Mark), Frank Whaley (Archie Graham), and Gaby Hoffmann (Karin Kinsella) Directed by Phil Alden Robinson.

Review
Being a baseball nut (as I am) will probably make this film even more of a treat for them, but even if you're not a baseball nut, this is still a pretty enjoyable film. This is my first time watching a film that stars Kevin Costner (Though my dad seemed to love watching his films on DVD when I was growing up), and he does an alright job, perfectly awkward in a film like this, and he pairs off really well with James Earl Jones, the two just mesh well with each other. But of course, the two actors who quite nearly steal the show are Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster, and it's because their presences in the scenes each have just leave a lasting impression on me, and it really is a warming film that forgoes sentimentality it transcends into its own one of a kind of films. Costner joined this film because he felt this would be "this generation's It's a Wonderful Life", and I don't blame him because while it may not be one of the greats, it can certainly be watched any time, any day, and work just the same.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Twins.

Review #487: Twins.

Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Julius Benedict), Danny DeVito (Vincent Benedict), Kelly Preston (Marnie Mason), Chloe Webb (Linda Mason), Bonnie Bartlett (Mary Ann Benedict), David Caruso (Al Greco), Trey Wilson (Beetroot McKinley), Marvin J. McIntyre (McKinley's man), Marshall Bell (Mr. Webster), and Tony Jay (Professor Werner) Directed by Ivan Reitman (#026 - Ghostbusters, #031 - Ghostbusters II, and #243 - Stripes)

Review
I'm sure this idea seemed great at the writers' room, but the film itself is only okay at best. Schwarzenegger is effectively, even if he is playing a naive twin...who can certainly pull one, if not two punches. Danny DeVito is alright, and while the two doesn't always pair off each other particularly well, they at least make an effort. The film sometimes is funny, but other times it feels like just a film without a purpose, first it wants to be a drama about genetics, then it wants to be a comedy, this film cant decide on what it wants to be any more then a kid on what sport to play, so it's a mismatch of ideas. At least Kelly Preston is good, and has good chemistry with Schwarzenegger, more then Webb and DeVito, but that's just me. There's this other part involving delivering a car part or something, which almost comes out of left field, but other then that, Reitman either couldn't make the idea really funny, or he just gave up. But hey, it's not like they're trying to make a sequel 25 years later or something...Oh, right, they are. It is about as likely as the chance of Ghostbusters 3 ever coming in my lifetime, but oh well.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Kung Fu Panda 2.

Review #486: Kung Fu Panda 2.

Cast
Jack Black (Po), Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Gary Oldman (Lord Shen), David Cross (Crane), Jackie Chan (Monkey), Seth Rogen (Mantis), Lucy Liu (Viper), Dustin Hoffman (Master Shifu), James Hong (Mr. Ping), Michelle Yeoh (Soothsayer), Danny McBride (Wolf Boss), Dennis Haysbert (Master Storming Ox), Jean-Claude Van Damme (Master Croc), and Victor Garber (Master Thundering Rhino) Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson.

Review
Naturally, there is a sequel, given the first film's massive success. The film take a somewhat darker turn, but it works well to the film's advantage. Jack Black once again is effective, and he certainly leaves a good impression. The rest of the cast, especially Gary Oldman do good, and Oldman arguably does a better job portraying a villain then Ian McShane in the first film. The story is fine, and the animation is good, especially the animation during the flashback scenes. The action is good, and the comedy is nice, and this is a very effective film that leaves you yearn for more, especially with that ending, which is always welcome with me.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Kung Fu Panda.

Review #485: Kung Fu Panda.

Cast
Jack Black (Po), Angelina Jolie (Tigress), Dustin Hoffman (Master Shifu), Ian McShane (Tai Lung), Jackie Chan (Monkey), Lucy Liu (Viper), Seth Rogen (Mantis), David Cross (Crane), Randall Duk Kim (Master Oogway), James Hong (Mr. Ping), Dan Fogler (Zeng), and Michael Clarke Duncan (Commander Vachir) Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne.

Review
This may sound a bit odd, but this is the 16th DreamWorks Animation film I've reviewed, perhaps in some way that makes a whole deal of sense, because the films always had a hook to keep my interest, and kept me intrigued. Well, most of the films (I'm looking at you, Shark Tale and Shrek the Third), not all, but a very big majority always had a sense of fun with fine animation. This I'm happy to say, continues that trend. Jack Black does a very fine job, but he's not the only one, even Dustin Hoffman gets in on the laughs, with him and Black having very effective scenes that contribute to a very fun film. The animation is breathtakingly nice to look at, DreamWorks Animation, no matter what decade, always did seem to keep up and look excellent (with one notable exception, of course). The villain is excellent, though seeing him not as much as everyone else is fine with me. This is a fun film that goes along extremely well, is fun for everyone, and overall, it's just a grand hallmark for DreamWorks Animation, once again. Now then, what's next?

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Plymouth Adventure.

Review #484: Plymouth Adventure.

Cast
Spencer Tracy (Christopher Jones), Gene Tierney (Dorothy Bradford), Van Johnson (John Alden), Leo Genn (William Bradford), Barry Jones (William Brewster), Dawn Addams (Priscilla Mullins), Lloyd Bridges (First Mate Coppin), Noel Drayton (Miles Standish), John Dehner (Gilbert Winslow), Tommy Ivo (William Button), and Lowell Gilmore (Edward Winslow) Directed by Clarence Brown (#423 - A Woman of Affairs and #433 - Angels in the Outfield)

Review
In light of Thanksgiving, I decided to review this film, as I get to talk about Spencer Tracy once again (Along with mention this being Clarence Brown's last film, who directed films for five decades), which is usually fun. This...is okay. The effects are good for the time, and the model of the Mayflower isn't too shabby. The actors are alright, they certainly do look good in the costumes and Spencer Tracy is alright, though for some reason he looks better in black and white then in color, but that's just me. I'm not entirely sure on the film's accuracy, but at least it doesn't look like it takes severe liberty with the history. The film isn't that entirely interesting on its own, and that may be the reason this was a minor failure when first released, as it didn't recoup the budget. But if you want some sort of way to not have to read books about the Plymouth Adventure (which is a bizarre title to begin with, even for a movie), this sadly might work. That....or read books, as Movie Night (mostly) recommends reading a book at least once in a lifetime.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Horton Hears a Who!

Review #483: Horton Hears a Who!

Cast
Jim Carrey (Horton), Steve Carell (Mayor Ned McDodd), Carol Burnett (Sour Kangaroo), Will Arnett (Vlad Vladikoff), Seth Rogen (Morton), Amy Poehler (Sally O'Malley), Dan Fogler (The Councilman and Yummo Wickersham), Jesse McCartney (JoJo), and Isla Fisher (Dr. Mary Lou LaRue) Directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino.

Review
When my enthusiasm after watching The Day of the Doctor today finally quieted down, I found something to watch, another familiar friend from the past. I've reviewed films based off the works of Dr. Seuss before (#210 - The Cat in the Hat and #301 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas), which ranged from mediocre (but understandably fine at Christmas time for others) to being awful enough to inspire me to make a poem about it. But anyways, making a Seuss story adapt to animated form is a really good idea, given that making effects for things like say, a speck, or an elephant, are more convincing then say...the makeup that made up the Cat in The Cat in the Hat for example. Then there's the film itself, and it's...okay, I suppose. Shockingly (I know, right?), it's probably the best Seuss film adaptation I've seen (excluding The Lorax, which hasn't been reviewed), but that's also kind of sad, when you think about it long enough. Once again, Jim Carrey stars in a Seuss film, and he...I don't know what it is, but his performance bugs me. Maybe it's the script, or possibly the multitudes of times where it seems he loses all subtlety, but he doesn't provide too many laughs. Steve Carrell on the other hand does bring me joy, and he makes me wonder why I haven't ever reviewed anything else he appears him. Carol Burnett does a fine job as...the villain, I suppose. I don't know if you can call her a villain, but she makes the best of it. The film is fine in the acting department and the visuals are excellent, and despite the brooding attempts of the pop culture references to get in the way, this is a fairly decent film that while not exactly a good film, it's probably the only Seuss film that I can recommend. That, or you could stick to the book, but oh well.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Bill Cosby: Himself.

As of 2018, Bill Cosby is a convicted sex offender. He had been accused of rape and sexual assault actions beforehand in this decade, but it was only in this year that he was tried on charges of aggravated indecent assault and he was found guilty in this year. As such, I am putting a strike-through on all of the text of my review for this film.


Review #482: Bill Cosby: Himself.

Cast
Bill Cosby (Himself) Directed by Bill Cosby.

Review
This is the first time I get to talk about Bill Cosby, and this is a unique sort of film to begin on. Not only is Cosby the main person in this film, he's the only person in what some like to refer as a "concert film". Cosby has had a lot of success, from starring on I Spy to Fat Albert to Cosby's greatest success, The Cosby Show (which used routines from Cosby's own stand up act), and other various ventures. Cosby is given all the time he needs in this film, and he uses it to great extent, his routines take a while, but they have a good payoff, and Cosby has a great voice as he mimics people in his life, and the pace works because Cosby uses his conversational type of comedy very well, and the material is certainly worthwhile to watch. the film is relative easy to watch because lasting 100 minutes is a decent pace, not too long, and not too short, still making you yearn for more. This is a brilliant act for Cosby, who always did make me laugh, either on television, or by this.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Party (1968).

Review #481: The Party.

Cast
Peter Sellers (Hrundi V. Bakshi), Claudine Longet (Michele Monet), Natalia Borisova (Ballerina), Jean Carson (Nanny), Marge Champion (Rosalind Dunphy), Al Checco (Bernard Stein), Corinne Cole (Janice Kane), Dick Crockett (Wells), Frances Davis (The Maid), and Danielle De Metz (Stella D'Angelo) Directed by Blake Edwards (#329 - The Pink Panther)

Review
The Party is probably one of the more ambitious comedies ever made, with about 35% plot, yet 110% gags, with Peter Sellers, who never seems to miss a beat, with everything combining into a bizarre, but funny, film. Sellers is odd, but given his bumbling performance in The Pink Panther, Sellers seems to play bumbling fools particularly well, especially when the film around him serves to show off his talent, but even the rest of the cast are fun to watch, especially given the fact their are so many characters in this film, and so many things for them all to do. The gags are endless, but they sure are memorable, especially near the end, which are too fun to spoil here. Edwards does a fine job directing such an elaborate film, which is evident in the house, a huge set, given the pools in and out of the house, and the many, many rooms, which serve to set up the gags, and for that I applaud Edwards. It's a mostly memorable film that will entertain most, if not all.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Jaws.

Review #480: Jaws.

Cast
Roy Scheider (Martin Brody), Robert Shaw (Quint), Richard Dreyfuss (Matt Hooper), Lorraine Gary (Ellen Brody), Murray Hamilton (Mayor Vaughn), Carl Gottlieb (Meadows), Jeffrey Kramer (Hendricks), and Susan Backlinie (Chrissie) Directed by Steven Spielberg  (#126 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, #168 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, #169 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, #170 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, #302 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, #351 - Schindler's List)

Review
What can you say about Jaws, one of the first summer blockbusters, and Spielberg's first major success as a director, with the film that started the "animals gone bad genre", as I like to call it with examples like Piranha, Grizzly (which I will review eventually) Alligator, Day of the Animals, The Swarm, and several others. Roy Scheider does a fine job, as does Dreyfuss, but Robert Shaw is memorable and stands out especially in a sea of fine actors, much like how he did in From Russia With Love, for example. The terror is exceptionable, made more scary with the music by John Williams, and the fact you don't see the shark in person until over an hour in, providing much suspense. Despite a hectic production, the film was an exceptional success, and this film is, and always will be the best shark film ever made.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Travels with My Aunt.

Review #479: Travels with My Aunt.

Cast
Maggie Smith (Augusta Bertram), Alec McCowen (Henry Pulling), Louis Gossett Jr. (Zachary Wordsworth), Robert Stephens (Ercole Visconti), Cindy Williams (Tooley), and Robert Flemyng (Crowder) Directed by George Cukor.

Review
Travels with My Aunt may not achieve all that it could have been in terms of entertainment, but it at least tries enough to not fall too hard into mediocrity. Maggie Smith is charming, her presence keeps the film going, and she does provide some laughs. McCowen makes for a fine foil, with effective scenes between the two at times, especially in the second half. The rest of the cast is fine and such, not overacting too much. The film has slow moments that bog it down at times, but even that can't slow the film from treading on, quirks and all. It's a fine comedy, with splices of romance involved, which actually don't slow the film too much, and I do like how Smith plays her younger self, which isn't really seen too much in flashbacks in film these days. Originally Katharine Hepburn was going to star, but she would later back out, and Smith would take her place, and she certainly was a good replacement for Hepburn in this case. While the film could've been a bit less slow, it is a fun film, that has its share of laughs, and Maggie Smith is a joy to watch.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Review #478: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Sam Loomis), Paul Rudd (Tommy Doyle), Marianne Hagan (Kara Strode), Devin Gardner (Danny Strode), J.C. Brandy (Jamie Lloyd), Mitchell Ryan (Dr. Wynn), Kim Darby (Debra Strode), Bradford English (John Strode), and George P. Wilbur (Michael Myers) Directed by Joe Chappelle.

Review
In honor of Halloween, I've decided to close out the second phase of the Halloween franchise with...this film. Six years after the lame cliffhanger that Halloween 5 delivered, a sequel was made, taking a cliche name for a horror film (Or a Pink Panther film), and...not adding a number to the film, presumably to not make the idea of a 6th film in an already stretched beyond belief franchise sound even more ridiculous (However that title of silliness goes to Friday the 13th) then it already is. The first notable aspect is the replacement of Danielle Harris with J.C. Brandy, who while not being a bad replacement, isn't as good, though it is kind of disappointing that Jamie, a character we've rooted for the last two films, dies in the beginning, without much struggle. The film had gone through 6 years of legal rights issues, and then there was one more thing: The extensive re-editing. The original cut of the film (Which is uniquely, but strangely called The Producer's Cut) was massively re-edited, apparently due to negative reaction to the original ending. And I'm not gonna lie, I've at least seen the original ending. Spoiler alert, but...it's a lame one. You wanna know what it is?

So the way to stop Myers in the producer's cut is...put a bunch of stones in a circle, which stops him indefinitely, only the reveal that Myers was actually Dr. Wynn, with Myers as Wynn. And Loomis is selected to be the new cult leader.

Due to middling reaction and Pleasence's death, new scenes would be filmed, which apparently cuts much of the plot line, replacing it with more horror scenes. The film drudges along, introducing characters, later killing most of them off, basically just setting up people to die, which is strange (I know it isn't, but let's pretend), but oh well. Pleasence is back one final time, doing as well as he's done before, this sadly being his final film and all. Paul Rudd (yes, that Paul Rudd) is...okay, even if his performance seems to be to just have one "creepy" look and monotone voice. The film seems to try to connect to the first film, what with Tommy Doyle, Dr. Wynn (You know, that guy with one scene in the first film..Hell, I almost forgot who he was), and...the Myers house. So the Strodes (who adopted Laurie, who was Michael's sister), are now living in the Myers house, all those years later. Why live in a house where death and terror happened to your adopted daughter and numerous others is beyond me. I guess the Strodes got the house at a cheap price, the prices were essentially slashed, an awful pun. Loomis is sadly not much in the final 30 minutes, as the ending of this film seems to imply that Michael can be beat by a lead pipe and corrosive. That and...Loomis screams for what reason after pulling off his mask? This is a film plagued by an extensive behind the scenes editing, mediocre-to-lame acting, story lines like Danny Strode's voices in his head going nowhere, and this...is an awful way to continue the franchise. The scares and blood are okay, but that's not enough to save the film. I'd stick to better films, anything else would probably be better, but oh well. Happy Halloween.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Satanic Rites of Dracula.

Review #477: The Satanic Rites of Dracula.

Cast
Christopher Lee (Count Dracula), Peter Cushing (Lorrimer Van Helsing), Michael Coles (Inspector Murray), William Franklyn (Peter Torrence), Joanna Lumley (Jessica Van Helsing), and Richard Vernon (Colonel Mathews) Directed by Alan Gibson.

Review
The original title for the film was Dracula is Dead... and Well and Living in London, which isn't actually the silliest film title I've ever heard of (That honor goes to the movie "?"), but they thankfully changed the title, which while random, is at least less silly. Christopher Lee is once again Dracula, and Peter Cushing is back as Van Helsing (though he did previously play the role in Dracula A.D. 1972, which I haven't touched upon yet, unless you count Brides of Dracula, which I...don't.), so the movie has that going for it. The rest of the film...well, let me get into it slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for Helsing to show up, but in the meantime...I don't really know what happens, some sort of ritual and emotionless conversation. But at least Dracula returns...30 minutes in, and right the heck out of nowhere, but I suppose with this film, you take what you get. And dear lords of time does this film take forever, it takes an hour for Lee and Cushing to finally meet, the parts beforehand are just talking, and sometimes action, but little Dracula. And then finally Dracula reveals his plan, which is either the most ridiculous plan ever devised by Dracula or the most outrageously awesome plan. The plan is (I'll color the text differently, just scroll over it to see for yourself) basically this:

Dracula is devising a serum that combined with four carriers...will plague the Earth in a bubonic plague, apparently killing millions being the main goal.

Basically, Dracula becomes a Bond villain, made ironic by the fact Christopher Lee did play a Bond villain, and his plan in that movie was ridiculous as well. Cushing is alright in this film, Cushing seems to  do well in nearly every film he is in, even if some of the time he's reiterating the rules of killing a vampire. Lee does a fine job as well, hamming it up near the end. The rest of the actors and characters are mostly forgettable, though vampire movies seem to have only two memorable characters: The main hero and the vampire, so okay then. The film's main problem is a lack of scare. It has endless scenes of dialogue, a general lack of Dracula, gore overriding actual fright, running so short at 90 minutes yet feeling like an eternity, and the film's final nail in the coffin: It's a sad way to end the Hammer Dracula franchise, with the first (#258 - Dracula (1958)) being a masterpiece, and this...not. Maybe in the future I'll get to the other films in the Dracula franchise, but I have one more film to face, and it'll be a dark and mostly cloudy Halloween night...

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge.

Review #476: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge.

Cast
Mark Patton (Jesse Walsh), Kim Myers (Lisa Webber), Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Robert Rusler (Ron Grady), Clu Gulager (Ken Walsh), Hope Lange (Cheryl Walsh), Christie Clark (Angela Walsh), and Marshall Bell (Coach Schneider) Directed by Jack Sholder.

Review
My first gripe is with the title. Who exactly does Freddy get "revenge" on? None of the original cast is in the film (save for Freddy), just a bunch of clueless teens and a family who apparently liked the cheap price on the Thompson house, despite the stuff that happened at the house, but as the father says, it was a cheap price, so naturally, he bought it. So barely a year after the first film, a sequel was released. And...it's lame, its scares are barely coherent, and the whole premise is just weird. So...the main character gets nightmares about Freddy, and Freddy wants Walsh's body...I guess not being a burned body makes it easier to do crime? Apparently it works, since Walsh turns into Freddy or something like that, it's hard to focus on the plot when you're wondering what the purpose of making a sequel to this was other then money. The actors are okay, but I feel like they should've had Kim Myers as the main protagonist, she seems more interesting and would probably scream better than Patton, who..sounds weird. It sounds like a high pitched squeal that works more in a comedy film then a horror film. At least Englund is interesting to listen to, though not even he could save the movie. It's a mismatch of random ideas that spring into a less than mediocre horror film. I'd say to skip this film, and stick the first film. But oh well.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Wizards.

Review #475: Wizards.

Cast

Bob Holt (Avatar), Jesse Welles (Elinore), Richard Romanus (Weehawk), David Proval (Necron 99/Peace), Steve Gravers (Blackwolf), James Connell (President), Mark Hamill (Sean), and Susan Tyrrell (Narrator) Directed by Ralph Bakshi.

Review

The film doesn't take too much time to start the action, with the Susan Tyrrell narration, possibly storyboards over the narration, and a...cliche? Not cliche? story. (though I do wonder how many stories use the brother of the hero as the villain) Whatever the case, the actors do a fine job, especially Bob Holt, playing the hero effectively, especially when imitating Peter Falk. The animation...is okay. Sometimes it looks pretty good, but other times it looks unfocused, not ugly, but not praiseworthy either. It runs short, 80 minutes in all, and I suppose it could be a fun flick for any...wizard aficionados, if their is such a term. Bakshi does an alright job directing, and the film overall is an decent, if not great film.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

Review #474: A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Cast
Heather Langenkamp (Nancy Thompson), Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), John Saxon (Don Thompson), Johnny Depp (Glen Lantz), Ronee Blakley (Marge Thompson), Amanda Wyss (Tina Gray), and Nick Corri (Rod Lane) Directed by Wes Craven.

Review
The one that started the whole Nightmare franchise, is a really good film. It delivers its practical effects to great use (Instead of CGI, like that...remake, which if you didn't know, had a terrible rendered Freddy, with the effects making him look like cheese), its actors do a fine job, and Freddy...is really creepy, yet excellent. The story is well paced, and the film never makes you impatiently wait for something to happen, instead the film takes its time, and to that extent, it works very nicely. Langenkamp does a fine job, portraying a mostly normal teen, given all the madness. But Robert Englund, even without as much screen time as the others, steals the show. His voice conveys the evil inside Krueger, and isn't that rare, a slasher/horror villain who actually speaks not named Dracula. The ending is decent, though the original ending was changed to make the possibility of sequels, which they did, without Craven involved. Speaking of Craven, he does a good job directing, never failing to scare when he can. I think one of my favorite scenes is when Freddy jumps through the mirror, with Nancy not expecting it. I do wonder how anybody, especially her parents can't believe here, even though she brings Freddy's hat out of nowhere, but it's that tired cliche for horror films over and over again, but it doesn't taint the film too much. Freddy's effects brings mystery, always in shadow until the ending, a perfect payoff. It's an excellent film, and a good choice for Halloween.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.

Review #473: Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Samuel Loomis), Danielle Harris (Jamie Lloyd), Beau Starr (Sheriff Ben Meeker), Wendy Kaplan (Tina Williams), Tamara Glynn (Samantha Thomas), Ellie Cornell (Rachel Carruthers), Jeffrey Landman (Billy Hill), Jonathan Chapin (Mikey), Matthew Walker (Spitz), Betty Carvalho (Nurse Patsey), and Don Shanks (Michael Myers/Man In Black) Directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard.

Review
Quite literally, you could use this quote (said by the producer, Mousatapha Akkad) to describe this film: "Drunk off the success of Halloween 4, we began production on Halloween 5." Barely a year apart from the previous film, this film didn't even have a complete script. Danielle Harris' character was meant to be more serious, as evidenced in the fourth film's ending, which wasn't even followed up in the next. It might've worked well, as evidenced by Harris' enthusiasm: "The way Halloween 4 ended, I thought I was going to be the killer. I thought it would have been fun to come back as the killer, or Michael's sidekick. Scary, but fun." Instead of a unique twist, we get...lousy side characters who "scare" each other, a mostly mute Harris, and...a fairly decent Pleasence performance.

The side characters even ruin any chances of actual scares, like when Myers is apparently chasing a girl in a haystack...only to reveal it's not Myers, and it's laughed off like nothing. I don't know why, but the idea of Michael driving is more amusing then it is scary, but at least he isn't riding a bicycle or a pogo stick. Pleasence seems tired, though I attribute that to his characterization in the film, or maybe he's tired of the script, I don't know. Harris is mute for a good portion of the film, which is sad, because I actually did like Harris' performance in the previous film, but now I'm seeming picky. The scares are mediocre, though the side characters' attempts at scaring each other ruin the chances. And yes, the Myers house is shown for the first time since the original...looking nothing like it, but I suppose it was a stylistic choice. That or a ton of redecorating, because it is a giant house with many windows. Their is a scene involving Michael and Jamie in which...Michael sheds a tear and a barely visible shot of his face...which isn't burned, even though he was burned in the second film, which is evident in his hands, but not the face. The ending seems all fine and dandy, except...it's not. It ends on a cliffhanger, and a pretty lame one. It could've worked as a way to explain his return in the next film...which took 6 years to be released. All in all, this is a rushed production with barely there scares, okay performances, and a lackluster continuation of the series. But at least, I can rest from this franchise, and focus on something different, like this film with all but the letter A scratched out...

Overall, I give it 4 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.

Review #472: Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.

Cast
Peter Cushing (Dr. Who), Bernard Cribbins (Tom Campbell), Ray Brooks (David), Andrew Keir (Wyler), Jill Curzon (Louise), Roberta Tovey (Susan), Roger Avon (Wells), Geoffrey Cheshire (Roboman), Keith Marsh (Conway), and Philip Madoc (Brockley) Directed by Gordon Flemyng (#341 - Dr. Who and the Daleks)

Review
If I wanted to, I'd reuse all my statements I said for the first film for this, considering there's really no change of quality between the two. The character still retains the incorrect version of his name, the Daleks actualyl manage to overshadow the entire film, and...Ian and Barbara are not in this film. You know, the two companions introduced in the last film, who now seem to be replaced by...Tom and Louise. What, did Barbara (a relative of *sigh* Dr. Who) just leave *sigh* TARDIS in between films? Lazy explanations or not, Cribbins is okay, but I'd best stick to his appearence in The Stolen Earth instead. I'd like to mention the ads for Sugar Puffs, only because advertising cereal in a wasteland is...either the most brilliant idea ever or the dumbest. Cushing apparently had an illness during filming, which explains why he isn't seen as much as the other characters. His performance, sadly, isn't one of his best. Maybe it's just me, but the "elderly grandfather" act doesn't work when you have Van Helsing as your Doctor and you don't utilize him. The Daleks sure are colorful, but their..."plan" isn't. It has something to do with destroying the Earth's core so they can motor it to Skaro, but I stopped thinking after the bomb was stopped from completing its drop...with a few wood blocks...and later diverted, mind you. The effects aren't too much, the actors are mediocre at best, and I can see why this was a failure: It's not really interesting. The first film, though flawed, introduced a "universe" of ideas. The second doesn't really do anything different. The only attraction is the Daleks, and there were plans for a third based on The Chase, which thankfully was never made. I suppose this could help anyone waiting impatiently for the anniversary special, though.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Review #471: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Cast
Donald Pleasence (Dr. Samuel Loomis), Ellie Cornell (Rachel Carruthers), Danielle Harris (Jamie Lloyd), George P. Wilbur (Michael Myers), Michael Pataki (Dr. Hoffman), Beau Starr (Sheriff Ben Meeker), Sasha Jenson (Brady), Kathleen Kinmont (Kelly Meeker), Gene Ross (Earl), and Carmen Filpi (Jackson P. Sayer) Directed by Dwight H. Little.

Review
I've reviewed Halloween films in the past, the first three in a connected trilogy (#068, #268, and #275), with John Carpenter being involved in all three films, directing and writing the first film, and producing the second and third films. Halloween III was a mediocre attempt at trying something new with a sad attempt to make a sensible plot, which audiences seemed to hate because of the lack of Michael. So, after 6 years, Halloween 4 was made to bring Myers back. And literally on the 25th Anniversary of this film., I've decided to watch to continue my saga with Halloween.

So...how do they revive Michael Myers after his near death in the 2nd film? A hand wave. Quite literally, they say he nearly burned to death, and that the doctors have kept him alive for 10 years, which is either the most bizarre way to explain his persistent living or the most contrived. At least Loomis is back, though even those burns on his face can't make me forget he survived an fiery explosion, without even being in a coma. There are scenes in which people don't believe that Michael's back, which is odd given it's only been 10 years since Myers terrorized the town. It's a tired tradition in horror films, where people don't believe that the monster has returned, I suppose. Sometimes the film can have good chills, like when Jamie tries to run from Michael in the school, but then there's unintentionally funny scenes, when Loomis is thrown through a window...by a blonde haired Michael Myers. (This being due to a previous mask being used before the decision to change it) The new build of Myers is a bit odd, he's more shaped like Jason Voorhees and has a new mask, which is either not as threatening as the previous mask or just plain silly. The actors are alright, and Pleasence is probably the best actor in the film. The film isn't as frightening as Halloween or even Halloween II, and while it feels unnecessary, it's still an okay slasher film.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mark of the Vampire.

Review #470: Mark of the Vampire.

Cast
Lionel Barrymore (Professor Zelen), Elizabeth Allan (Irena Borotyn), Bela Lugosi (Count Mora), Lionel Atwill (Inspector Neumann), Jean Hersholt (Baron Otto von Zinden), Henry Wadsworth (Fedor Vincente), Donald Meek (Dr. J. Doskil), Ivan F. Simpson (Jan), Carroll Borland (Luna), and Franklyn Ardell (Chauffeur) Directed by Tod Browning (#071 - Dracula)

Review
Mark of the Vampire starts off well, though it is a bit of a surprise that this only runs 60 minutes, although apparently the studio cut 20 minutes out of the film, for reasons still not fully determined. The actors do a fine job, and Lugosi (Save for one scene at the end) does a great job because his menacing presence is different than how he was in Dracula: He resorts to walking around the sets, with makeup on the face, sometimes appearing out of nowhere, mostly accompanied by (accomplice?) another vampire, played by Carroll Borland, who reminds me of Wednesday Addams for some reason. The music is very effective, creepy and chilling. The sets look fine, and the film starts to gather steam around the 40 minute mark, when Barrymore (Who is never given a proper introduction scene, by the way) and the others are just about to go hunting for the vampire...And then come the last part of the film and the ending that derails it all. Whether you like twist endings or not, the ending...just seems like a big cop-out. To sum the ending (which I will color in black text, so just highlight the text if you want to know the ending) up is basically this:

To catch Baron Otto who apparently murdered Karell Borotyn, a Baron who died in the beginning, Zelen and Irena Borotyn, Karell's daughter hired actors to scare the Baron enough to get him hypnotized and get him to to do the murder to a look alike of the dead man, using a hot cup as a guise for the drained blood and a pincer for the marks on his neck. 

The ending shortchanges what was until up that point, the climax. Yes, I'm aware that this was a remake of an earlier film, London After Midnight (a 1927 lost film, one of the most sought after lost films), and I know it would've sounded cliche to have the vampires simply get eliminated, but the film still would've been very enjoyable nonetheless. The effects were nice, such as when Luna is shown arriving in the castle...with bat wings still on her. Browning does an okay job directing, but the film still could've been better. While it may cheat (or satisfy anyone liking twist endings) the audience, it's still a (mostly) decent film overall.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Revenge of Frankenstein.

Review #469: The Revenge of Frankestein.

Cast
Peter Cushing (Baron Victor Frankenstein/Dr. Victor Stein/Dr. Franck), Francis Matthews (Hans Kleve), Eunice Gayson (Margaret), Oscar Quitak (Karl), Michael Gwynn (Frankenstein's Monster), John Welsh (Bergman), and Lionel Jeffries (Fritz) Directed by Terence Fisher (#257 - The Curse of Frankenstein, #258 - Dracula (1958), and #272 - The Hound of the Baskervilles)

Review
It has been exactly one year since I reviewed The Curse of Frankenstein, the first of seven in the Hammer Frankenstein series, released a year before this film. Cushing's back, with an entirely new cast, and new locations...that were used in Dracula (1958), both of which happened to be released in the same year. Frankenstein seems to not know a good disguise, since he uses parts of his name not once, but twice, but I guess time is of the essence, especially in this film, taking no time to establish everything, including how Frankenstein escapes execution...off screen. Yes, it's learned later of how he escapes, but still...off screen? The monster isn't as wrapped up as Lee's monster beforehand, but it does certainly look imposing, and while it may not have too many scares, Cushing does his usual best and the cast isn't too bad, the film is a fine, if not flawless sequel to the first film.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Son of Dracula.

Review #468: Son of Dracula.

Cast
Lon Chaney, Jr. (Count Alucard), Robert Paige (Frank Stanley), Louise Allbritton (Katherine Caldwell), Evelyn Ankers (Claire Caldwell), Frank Craven (Dr. Harry Brewster), J. Edward Bromberg (Professor Lazlo), and Adeline De Walt Reynolds (Madame Queen Zimba) Directed by Robert Siodmak.

Review
Despite the misleading title (Dracula seriously needs to be more creative than just reversing his name, by the way.), Son of Dracula is a mostly satisfying film that keep the Dracula mythos going. In the third film of this "trilogy" of Dracula films (#071 - Dracula, #297 - Dracula's Daughter), this is definitely better than the last film, but the 1931 film is still the most impressive of the three. But all comparisons aside, Lon Chaney, Jr isn't that bad of a Dracula, and while he doesn't have the creepiness of Lugosi, he certainly isn't a bad replacement. The rest of the actors like Robert Paige and Louise Allbritton aren't that bad, mostly engaging in their performances. While the scare factor isn't that high, it at least doesn't stray from its approach, to continue one of their longest running monsters, and in a satisfying way, which the previous film didn't strive to do. This film has one notable moment, the transformation scene to a bat, the first time ever shown in the franchise. The locations are fairly decent, and while the film isn't as good as it could have been, this is a welcome addition nonetheless.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.