Fighting with My Family (2019)

Fighting with My Family (Stephen Merchant, 2019).

The world of WWE is pretty alien to me. As, indeed, is the word of sport in general. As a movie fan, as opposed to a sports fan, I spend a lot more time sitting on my butt than I do taking part in any physical activity whatsoever. (NOTE: This is not a lifestyle I recommend. After reading my blog go do something active. After reading my blog.) 

Fighting with My Family is the true story of professional wrestler Paige. Following her journey from competing as an amateur in her Norwich hometown to being signed by the WWE and becoming the youngest Divas Champions winner in the competition's history. 

Watching this as a non-wrestling fan I was surprised at how much I genuinely enjoyed this movie. Partly financed by WWE Studios and co-produced by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, it is not the glossy, sanitised bio-pic that such official sanctioning might suggest. Brit director and writer Stephen Merchant doesn't shy from depicting the sometimes grim world of amateur wrestling or the negative effect Paige's career path has on her family, particularly her brother Zac who was unsuccessful in his WWE audition. Yet Merchant also delivers a movie of great warmth and humour with plenty of laugh out loud moments. Sentimental old fools like me should also watch out for the odd lump in the throat moment.

Standouts among the cast are Florence Pugh as Paige and Jack Lowden as Zac; impressive in both their acting and physical performance, convincing to these novice eyes as wrestlers proper. Nick Frost and Lena Headey are well cast as Paige's parents. Vince Vaughn has his best role in years as Paige's coach. Dwayne Johnson always seems an amiable chap and does here playing himself, rounding out a very appealing cast.

There is little of anything negative I can say about Fighting with My Family. It's not going to change the world, but it is solidly entertaining and wholly likeable. It is inspiring, uplifting, feelgood and any other cliche you wish to throw it at. It might also make you want to take up wrestling.

The Richest Cat in the World (1986)

The Richest Cat in the World (Greg Beeman, 1986). 

By 1986 Walt Disney branded feature films had all but died out, the studio finding greater success with movies released through its adult oriented Touchstone Pictures division. Conversely the opposite was true on television where the success of the fledgling Disney Channel (launched in 1983) and the re-invigorated Disney anthology TV series had created a demand for new made-for-television feature content. One such feature was The Richest Cat in the World. 

Palmer the cat stars as Leo, a pampered puss left $5 million in the will of his deceased owner Oscar (Ramon Bieri). When Oscar’s nephew learns of this he and his wife set out to kidnap and dispose of Leo, thereby inheriting the cash themselves. Leo confides his ability to speak (!) to an employee’s children who determine to protect the cat and stop the catnappers from stealing his fortune. 

Recalling previous Disney theatrical feline features That Darn Cat (Robert Stevenson, 1965) and The Cat from Outer Space (Norman Tokar, 1978), it would be fair to suggest that a decade earlier The Richest Cat in the World would too have been considered for cinema exhibition. But in a year where the only Disney live action release in cinemas was Flight of the Navigator (Randall Kleiser) it was, instead, destined for television; debuting on the newly re-titled The Disney Sunday Movie on the ABC network.

In truth, TV is where this modest comedy-thriller belongs. Greg Beeman directs with a smooth efficiency but cannot disguise the movie's TV origins. The teleplay by Marshall Efron and Alfa-Betty Olsen is satisfactory enough, but with marked similarities to Disney's animated The Aristocats (Wolfgang Reitherman, 1970) is not particularly original. To describe the slapstick humour of The Richest Cat in the World as broad would be an understatement. To be fair, there are some laughs to be had, not just ironically; there is something inherently funny about a cat using a touchpad telephone to order a pizza! 

The Richest Cat in the World is just silly enough to appeal to young audiences and nostalgic enough to appeal to adults who enjoyed it when they were young. It is wholly innocent and appealing in a ramshackle kind of way, especially if you like cute cats. It is the kind of movie where you can predict the ending in the first five minutes but, if you are in the right mood, it should raise the odd chuckle and honestly, I can think of worse ways to waste 90 minutes. 

Captain Marvel (2019)

Captain Marvel (Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck, 2019). 

Brie Larson stars as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel in the 21st instalment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

The initially confusing plot finds amnesia suffering Vers (Larson) crash landing in 1995 Los Angeles. Caught up in a war between alien nations the Skrulls and her own people the Kree, the Skrull are soon in pursuit of Vers. Attracting the attention of SHIELD agent Nick Fury, Fury enlists Vers in an attempt to stop an alien invasion. In the process she learns of her forgotten past, of her part in the Kree-Skrull conflict and determines to harness her superpowers and put an end to the war.  

This first Marvel movie to centre on a female superhero is a welcome, some would say overdue, edition to the MCU. As such, it was bound to draw comparisons to DC’s recent Wonder Woman (Patty Jenkins, 2017) but in truth, the two movies are quite dissimilar. Captain Marvel does not carry the weight of Wonder Woman, arguably the best of the DCEU series. Nor is it the game changer that MCU entries Black Panther (Ryan Coogler, 2018) and Avengers Endgame (Anthony Russo & Joe Russo, 2019) proved to be. Rather co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, along with co-screenwriter Geneva Robertson-Dworet have fashioned a fun and thrilling sci-fi action, which is happy to acknowledge its comic book roots. This is one of the the lighter entries in the MCU, but is none the worse for it and features some genuinely funny moments (including some unexpected comedy hi-jinks with a cat!). 

Captain Marvel acts as an origins story for both Danvers and SHIELD head-honcho Nick Fury, seen here as a low-level SHIELD bureaucrat. There is a nice chemistry between Larson and Samuel L Jackson (returning as Fury) and the pair make an entertaining double act. Digitally de-aged 25 years, Jackson somewhat inhabits the uncanny valley. Although slightly distracting at first, midway through it was no longer noticeable and in no way detracts from his fine performance. MCU movies have previously attracted the biggest all-star casts since the 70s disaster movie epics and this series entry is no exception. Annette Bening, Djimon Hounsou and Jude Law all impressive in their respective roles, but the movie really belongs to Larson and the appealing sense of gutsy naivety she brings to the role. 

As always in the MCU, the hundreds of millions of dollars budget is right up there on screen to see. Aside from the minor quibble concerning Jackson’s de-aging process, the effects, costumes, art design are all top quality, with both otherworldly cityscapes and 1990s Los Angeles rendered with complete believability. 

The highest grossing movie of 2019 on its theatrical release, although since knocked into third place by Disney’s The Lion King (Jon Favreau) and MCU successor Avengers Endgame (the current all-time box office champ), it is safe to say we will see more of Ms Danvers on the big screen, both individually and as a key player in the next-gen Avengers movies. Captain Marvel’s connection to the Avengers ‘Infinity Saga’ is fairly loose and is only really touched upon in the closing credits. As such, the movie works as a stand-alone entry, your enjoyment of which should not be hampered by not having seen the other movies. 

While Captain Marvel isn’t necessarily among the very best Marvel origins stories, it is still much better than what the rest of mainstream Hollywood currently has on offer. With a much needed injection of feminism into the MCU franchise and a healthy dose of 90s nostalgia, it is an entertaining, intelligent popcorn blockbuster that bodes well for the future of the Avengers movies post-Endgame. 

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

Kind Hearts and Coronets (Dir: Robert Hamer, 1949)

1949 is the year that cemented the Ealing Studios' close association with comedy. This year saw the release of three bona fide classics:  Passport to Pimlico (Henry Cornelius), Whisky Galore (Alexander Mackendrick) and lastly Kind Hearts and Coronets. 

Dennis Price stars as Louis Mazzini, only son of a disinherited heir to the aristocratic D’Ascoyn family, dispossessed for marrying an Italian singer deemed below her status. On his mother’s death he vows to take revenge on the family and sets out to murder the eight D’Ascoyns who stand between him and dukedom.

Price delivers a career best performance as Mazzini, cool and callous, yet charming enough to elicit audience sympathy, as he dispenses with the various D'Ascoyns. Excellent support comes in the form of Valerie Hobson and Joan Greenwood as rival love interests and an astonishing performance by Alec Guinness as the eight D'Ascoyns on Mazzini's hit list. It is all the more remarkable considering that this is only Guinness third screen appearance, his first for Ealing and the first cinematic hint of his outstanding comedic talents. In spite of which, the excellent Price never lets Guinness steal the picture from him. The talented Robert Hamer directs with a light touch which never sees the movie descend into bad taste of farce.

Based upon the novel Israel Rank by Roy Horniman and taking it filmic title from Tennyson, Kind Hearts and Coronets is the most literate of Ealing comedies. The astute screenplay by Hamer and John Deighton is both darkly cynical and witty and 70 years after release it remains, arguably, the blackest of black comedy scripts to reach British cinema screens.

In this respect it is unique among the Ealing comedies. Characterised by their themes of individuals or small groups of people pitted against a more powerful foe, Kind Hearts... only partially fits this 'little guy against the system' mould. Certainly it conveys the social commentary of its stable mates but lacking the gentle morals of say Passport to Pimlico or The Man in the White Suit (Alexander Mackendrick, 1951) and their reflection on post-war mores. Rather, its period setting allows for a biting critique of an outdated class system and the notion of inherited privilege. 

Kind Hearts and Coronets also features perhaps the greatest of all ambiguous endings, originally soften for US audiences with a specially filmed coda to enable it to pass the strict production code. Its original ending, now more commonly seen is only really rivaled for greatness by the "Nobody's perfect!" climax of Some Like it Hot! (Billy Wilder, 1959). 

While initially dismissed by some critics as too dark, Kind Hearts and Coronets is now widely considered the greatest of the Ealing comedies. I personally favour the more representative of the genre The Man in the White Suit, but will happily agree that Kind Hearts... is one the greatest comedy movies of all time. It is difficult to think of any other movie so simultaneously dark yet delicate. Expertly performed and beautifully told; I would recommend this masterpiece of a movie to those with even the slightest interest in the cinema.  

Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001)

Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure (Dir: Darrell Rooney, 2001). 

46 years after Walt Disney’s original Lady and the Tramp (Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson & Hamilton Luske, 1955) comes this belated straight-to-video sequel. 

Lady and Tramp’s only son Scamp rebels at life on a leash, runs away from home and hooks up with a gang of tough junkyard dogs. Clashing with gang leader Buster and falling for fetching young pup Angel, Scamp eventually must choose between his family or freedom. 

You would be forgiven for not remembering Scamp from the original Lady and the Tramp. Appearing in the final scene as one of Lady and Tramp’s four pups, his screen time lasts mere seconds, although he would become a popular character in Disney comics. Where comic book Scamp was a lovable mischievous pup, his feature film incarnation is a rebellious, argumentative, kinda annoying teenager. If the original Lady and the Tramp was the canine equivalent of the 1950s teen romance then this new movie is the doggy update of the juvenile delinquent flick. Think Rebel without a Cause (Nicholas Ray, 1955) or The Young Stranger (John Frankenheimer, 1957) with four legs and a tail and you have the idea. 

Those expecting the return of favourite characters from the first movie will be disappointed; most are relegated to cameo appearances and are more or less dispensed with after their appearance in the opening number, the movie focusing instead on Scamp and his junkyard cohorts. 

Indeed, even in their own movie Lady and Tramp are demoted to co-star status. Lady, in particular, is so underwritten that her only discernible characteristic is worrying about her son. While Tramp fares slightly better, he has become uncharacteristically ultra-conservative, constantly ragging on Scamp for wanting to be a wild dog. 

Produced by Walt Disney Television Animation (lately DisneyToon Studios) on a much smaller budget than a Walt Disney Animation Studios feature, resulting in a markedly less polished production than that of its sister studio. The character animation is flat and cartoony, replacing the original movie’s studied realism. The backgrounds, likewise, lack the depth and detail of the first movie, while a homage to Lady and the Tramp’s famous spaghetti sequence and a train dodge scenario lifted from The Aristocats (Wolfgang Reitherman, 1970) are a reminder of how superior those movies are. 

Among the cast you may recognise the familiar voices of Disney’s own little mermaid Ariel Jodi Benson as Lady and Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney as Scamp’s pal Sparky. While certainly perfunctory, none of the voice actors make much of an impression. Some serviceable but forgettable songs punctuate the soundtrack, none coming close to Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke’s majestic originals. Here lies the problem with Lady and the Tramp II; it is simply weaker than the first movie in all departments. 

In truth, there are worse movies than Lady and the Tramp II. There are probably even worse Disney straight-to-videos sequels. But I honestly do not understand why you would watch this film instead of the masterful original. Even if used as a babysitting aide, there are a countless number of better movies you could sit your children in front of that would provide them with a far richer viewing experience. 

Lady and the Tramp endures as one of Walt Disney’s greatest animated features. Sadly, this cannot be said about its sequel; a pale imitation of the original and a soulless, artless exercise in exploitation. 

Dr No (1962)

Dr No (Terance Young, 1962)

The film that launched the longest running franchise in movie history and made a star of Sean Connery in the process. 

Connery stars as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in this adaptation of the sixth novel in the series. (Casino Royale, the first novel, had been previously adapted for US TV and was therefore not available to producers ‘Cubby’ Brocolli and Harry Saltzman’s Eon Productions for filming.)

Investigating the disappearance of fellow MI6 operatives, Bond heads to Jamaica and is soon on the trail of the titular Dr No, an underground dwelling, Nemo-esq scientific genius with plans to wreck the US space programme. Fist fights, shoot-outs and car chases ensue! 

In many respects, Dr No is Bond in its purest form. Before the over reliance on gadgets, before the campy, double entendre laden humour, before the over the top action set pieces. Connery is perfect in the role: suave yet cool, a lover and a fighter. This lean, mean Bond would seemingly provide the template for the latter movies; with the advent of the Daniel Craig era and a back-to-basics attitude that has seen the series return to its original, sleeker, more economic roots. 

Connery is surrounded by a classy supporting cast. As Island girl Honey Ryder, Ursula Andress set the standard for Bond girls, emerging like Venus from the ocean in a two-piece swimsuit and creating one of the most iconic images of the entire series. Future Hawaii Five-O star Jack Lord and John Kitzmiller make appealing allies for Bond, while Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell make their first appearances as Bond’s MI6 boss M and his flirtatious secretary Miss Moneypenny, respectively. The casting of white American Joseph Wiseman as Chinese villain Dr No will probably raise some eyebrows, but it’s worth remembering that such casting was common practice when the film was made and was neither meant as racist or seen as racist back in 1962. Be happy we live in more enlightened times but don’t let it spoil your enjoyment of the movie. 

Director Terance Young never lets the pace flag. Dr No is one of the shorter Bonds but Young never wastes a second as he delivers a gripping, intelligent thriller. Arguably the best of the many Bond directors, Young would return to direct two further excellent early entries: From Russia with Love (1963)  and Thunderball (1964). 

It wouldn’t be a Bond movie without John Barry’s arrangement of Monty Norman’s iconic theme. Its first appearance, pre-credits as we view 007 through the barrel of a gun, was so successful as to become the standard opening sequence on all future Bond movies. Barry would become the composer most closely associated with Bond, writing the score for a further 11 movies in the series. 

The Bond movie mould would really be set across the next two features From Russia with Love and Goldfinger (Guy Hamilton, 1964). For me these early series entries have never been surpassed (although the Craig era comes close). They have a certain 1960s cool that will never be replicated - from the cars and the clothes to the colourful Jamaican locales, virtually any image from Dr No could be taken from an early 1960s lifestyle magazine. Rewatching the movie almost 60 years after release it is fascinating to see how much of what we associate with the series is already present. Certainly refinements were made to the formula over the coming films, but, honestly I don’t think this series opener was ever bettered. Equalled maybe, but it has a certain economic, raw, unpolished appeal that box office success and bloated budgets would not allow for in the future. Six decades on this is still a fantastic piece of popular cinema. Intelligent in a way action movies rarely are today, shot through with streak of sardonic humour. If you are a Bond fan I do not need to extol the virtues of Dr No to you. If you have never seen a Bond movie (where have been for 60 years?) or are only familiar with later entries than this original classic should really be next on your Bond viewing list! 

Dumbo (2019)

Dumbo (Tim Burton, 2019). 

Being of the opinion that Walt Disney’s original Dumbo (Ben Sharpsteen, 1941) is one of the greatest movies ever made, I was not entirely thrilled at the prospect of a remake, in spite of my admiration for director Tim Burton. But, ever the open-minded film enthusiast, I watched it anyways! 

Dumbo is, of course, the story of the circus elephant born with oversized ears who silences his naysayers when his ears provide him with the ability of flight. 

The first half of Burton’s movie roughly follows the original, while the second half continues Dumbo’s story after the events of the first movie, chronicling the baby elephant’s tenure as the star attraction of an early amusement park and the daring rescue attempt of his imprisoned mother. In this respect the new Dumbo is kind of a remake and a sequel rolled into one. 

Perhaps with some predictability, it is the first half which suffers most in comparison with the original. Although the original movie runs little more than an hour, its basic story is retold here in about 40 minutes. The result of which is the narrative beats all fall a little off the mark. For example, Dumbo’s ability to fly is established within the first 20 minutes of the movie, rather than at the climax. The introduction of an antagonist who is swiftly dispensed with roughly halfway through is also slightly jarring. 

Absent are the crows and Timothy Mouse, replaced by elephant wrangler Colin Farrell and his children Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins. The genuinely moving relationship between Dumbo and his only friend Timothy is sorely missed and as a result the emotional core of the movie seems sadly lacking. The tragic-comic original contains both moment of great joy and great sadness, while this Dumbo is content to coast along without reaching such emotional depths. 

That said, being a Burton production, it looks fabulous, has an appealing cast including Eva Green, Michael Keaton and a neat turn from Danny DeVito as the circus ringmaster and does makes enough of an effort in the second half to justify its existence. The Dreamland amusement park setting, in particular, features some spectacular production design and the rescue attempt has some genuine moments of excitement. If the movie had concentrated more on these events and less on a watered down reiteration of the original it may have been a Burton classic. As it is, I guess half a good movie is better than none and it is a definite improvement over the director’s ‘re-imaginings’ of Planet of the Apes (2001) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). 

By all means watch and enjoy Tim Burton’s Dumbo, especially it’s superior second half. Just don’t expect it to soar to the same thrilling heights as Walt Disney’s masterful original. 

The Gilded Cage (1955)

Movie number 74: The Gilded Cage (Dir: John Gilling, 1955). 

There are shades of The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941) to this low budget British thriller set in the murky underworld of art forgery. 

The film stars Alex Nicol and Michael Alexander as brothers embroiled in murder and an attempted art heist. Punch-ups ensue as the pair endeavour to solve the crime and clear their name. 

The Gilded Cage is a decent enough crime thriller from the era of the second feature; solidly, if a mite unimaginatively, directed by John Gilling, who would later direct some noteworthy movies for Hammer Film Productions including Plague of the Zombies (1966) and The Reptile (1966). 

With American actors in the lead and a mix of mid-Atlantic accents throughout, presumably in an attempt to appeal to US audiences, its hoped for ‘hard-boiled’ style is a little underdone. It does benefit from use of the actual London locations on which it is set, including Tower Bridge with its pre-Jubilee paint job and a fascinating but all too brief glimpse of St Katherine Docks when it was still a working dock. 

The Gilded Cage is no masterpiece but it is a well paced, entertaining flick. Worth a watch, especially for fans of vintage British cinema. 

Originally produced by Tempean Films, it would presumably have fallen into obscurity were it not for film archivists Renown Pictures and their dedication to preserving such overlooked works which collectively  form an important part of Britain film history. 

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Movie number 73: Lady and the Tramp (Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson & Hamilton Luske, 1955) 

The first half of the 1950s was a fairly prolific time for Disney animation. Although production of shorts was dwindling, 1955’s Lady and the Tramp was the fourth feature film released that decade. 

A departure from recent Disney animations - both Alice in Wonderland (Geronimi, Jackson & Luske, 1951) and Peter Pan (Geronimi, Jackson & Luske, 1953) were based on classic British children’s literature - Lady and the Tramp was a largely original story; initially inspired by story artist Joe Grant’s own pet Spaniel and incorporating elements of a story by Ward Greene.

The movie draws upon Walt Disney’s love of turn of the century small town America (Disneyland’s loving recreation of the era, Main Street USA, opened the same year) and after Dumbo (Ben Sharpsteen, 1941) is the only other Walt-era animated movie to feature an (almost) contemporary US setting. 

The tale of pampered Cocker Spaniel Lady (voiced by Disney regular Barbara Luddy) and street mutt Tramp (Larry Roberts) who fall in love over a plate of spaghetti is a fairly conventional story of star-crossed young lovers, one that dates back at least as far as Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. However, the novel use of canine protagonists, witty dialogue and inventive scenes, such as the famed pasta-fuelled kiss, lift the familiar story above the mundane.

Where Lady and the Tramp most impresses is in its outstanding animation. Thanks to the artists’ extensive research of real life dogs, the movie has a less ‘cartoony’ feel to other Disney animations of the era; neatly capturing the movement and personality of our furry friends and displaying the most realistic animation in a Disney movie since Bambi (David Hand, 1942). 

The first animated feature produced in the new widescreen CinemaScope format, this provided some problems for the artists accustomed to animating for the squarer Academy ratio of earlier films. With less opportunities for character close-ups and the need to fill otherwise empty space with scenery, the Disney artists created a beautifully detailed and idealised recreation of a late Victorian era America town, thought to be based on Walt’s boyhood home of Marcelino, Missouri. Viewed entirely from a dog’s perspective, the elegant backgrounds and superior character animation combine to make Lady and the Tramp one of Walt Disney’s most visually attractive feature films. 

Equally a treat for the ears is Oliver Wallace’s evocative musical score and a handful of superb songs co-written by Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke. The legendary Lee adds her considerable vocal talent to showstoppers He’s a Tramp and The Siamese Cat Song in one of the greatest Disney musical scores. 

As you may have guessed, I love Lady and the Tramp. Watching it again after a few years was a genuine revelation. It might not immediately come to mind as one of Walt Disney’s greatest movies, but it really should. It is a warm-hearted, intelligent romance; charming and nostalgic by turn. With its first rate animation, vocal performances and music it doesn’t put a paw wrong. If it’s a while since you revisited Lady and the Tramp, or indeed if you have never seen it, I can wholeheartedly recommend this lovely and lovingly crafted jaunt into America’s (idealised) past. 

7 Faces of Dr Lao (1964)

Movie number 72: 7 Faces of Dr Lao (Dir: George Pal, 1964).

George Pal first came to prominence in the 1930s with his series of animated Puppetoons shorts. Switching to live action, first as producer and then director he was responsible for a series of special effects heavy sci-fi and fantasy films, including The War of the Worlds (Byron Haskin, 1953) and The Time Machine (Pal, 1960) which are now rightly deemed classics of their genres. His 5th and final feature as directed was 1964’s 7 Faces of Dr Lao, based upon Charles G Finney’s 1935 novel The Circus of Dr Lao. 

Tony Randall stars as the titular Lao, an aged (7322 years!) Chinese gent and owner of a fantastical, magical travelling circus. When the circus stops at the dusty Arizona town of Abalone the townsfolk are taught some valuable life lessons from the highly unconventional exhibits include the mythical soothsayer Apollonius, Merlin the Magician, Pan the God of Love and the fabled Gorgon Medusa. All of whom are portrayed by Randall in a truly mesmerising performance. Aided by some outstanding make-up from William Tuttle who rightly won the Academy Award for his efforts. 

Some would rightly question the casting of white American Tony Randall as the Chinese Lao. Yet while the performance does exhibit elements of racial stereotyping it is not malicious. Right or wrong, such casting was perfectly acceptable in the era the movie was made and it would be unfair to castigate it for being out of step with more enlightened viewpoints more than 50 years after release. 

7 Faces of Dr Lao is an unusual movie; mixing elements of the western genre with gently moralistic Bradbury-esq fantasy, it is probably fair to say it is a little bit of an acquired taste. If you are a fan of Pal then this movie needs no recommendation. For others, a philosophical fantasy aimed at family audiences might be a hard sell. However, it’s status as one of Pal’s lesser known features is entirely unwarranted. The excellent performances, top quality make-up and effects and feverish, almost surrealist atmosphere of the movie make for a heady mix. In my opinion 7 Faces of Dr Lao is one of the finest fantasies ever committed to celluloid. 

Atlantis: The Lost Continent (1961)

Atlantis: The Lost Continent (George Pal, 1961). 

Special effects maestro turned director George Pal followed his acclaimed adaptation of H G Wells' The Time Machine (1960) with the mythical fable Atlantis: The Lost Continent.

Out sailing with his father, Greek fisherman Demetrios (Anthony Hall) rescues the shipwrecked Atlantean Princess Antilla (Joyce Taylor). On returning the Princess to the mythical kingdom, Demetrios is imprisoned and forced into slave labour. It turns out the technologically superior Atlantiaeans are a sadistic lot, inflicting punishments on their captives such as turning them into man-beast hybrids. Demetrios rebels, attempting to win the affection of the princess in the process. He then must free the other slaves and exit Atlantis before its inevitable demise. 

After the excellent Time Machine, Atlantis: The Lost Continent was seen as something of a disappointment. Actually, the movie is a fun and pretty wild ride but lacks the gravitas of earlier Pal classics such as The War of the Worlds (Byron Haskin, 1953) tom thumb (Pal, 1958) and, as mentioned, The Time Machine. 

Shot largely on the MGM backlot, it features some impressive visual effects, most notably during the empire’s spectacular fall which serves as the movie’s climax. The cast is made up of faces largely unfamiliar to modern audiences, save for maybe John Dall as baddie Zaren and Edward Platt as the sympathetic High Priest Azar. While the performers do a proficient enough job they do get a little lost among the spectacle. 

With influences of Jules Verne-esq sci-fi and the then popular sword and sandal movies, Atlantis: The Lost Continent has a somewhat uneasy footing in both genres. One gets the feeling this started off as a far more ambitious project than it ended up. As a special effects laden sci-fi adventure it pales in comparison to superior epics Journey to the Center of the Earth (Henry Levin, 1959) and Jason and the Argonauts (Don Chaffey, 1963). 

Yet, I have a lot of affection for the movie. Pal produced far better films both before and after Atlantis. If you are fan of George Pal you will definitely enjoy this. If you are not a fan of Pal, you should be; go check out his better movies then go watch Atlantis. Ultimately it is little more than matinee fluff, but it’s matinee fluff on a grand scale. 

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Movie number 70: Toy Story 4 (Dir: Josh Cooley, 2019)

Since the first movie was released, way back in 1995, the Toy Story franchise has proven to be one of the most robust, not to mention most lucrative, Hollywood franchises of all the time. The original film, a Pixar Animation Studios production released through Walt Disney Pictures, was a massive critical and commercial success, spawning a further two equally successful sequels, three theatrical shorts, two TV specials and a spin-off Buzz Lightyear movie and Saturday morning cartoon. After the fairly definitive conclusion of Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010), audiences could be forgiven for thinking that the series had run its course. As such, the prospect of a fourth entry seemed to many to be unnecessary, albeit not entirely unwelcome.  

Toy Story 4 reunites Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang and introduces new character Forky. Forky, made by the toys' new owner Bonnie from a plastic spork, pipe-cleaners and other discarded items, is determined to throw himself into the trash where he believes he belongs. Determined not to let this happen, Woody places himself in charge of the spork, a decision which results in the pair becoming separated from Bonnie and their pals. As lost toys they encounter the sinister doll Gabby Gabby and her ventriloquist dummy cohorts and Woody is reunited with old flame Bo Peep. 

Happily Toy Story 4 is a sequel which lives up to its mighty predecessors. First time director Josh Cooley and screenwriters Stephany Folsom and Andrew Stanton have created a movie that is by turns witty, exciting and ultimately moving, as viewers have come to expect from the series. Perhaps it is a little less dramatically involving than previous entries. While it has its moments of sadness, there is nothing as heartbreaking as Jessie's recollection of her former kid in Toy Story 2 (John Lasseter, 1999) nor as traumatic as the parting of ways at the conclusion of Toy Story 3. This is definitely Toy Story in lighter mode, but the movie suffers not because of this. Its message is certainly as poignant as others in the franchise and comes with a climax that that seems pretty darn final. Possibly not the conclusion that many fans would want, but maybe the conclusion that they need and one that arguably serves the story. 

It goes without saying that the computer generated animation in Disney/Pixar's Toy Story 4 is beautiful. Inanimate objects brought to life with such believability is credit to the studios highly talented collective of animators and writers. Once again, the vocal performances, notably Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, Annie Potts as Bo and Tony Hale as Forky, are exemplary. 

This latest episode of the Toy Story saga thankfully does nothing to tarnish what is arguably the most consistent franchise of them all, while its finale suggests that this really will be the last we see of the gang. If this is the case then more's the pity, although Toy Story 4 definitely provides them with a high on which to go out on.