Movie Review: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

This new Indiana Jones film may not be on the same level as the original trilogy but taken on its own terms it is an excellent movie. 

Despite being the first Indiana Jones movie not directed by Steven Spielberg, director James Mangold (Walk the Line (2005), Logan (2017) and Ford Vs. Farrari (2019)) does quite a good job at capturing the spirit of adventure that makes these films so special. With the exotic locations, threatening bad guys, larger than life action set pieces and a good amount of fantasy, this film feels like a major adventure and like we are taking this adventure with these characters. I also like how even though this movie relies a bit more on fast paced action set pieces, than some of the previous films, it still has plenty of moments of discovery. What especially works here is that we are watching a puzzle unfold and we are trying to figure it out at the same time as both our heroes and villains. This gives us a feeling of comradery with the characters like we are on this adventure with them. Speaking of our characters Indiana Jones is just as awesome as ever. Sure, you could argue that Harrison Ford looks too old for much of what he does here, but this is an Indiana Jones movie and suspension of disbelief is just a part of the game. Plus, Harrison Ford is still perfect in this role and plays it with an effortless charm. Seeing him on screen, there is no doubt you are looking at a real movie star. This film also does a great job of having us have a strong emotional connection to Indy that does not simply rely on nostalgia. Instead, we care about how hurt and lonely he is. This movie explores the vulnerability of Indy beneath his tough guy exterior. Yet it does this in a way that does not make him seem any less tough or cool. For the most part the supporting characters are quite good as well. True there may not be a lot of depth to these characters but they play their parts well. We like the characters we are supposed to like and hate the characters we are supposed to hate. Also it goes without saying that John Williams' (who did the score for the previous films) score is simply fantastic. 

Most Indiana Jones films go into more over the top territory towards the end and this one is certainly no exception. In fact this movie goes more over the top than any of the previous films. This will definitely create mixed feelings among fans of the franchise, and I understand both sides. However, I thought quite well. It is admittedly quite silly but I thought it just added to the fun. 

While James Mangold captures much of the sense of adventure here, what he can't capture is Spielberg's wonderful natural humor. In the previous Indiana Jones movies, there are some very funny comedic moments that just seem to naturally happen. For instance, think of Indy shooting the guy with the sword in Raiders of the Lost Arc (1981). This moment doesn't feel like the film consciously trying to be funny by telling a joke. Instead, it just is what feels like the natural thing to happen next, and it also happens to be funny. Here the humor feels like the movie consciously trying to be funny, instead of the humor just coming naturally out of the story. It doesn't help that the humor here is simply not that funny. This movie is also much longer than it needs to be and could have definitely used some trimming as some parts do seem to drag. Also, I didn't feel like the kid character was that endearing or fun.

All in all this may not be Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) or Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), but it is still very fun and a nice send off to this great movie hero. 

Movie Review: Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A sheer delight of an animated movie. 

What makes this film really stand out is how well it handles its world building. This movie takes mythology and legends (and even Disney's 1989 film version of The Little Mermaid) that we are all familiar with and not only builds upon them, but often subverts them. This makes it seem like this world is a world all of its own rather than a simple rehash of what it is influenced by. I honestly found myself really getting involved in this world and by the end of the movie, I simply wanted more of it. Helping out is wonderful design work that has a real cartoon-y feel to it, while also being quite detailed and completely believable. Even the animation of how these characters move is wonderful. I love how the main Kraken family (while disguised as humans) move in a rubberier and more exaggerated manner than the actual human characters. I love how also you can tell when they are taking note of this and begin to move like the human cast to blend in. This attention to detail really adds a lot to the film. It also helps that we have a wonderful main character. As soon as the film starts we already grow to care about this character and very much relate to her. Because of how easily likable and relatable she is we are with her every step of the way. This even makes moments that might otherwise seem too cliché be quite emotionally effective. The storyline, while following some very familiar tropes, actually works very well. It moves along at a fast pace, never loses an audiences' interest and always makes you care about what is happening. Our main character's relationships with her family are very well thought through and are very easy to relate to and understand.

This movie does have some faults though. The big twist is much too easy to see coming and many of the story points are very predictable. As wonderful as our main characters are, the supporting characters come off as very bland with little more than a few character traits. The humor in this movie made me smile and I enjoyed it but it rarely made me really laugh out loud. However these flaws are completely overshadowed by the movies very strong strengths. 

This is simply a delightful family film and it shows just why I am a big fan of Dreamworks animation. 

Secret Invasion: Promises

 

Though this second episode still has all the faults of the first, it works quite well because it is a very well done character study of Nick Fury. 

Despite its faults, what I really like about the show is that it takes a deep look at who Nick Fury is. Though the character has been in many MCU movies, he has rarely been the main focus. Putting him directly in the spotlight makes it easy to recognize what a great character the MCU version of Nick Fury is. The fact that this show has a slower pace and a darker more mature tone than previous MCU projects, allows this character study to work even better. Not only do we get a closer look at who this character is, but this episode dives even deeper into the effects that not only Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) but also the first episode of this show has had on this character. What is so impressive is that it is completely visible that Nick Fury has changed a whole lot as a character, but it is still completely obvious that he is the same character, who we saw back in the earliest MCU films. We even see times where the old Nick Fury comes out. Even if those are small moments they are very effective. Of course so much of why this character study works is due to a wonderful performance by Samuel L. Jackson, but it is also due to being written by people who truly understand this character. This episode also benefits from some surprisingly intelligent dialogue, especially during the scene between Nick Fury and James Rhodes (AKA War Machine). There are also some surprisingly disturbing and well-made moments such as the integration scene in the meat cooler. 

The main problem in this episode is still that all the new characters are simply quite boring. There is not a whole lot to their personalities besides a few stereotypical character traits. Because of this often times (with the exception of the meat cooler scene), the episode can become kind of boring when it drifts away from Nick Fury. The premise of this show is still very interesting but still it doesn't live up to its full potential. Much of this is due to the bland supporting characters, making what should be suspenseful scenes, nowhere near as effective as they should be. It is also due to it feeling quite familiar at times and some scenes seeming like what we have seen in many shows and movies before this. There are some interesting social and political ideas brought up in this episode, but I don't feel they were explored as deeply as they should have been. However I admit that the ending is quite shocking and I am looking forward to seeing where this goes in the next episode. 

Again this is not the finest MCU moment but the stuff that works is very good. 

Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops (1955)

 

It is commonly accepted among movie fans that the Abbott and Costello films of the 1950's were largely inferior to their films of the 1940's. This may be true but I have always retained a strong fondness for Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops. Perhaps that is because I watched it many times as a kid, or that Bud Abbott gets to be funny here as well as the straight man or maybe it is because I love both Abbott and Costello and the Keystone Kops. Whatever the reason I love this movie. 

In 1912, Willie Piper (Lou Costello) and Harry Pierce (Bud Abbott) are swindled by a conman (Fred Clark) into buying a non-operating movie studio. They try to find this conman to get their money back and go out to California to find him. When they reach California, they unknowingly find themselves on a movie set and after some slapstick antics, Willie is hired as a stunt man. Unfortunately for Willie the director of the film he is doing stunt work for is the conman in disguise, who wants to kill Willie and Harry before they can expose him. 

Like many of the later day Abbott and Costello films, this movie does not focus on the verbal comedy routines that populated their earlier films (as well as their TV and radio shows), but instead relies on physical slapstick. While this may have been a fault in some of their other later films, it works very well here, because this movie is a tribute to silent comedy. There are some great slapstick routines here, such as the early scene outside the movie theater, Costello disguising himself as a cop. the wild west chase and the duo up in a plane (the cutting to a couple musicians on the ground while they are up in the air made me laugh out loud). All of these routines kept a smile firmly planted on my face and even made me laugh out loud more than a few times. 

Universal was originally worried about the title of this picture. They felt that the Keystone Kops might not be much of a draw for the current movie-goer. It was even assumed that younger audiences might not even know who they were. Because of this Universal purposed the title Abbott and Costello Meet the Stuntmen. It is not exactly known why the studio changed their minds and let the Keystone Kops be in the title. However some of speculated it was because of the release and success of Mack Sennett's (who produced the silent Keystone comedies, in which the cops originated) autobiography King of Comedy. That book was released the same year (1954) that this film went into production. It is said that Sennett was paid $500 for the use of the name. In reality the Kops aren't in the majority of this picture. They in fact don't really appear until towards the climatic chase. This chase is however the highlight of the film. It is filled with one slapstick gag after another. Because of this it moves a relentlessly pace and the pure comic energy is simply wonderful to watch unfold. Much of the excellence of this chase comes from director, Charles Lamont. Lamont was in fact a silent comedy veteran, who had even worked for Sennett in the 1920's. Even in the talkie era, Lamont had worked with some of the physical comedy greats including, Buster Keaton, Charley Chase and The Three Stooges. He had directed quite a few of the later day Abbott and Costello films, but this one especially played to his strengths as a comedy director. It is no wonder that this final sequence is so wonderfully made. 

This film was released towards the end of Abbott and Costello's movie career. This was their next to last movie for Universal (the studio where they made their best films), as after this the comedy duo would only make Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) for the studio. They did make one more film after that, Dance With Me Henry (1956) for United Artists. After that the popular comedy team would never make another movie.  

There is a nice little in-joke in the opening scene of this movie. Willie Piper (Lou Costello's character) tells a young lady, "You're cute." The young lady responds, "You're silly." Willie then tells her, "So's your old man." This young lady was played by Lou Costello's daughter, Carole. Another great cameo in this movie involves Mack Sennett. Lou Costello's character asked him, if he was really Mack Sennett. To prove this Mack throws a pie at him, which instead hits Bud Abbott's character. Lou's character is then assured that this is in fact Mack Sennett. As fans of Keystone comedies probably know that the throwing of pies was never as prominent in those silent comedies as legend has it. In fact in Keystone comedies, characters often through bricks at each other more than throwing pies. However this joke still works because it is a very clever wink at what the filmmaker had become known for. Also appearing in this film are Hennie Cocklin and Hank Mann, both of whom had worked with Sennett during the silent days. 

This may not be Abbott and Costello's most cherished film, but it still a whole lot of fun to watch. 

Resources Used

The Great Movie Comedians by Leonard Maltin

A-Z of Silent Film Comedy by Glenn Mitchell

Chase! A Tribute to the Keystone Cops edited by Lon and Debra Davis.

Challenge of the Super Friends: Revenge on Gorilla City (1978)

 

A very fun episode. 

In this episode Gorilla Grodd intends to take over Gorilla City with the help of the rest of the Legion of Doom. However the leader of the city escapes and contacts the Super Friends for help. The Super Friends must stop the Legion of Doom before they use their conquest of Gorilla City to take over the world. 

This episode is full of corny silver age fun and works as a great example of why I love this type of silly superhero fun. The episode rather than underplaying or making fun of the silliness of the plot, instead embraces it. Because of this I found it very easy to get caught up in the fun of the story. It doesn't hurt that the action scenes here are a lot of fun and with the heroes losing their powers there becomes a real sense of suspense here. This action scenes are also very well staged and with some well done twists on the average Super Friends action scenes feel quite unique to this episode. Even with a large army of gorillas here as well, this episode does a great job giving nearly every Super Friend a time to shine. This episode is also filled with the type of corny superhero dialogue I love. In fact Robin gets one of his finest holy-isms here, "holy guerilla warfare." Gorilla City also is a perfect setting for a Super Friends adventure and has a real sense of atmosphere to it as well as boasting some more great Hanna-Barbera background art. 

All in all this is just a delight of an episode. 

Upon its original airing this episode was paired with The New Super Friends episode, The Anti-Matter Monster (1978). 

Movie Review: Asteroid City

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent Wes Anderson film. 

As most movie fans know Wes Anderson films are almost a genre unto themselves. He is one of today's most recognizable auteurs. Even if one pays no attention to the credits, it is always easy to tell when you are watching a Wes Anderson movie. The director's films are full of eccentric characters, playful filmmaking, a very offbeat sense of humor and larger than life locations. And with his dedicated fan base, Anderson is completely free to give into his eccentricates without having to worry about what a mainstream audience might think. This has never been truer than with Asteroid City, which is pure Wes Anderson through and through. While this may alienate (pun intended) many movie goers who may not gravitate towards Anderson's type of filmmaking (which to be fair can be an acquired taste), it will delight those who enjoy Anderson's work. Luckily, I am one of those who enjoys Anderson's films. One thing this film immediately does from the start is to fully embrace the artifice. While many filmmakers try to make one forget they are watching a movie, Anderson here wants to make sure you never forget. This is true from the very first scene in the film, which sets up that instead of watching something that is really happening, you are instead watching a televised play and multiple times in the movie, the story will stop to show you behind the scenes moments that lead to the play. This artifice is even shown in the "regular" scenes that take place within the play. Though the film takes place in the 1950's the look of much of it is not trying to realistically create the 1950's. Instead it is a visual exaggeration of all things 50's and even takes notes from corny B-movies of that era. There is even a playfulness to the use of the camera here. Even a simple scene such as two people talking on the phone, is filled with camera movements and angles that constantly remind you that you are in fact watching a movie. While this style of filmmaking wouldn't work for many movies, it works perfectly here. In fact it even turns what might otherwise be faults (the thinness of much of the story and many questions that go unanswered) into part of the fun. This style of filmmaking makes it so that at the same time know not to take things too seriously, while not taking it as a complete farce either. This film is like many Wes Anderson movies, an ensemble piece. Rather than focusing on one character, it focuses on a large group of characters. These characters are played by an all-star cast (Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansson, Willem Dafoe and Margot Robbie, to name a few). Yet nearly all of these characters get an opportunity to shine, even the ones who don't get much screen time and each actor seems to be cast because of how well they can play the role instead of how much of a big-name star they are. The characters themselves are likable and fun to watch, even if they are lacking in any real depth. 

Of course for a movie like this the comedy is the most important element. While there are times when the humor can fall flat, much of it works very well. I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit watching this film and I am sure many of you will as well. 

I will admit that it is hard to make a movie with such a strange sense of humor and style of storytelling work for a feature length runtime. While this works for the most part here, there are also times when the film can drag a little and could use a little cutting. However these scenes are few. 

If you are a Wes Anderson fan, you should have a great time watching this movie. 

Cowboy Church #230

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers with The Cowboy's Prayer. This version of the song comes from Roy and his wife Dale Evans' 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet Bye and Bye.

This is followed by Jimmy Dean with Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.  This hymn began with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.

Then comes The Louvin Brothers with O Who Shall Be Able To Stand.

Next comes The Statler Brothers with Love Lifted Me.  This song was written by James Rowe in 1912 and was based on two stories from the book of Matthew. One was asleep in the boat with the apostles during a storm. As the apostles were terrified of the storm, they couldn't understand how Jesus was so calm that he could take a nap. They wake Jesus up from his nap and Jesus simply tells the storm to stop and it does. The other story also involved the apostles, Jesus and the sea. It was about how when his eyes were fixed upon Jesus, he was able to walk on the water, but he lost the ability when his faith faltered and he looked away. Still Jesus was a faithful friend and lifted Peter into a boat.

Now for The Isaacs with I Know Who Holds Tomorrow. All of us have anxieties about the future at times and how things will work out. Yet no matter what happens tomorrow, God is still in control and he loves us and will walk with us through any pain or trials we may face. This song was written by Ira Straphill a pastor who traveled the United States spreading the gospel. He did much of his traveling with his wife, Zelma. Zelma would however later decide the ministry was not for her and left Ira. She would also succumb to many temptations including addiction and other men, which added much pain to their realtionship in later years. This caused Ira to fall into a deep depression as he tried everything to keep the two's marriage afloat and nothing seemed to be working. He wrote this song in a very dark time for him. He was driving and all the sudden began to hum a tune. Next thing he knew he was singing this song. As soon as he got home, he went straight to his office to write down this hymn. This makes the hymn's meaning all the more powerful. No matter what we face in our lives or how bad things may seem, we can always have hope because we know who holds tomorrow.

Afterwards is The Carter Family with their 1928 recording of Anchored in Love. 

Next is Lorretta Lynn with I Feel Like Traveling On. As much as we may love so much of what we have in this world, it is not our home. We are only passing through this world. Our real home and our greatest treasure are waiting for us in Heaven. Us Christians are all citizens of Heaven and members of God's kingdom.

The Sons of the Pioneers then ask us the great theological question Will There Be Sage Brush in Heaven in a wonderful 1947 recording. 

Today's musical selection ends with Gene Autry singing God's in the Saddle,

/

Now for the silent short film, Broncho Billy and the Rustlers Child (1913).

Motion Picture Magazine, 1925

Now for a message from Billy Graham.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:9-10

But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:14-16

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7 

Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. Proverbs 16:20

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. Psalm 86:11

Thank you so much for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

 

Come and Visit Tony Martin

 If you are like me, you first became aware of Tony Martin, though The Marx Brothers movie, The Big Store (1941). In that film Martin even received equal onscreen billing with The Marx Brothers. However this was only a small part of Martin's career. Besides appear in many more films, he was also a very popular singer. He scored dozens of hits beginning in the 1930's and going through the 1950's. However he continued his singing career clear into the early 2000's, when he was in his 90's. For 60 years he was married to movie actress and dancer Cyd Charrise (who pretty much any classic film fan should know). They remained married until her death in 2008. 

The following is a 1951 article about Tony Martin from Radio Television Mirror. If you have any trouble reading it click on the following pages and use your touch screen to zoom in. 

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #131

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Mickey Mouse movie, Traffic Troubles (1931). David Hand would later remember animating a scene of this film involving a blown-out tire, "I did my very best with it ... and got it on the Moviola with Walt and he squinted and squirmed and grunted, and said no, it didn't have enough exaggeration in it. I said O.K. and back I went to my desk ... I made it more exaggerated, and ... he turned it down. I thought, 'What does this crazy man want?' I said to myself, 'I'm going to show that fellow a trick or two.' So I went back to my desk to redo this scene ... and I said, I'm going to make this thing so extreme, so outlandish, so crazy that he'll say, 'Well Dave I didn't mean to exaggerate it that much.' ... I brought the new test in very self-righteously and put it on for Walt and said, 'All right Walt, I did this thing over again I hope it's okay.,' while slyly watching for him to explode - fly off the handle. He put his foot on the pedal, and he started the loop around and around and around, looking at it and looking at it. Then he stopped the loop and looked up at me with a big smile and said, 'There! You've got it! Why didn't you do it that way in the first place?'" 

Though Fire Bugs (1930) may just seem like another Fleischer Brothers cartoon from the early 1930's, it actually has some historical significance. It is the first film from the studio to credit animators. 

Now for the most powerful superhero of them all, Mighty Mouse in Beauty on the Beach (1950). 

Though when most animation fans think of Tex Avery, they think of his films for MGM, I have always had a huge fondness for his work at Warner Brothers as well. What I love about his films for Warner Brothers is that he takes very conventional storylines and adds his wacky sense of humor. One of my favorite of his films for Warner Brothers is Porky’s Preview (1941). This cartoon takes a cute premise of Porky Pig (still a child in this film) making a cartoon movie show for his little barnyard friends and turns it into a wonderful self-parody of cartoons themselves. I love how even musical director Carl Stalling gets in on the joke by giving us kiddie versions of songs he often used in the Looney Tunes cartoons. 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Now for a silent movie, Phable of a Busted Romance (1916). 

Next comes one of the best of the later day Popeye cartoons, Spree Luch (1957). This movie marked the last appearances of Bluto and Wimpy in a theatrically released Popeye cartoon. This is also a rare appearance for Wimpy in a Famous Studios Popeye film. During the Famous Studios era, the character Wimpy was hardly ever used, despite having been used often in the Fleischer Studios era. He was not the only character to suffer this fate as both Swee'Pea and Poopdeck Pappy also had many less appearances during this period. There would only be one more theatrical Popeye short film made after this one, Spooky Swabs (1957).

Now for the Blue Racer short film, Blue Aces Wild (1973). This movie features an appearance of Crazy Legs Crane, before the character got his own series of cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with UPA's Gumshoe Magoo (1958). Like many Mr. Magoo cartoons, the highlight here is Jim Backus' wonderful voice acting as Magoo. 

Exhibitor, 1967

Thanks for joining me. Come back next for another selection of classic cartoons. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.

Resources Used

Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in it's Golden Age by Michael Barrier

Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald 

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

https://popeye.fandom.com/wiki/Popeye_the_Sailorpedia

Movie Review: No Hard Feelings

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A surprisingly really funny raunchy comedy. 

This movie's premise is that a 32-year-old woman (Jennifer Lawerance) agrees to have sex with a socially awkward 19-year-old boy (Andrew Barth Feldman) to help bring him out of his shell, so that her parents will give her their car. A premise like this can either be creepy or really funny. Luckily for us it is really funny. Luckily co-writer and director, Gene Stupnitsky (Good Boys) knows how to make this type of comedy work. This movie may be loaded with very raunchy gags, but (like in Good Boys) the gags are not simply raunchy for the sake of being raunchy but come out of the characters and storyline. Because of this the humor comes off as truly funny, instead of just gross. I was surprised by just how much I (and the rest of the audience in the packed movie theater) laughed out loud watching this film. There were many times, when the laughter seemed to be coming almost constantly. Plus, as well as the raunchy humor, there is also some quite funny slapstick gags and delightful quirky character moments here that are just as funny as any of the raunchier moments. This movie also benefits from two great lead characters. When we first meet these characters they seem like simple stereotypes, but as we spend more time with them, we grow to like them more and more. By the end of this film, we actually really care about these characters. Both of them also grow up and mature quite a bit and this is done in a way that feels completely natural and believable. These character arcs also add quite a bit of heart to this film. Yet this heart (for the most part) does not take away from the humor and sometimes even adds to it. 

It is true that we have seen much of what is done with this story before many times. Because of this the film can feel quite familiar at times. This is especially true, when towards the last act takes a bit of a more serious tone (though there are still some great comedic moments in that last act). While this more dramatic tone works because we care about the characters, it is during this part of the movie that the story beats can feel much too familiar. Another problem for this film is that our main character's best friends, feel a little bland and often aren't either as funny or as real as our two main characters. However in a comedy, problems like these can be overcome if a movie is funny enough and this one certainly is. 

Despite some flaws, this is a delightful comedy and a truly fun time at the movies.

Video Link: A Tribute to JULIE CHRISTIE

Classic Short Film: Beginner's Luck (1935)

Secret Invasion: Resurrection

 

The first episode of this Marvel miniseries is a mostly successful attempt to bring the MCU, back to the more mature and darker tone of Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014). 

There is a lot to really like about this introductory episode. The main asset is Nick Fury. This character is still as wonderful as he was in previous MCU projects. However in many ways he is not the exact same character as before. This episode deals with how the events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). How this is handled is very interesting and adds a little more depth to an MCU character who has never been the star of his own film. This is a very interesting character arc and I am very intrested to see where it goes. Also as always, Samuel L. Jackson is wonderful in the lead role and brings all the charm you expect from this character. This episode also does a great job of setting up a real sense of atmosphere and suspense. Much of this is due to the fact that this show is not afraid to move at a slower pace and have lengthy breaks between comedic moments. It is also not afraid to go into darker and more serious places. This works greatly to create a real sense that this is something more serious than your average MCU story. Some of the darker and more serious places this episode goes make this feel like the kind of story, where no character is automatically safe. The storyline is of course not completely fleshed out yet (after all this is just the beginning) but the ideas seen here are quite interesting and definitely want to make me tune in next week. 

However while I like this episode, there are a few things that keep me from loving it. One of these is that all the characters besides Nick Fury, seem quite bland and cliché. They never for a moment felt real to me in the way Nick Fury does. There is also a lot of over expository dialogue that breaks the rule of "show don't tell." A lot of this dialogue is also very cliché. There is also that the humorous moments also fell kind of flat. I also hate the AI generated opening and the whole idea of using AI to do the opening. Hopefully some of these faults are corrected in future episodes, because there are quite a few things here that show a lot of potential for this show. 

Virginia Grey: A Cinderella Story

 Being a Marx Brothers fan, I first became familiar with Virginia Grey due to her being the leading lady in The Marx Brothers film, The Big Store (1940). Later I came to realize just how good of a career this wonderful actress had. True she may not be a household name but she certainly has a very impressive filmography. Some of her movies include, Uncle Tom's Cabin (1927, her screen debut at the age of 10),  Our Relations (1936, with Laurel and Hardy), The Women (1939), Another Thin Man (1939), Unconquered (1947), Mexican Hayride (1948, with Abbott and Costello), All That Heaven Allows (1955), Portrait in Black (1960), Bachelor in Paradise (1961, with Bob Hope) and Airport (1970). 

The following is a 1940 article from Screenland magazine about Virginia Grey. If you have any trouble reading the following pages, click on them and use our touch screen to zoom in. 

 

Chaplin's Art of Comedy (1966)

Part documentary and part compilation film, Chaplin's Art of Comedy is an interesting movie to watch today. While there is nothing here that would make this essential for a modern Chaplin fan, it is still an incredibly fun watch for any Chaplin fan.

This movie takes a look at the wonderful short films that Charlie Chaplin made for the Essanay Studio. The majority of the movie is made up of clips from these short films with narration over them. This narration was provided by Dave Anderson and was written by Samuel M. Sherman, who also produced this movie (he would go on to produce many cheaply made B horror movies and exploitation films). This narration gives some basic history of Chaplin's career, offers some critical insights and explains some of what is happening due to the movie not using the original intertitles. This narration works quite well, heavily because it lets Charlie Chaplin be the comedian and does not try to "enhance" Charlie's comedy by adding jokes, something that was all too common on showings of silent films in this era. Because of this it is never distracting or takes away from the action on screen. The history provided here is very basic and most of what is said is information that longtime Chaplin fans already know. However this information is wonderful for newcomers to hear and probably provided young movie audiences in the 1960's some important knowledge about this great comedian. The critical insight is very well put and intelligent but after so many decades of every moment of Charlie Chaplin's career being analyzed (some would say overanalyzed), there is little here that longtime Chaplin fans haven't heard before. I still do though enjoy hearing it in such an unpretentious tone. 

The clips here are truly wonderful. Sometimes we see nearly a whole short film and sometimes only a clip. However all of it is wonderful. Featured here are the films, The Tramp (1915), The Bank (1915), The Champion (1915), His New Job (1915), A Night Out (1915), A Night in the Show (1915), In the Park (1915), A Woman (1915) and Police (1916). That is a truly wonderful selection and it shows how much Charlie's Essanay era is underrated. The films of this era may not be talked about as much as the later feature films (as well as Charlie's shorts for Mutual) but watching this movie reminded me how much fun these shorts are. I found myself laughing out loud though much of this film and was enjoying these clips so much that I was sad when the movie ended. True today when all of Chaplin's Essanay shorts are widely available seeing them here may not be as special today as when this movie first appeared in theaters, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a blast to watch clips from these classic comedies. 

The opening of this film includes a crudely animated Charlie Chaplin over the credits, followed by a fairly lengthy introduction with narration over a series of generic images and clips of Hollywood. The narration is fine and can be fairly fun to listen to, but the images and clips feel random and don't really add much to the narration. They certainly don't compare to the wonderful short comedies which are to follow. 

When so much Chaplin is easily available to anyone willing to seek it out, a film like this no longer feels necessary or essential to a Chaplin fan. However this is still a very fun watch today. 

Movie Review: Elemental

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

Pixar's first rom-com is very good. If it doesn't measure up to the studio's previous films, that is only because Pixar has set the bar so high. 

At its heart this is a love story and as such it works very well. Ember (who is made of fire) and Wade (who is made of water) fall in love despite the fact that such a thing has not been done before (this is obviously a not too subtle look at racism and inter-racial relationships). The two characters have wonderful chemistry with each other, and their romance comes off as more believable than half the romance movies starring humans. This is because the movie does not rush into the romance, but instead lets the characters naturally grow into it after spending time together. The way this plays out feels completely real. You cannot pinpoint the exact moment in which they fall in love with each other, but instead you as an audience member simply grow naturally into accepting it. This quite simply put is how you do a romance in a movie just right and something makers of live action romantic comedies can definitely learn from. This makes it so even with how cliché the story can get, you still have an emotional attachment to it. 

This film also shows very well Pixar doing what it does best. This is building a fantasy world that feels completely believable. Once you stop to think about it little of the world these elements live in doesn't make much sense, but as you are watching the movie, you completely believe that this place is real. This is due partly to all the little details that show how certain things work in this world. These are often shown in tiny moments but these tiny moments make a big difference. This sense of atmosphere is also shown in the great visuals of this film. There was obviously so much work that went into this artwork and it is felt in every single scene. Yet as wonderful as the artwork is it is always in service to the story and the setting. 

It is strange to say that one of the weakest parts about a Pixar movie is the humor, the humor here could have been a lot better. I found myself not really laughing that much watching this film. Most every gag felt like something Pixar had done before and done better in the past. There were some jokes that really made me smile, but shockingly I never once really laughed. Also, while this is Pixar's first rom-com that does not mean this story really does much that we haven't seen before. In fact, the story feels very familiar and from pretty early on we can guess just how this movie is going to end. The story is done well but this can't stop it from feeling familiar. 

While this may not be one of Pixar's best it is a very good movie on its own terms.

This feature film is proceeded by a delightful short film called Carl's Date. This short film is a bit of a sequel to the wonderful Pixar movie, Up (2009). It is even directed by Bob Petersen who directed that feature (he also provided the voice for Dug). As much as I enjoyed Elemental, I may have liked this short even more. This short film is everything that I love about Pixar. It is charming, funny and digs into deep emotions in a way that only Pixar can. This short film was funny, silly and playful for most of the length. However, the final moments really hit me hard emotionally. Honestly this short would be worth the price of admission alone. This short was originally planned to be part of the Disney + streaming series, Dug Days but it was decided instead to release it to movie theaters and it is easy to see why.  

Challenge of the Super Friends: Secret Origins of the Super Friends (1978)

 

One of the best episodes.


In this episode Lex Luthor comes up with a plan for the Legion of Doom to travel back in time to stop Superman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman from becoming the superheroes they do become. They go back to each of their origin stories to stop them from happening. 

This is simply a wonderful episode. The basic premise is very clever. The idea of villains traveling back in time to stop superheroes from ever coming to be, is one that can still today, be used as the basis for a great story. Though given less than half an hour, this version of the story is obviously very simplistic but that doesn't mean that it isn't effective. This episode is simply a lot of fun and moves at a fast pace that never once loses the attention of the viewer. Also giving us a look into the origin stories of three of the Super Friends gives this episode a very unique feel that sets it apart from your typical Super Friends episode. Also as much as these origin stories are very familiar to all of us DC fans, they are still wonderful origin stories and to see them play out here is simply a lot of fun. It is also nice to have some time to focus solely on these characters one at a time in a show that is often crowded with superheroes. The environments that these origin stories provide are also wonderful and provide us with some great atmosphere and some more of the wonderful background art that populates Hanna-Barbera cartoons of this time period. The way in which things resolve here is also very cleverly done and seems like such a naturally logical conclusion. 

There is so much to enjoy about this episode and it should prove to be a delight to most any DC fan. 

Movie Review: Past Lives

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Director/writer Celine Song's feature film debut proves her to be a force to be reckoned with. 

This film centers around two childhood friends (Greta Lee, Teo Yoo), who had major crushes on each other. One of them moved to the U.S. and one stayed living in Korea. Years later as adults the two end up reconnecting. This storyline sounds like your typical practicable romantic movie. However, it is anything but. This movie never goes in the direction a lesser filmmaker would take it in. Instead, this film becomes something much more intimate, powerful, personal and thought provoking. Nothing here feels false or anything less than completely natural. Because of this, we forget that we are watching a movie and instead feel like we are getting a peak as other people are living their lives. Though there is sentiment here, the film never gets washed down in this sentiment and the sentiment feels like it is naturally flowing from the story and characters. We feel every moment of awkwardness, every moment of happiness, every moment of confusion, every moment of pain and every moment of complete and utter contentment. We are not only watch these characters live their lives, but we are also living it with them. As well as being a very emotionally powerful story, this is also a very thought-provoking piece of cinema. Rather than being a film about a romance, this is a movie that examines what love really is. It looks at if a romantic love, is the same thing as an attraction or a very deep friendship. Most importantly though it looks at how much of a role fate plays in love. This film makes you look at how various circumstances and events affect who these characters are and what their relationships to each other are. It makes you see how drastically different things would be if the circumstances were different. With the conversations in the film about past lives and what the characters' relationships were to each other, in those possible past lives, only accentuates this idea and causes us to look at our lives and wonder if there was some hand of fate in our lives and if we would even be the same person if we had a different life. This self-examination the film causes us to have doesn't even have to be limited to the romantic part of our lives. There are so many beautiful things about this movie and these things do not leave you when you leave the theater, instead they stay with you long after. 

A film like this is something truly special and this is one of those movies you leave knowing that it is destined to go down in history as a classic. 

Cowboy Church #229

Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

 Today's musical selection begins with The Sons of the San Joaquin with How Great Thou Art. This classic hymn was originally based on a poem by Swedish Pastor Carl Gustav Boberg. He wrote this poem after walking home one day and a sudden storm came. When the storm stopped, he saw the clear bay in front of him and heard a church bell in the distance. This inspired him to write the poem. He first published it in 1886. When he published it again in Witness of the Truth (a newspaper he edited in 1891, it included both words and music. The English language version we all know was translated by missionary Stuart K. Hine. This version of the song comes from the group's 2017 album, One More Ride.

This is followed by Donna Fargo with You Can't Be a Beacon (If Your Light Don't Shine). There are many people who call themselves Christians but don't in any way live like Christians. If we call ourselves Christians, there should be an overwhelming love inside of us for everyone and we should do our best to live by the word of God. This is the way that our light should shine and if we don't love other people and often break the commandments of God, then we are not beacons for anyone as we do not in any way represent who God is to those around us. 

Next comes Johnny Cash with Would You Recognize Jesus. This song tells us about, how we truly get to know who Jesus is by trying to live the way that he lived. There are many of us who may think we know Jesus, but if we actually saw him, he would be "another one we couldn't place." Yet if we live by his word and make sure to pray every day, then we can truly know just who Jesus really is. This song was written by Don Reid and Harold Reid (of the Statler Brothers) and if you listen to the Statler Brothers than this isn't hard to tell at all. 

Next comes the Hee Haw Gospel Quartet with There's Power in the Blood. Hee Haw may be a very silly and corny TV show but it means a lot to me. For those of you unfamiliar with this show, it was a variety show that mixed some of the corniest jokes and comedy skits imaginable with a lot of great country music by some of the top country artists of the time period (1969-1997). The reason why the show means so much to me is because I became a huge country music fan from my grandparents watch reruns of this wonderful show. Much of the music I was introduced to through this show still stays very much with me. 

Now comes Homer Rodeheaver with his 1923 recording of The Church in the Wildwood. 

Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. This hymn began with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887. 

This is followed by Bob Dylan with When He Returns. This was the final track off of Bob’s 1979 album, Slow Train Coming. This was the first album Bob made after converting to Christianity. Because of this it is an album made up entirely of Christian songs. This period of Bob’s career angered many of Bob’s longtime fans. Many did not like that Bob was now using his music to preach the gospel and many were angry because in concert he would no longer play his earlier music, instead wanting to focus only on Christian music. 

Today’s musical selection ends with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus Loves the Little Children. 

Now comes one of my favorite modern-day singers, Anne Wilson sharing her Christian testimony. 

Now for the silent short film, Why Broncho Billy Left Bear Country (1913).

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. Proverbs 24:16

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 2 Corinthians 5:17

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. Malachi 4:2

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:25-26

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrew 7:25

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Nell Shipman: Signing Up Juno

 The following is a 1919 article about silent era actress and filmmaker Nell Shipman. If you have any trouble reading the following pages click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #230

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection starts with a delightful silent movie starring Felix the Cat, The Smoke Scream (1928). This film was released the same year as Disney's Steamboat Willie (1928) which would of course help usher in the era of sound cartoons (though it is not the first sound cartoon as many claim). 

Now we join our good friend Farmer Al Falfa in Spring is Here (1932). For a Terry Toon of this time the opening sequence has a surprisingly effective atmospheric feel. Still other parts of this film do still feel primitive once you compare them to what Disney, Warner Brothers and the Fleischer Brothers were doing at this time. However, I cannot deny that there is a certain charm to the Terry Toons of this period that I simply love. 



 

Now for a classic Foghorn Leghorn short, Plop Goes the Weasel (1953). This movie is the first appearance of the Weasel. This character would appear in two more theatrical short films, both Foghorn Leghorn cartoons. These other two cartoons are Weasel Stop (1956) and Weasel While You Work (1958). The character would also have a cameo in the feature film, Space Jam (1996). 

Next is Betty Boop in A Song a Day (1936). This short film was made after the Betty cartoons were becoming much tamer with much less sexual jokes or risqué situations than the earlier films had (much of this change was due to the Production Code). However, there is still a lot of fun to be had here, especially with the character Grampy, who always delighted whenever he appeared in one of these later Betty shorts. Plus, the musical number at the end is so darn much fun. 

Now for a commercial break.

With this being the opening weekend for The Flash (2023), I feel it is appropriate to look at a 1967 TV cartoon staring the titular superhero from the Filmation studio. This is not exactly high art (not even remotely close) but for people like me who enjoy some incredibly corny superhero fun, it is a delight to watch. Holy smokes dig this crazy cartoon. 

Next comes Mickey, Donald and Goofy in Moving Day (1936). Like many of the Mickey, Donald and Goofy shorts, this cartoon has each character working together from the same goal but having separate set pieces for each one. While Donald and Goofy really get to shine in their set pieces, Mickey has little to do in this movie. After his character had been toned down from his earlier more mischievous self (due in part to parents wanting him to be more of a role model for kids), he became less of a comic character and more of a straight man. Because of this his cartoons around this era had most of the comedy coming from characters like Donald, Goofy and Pluto. He was originally going to have a bit more to do in this film as there was a planned set piece in which he would fight with an ironing board. However, this scene was dropped. Mickey's scenes in this picture are heavily animated by Paul Allen and Marvin Woodward. One of the highlights of this film is the entire sequence with Goofy and the piano. This scene was expertly animated by Art Babbitt. Woolie Reitherman (who would go on to direct the Disney animated feature films, The Sword and the Stone (1963), The Jungle Book (1967) and Robin Hood (1973), among others) animated very little of this movie. He animated Pete finding out what was going on and barging in as well as him yelling, "Hey come back." This cartoon also marks the first color appearance of Mickey's nemesis Pete.

Now comes a short film starring the Blue Racer, The Boa Friend (1973). The Blue Racer cartoons were a series of 17 short films created for movie theaters. At a time when cartoons were becoming less and less a major part of the movie going experience, films like this kept the tradition alive. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with one of the all-time classic Merrie Melodies cartoons, A Corny Concerto (1943). This cartoon is very much a parody of Disney's recent animated feature, Fantasia (1940) with the unrefined Elmer Fudd taking over the Deems Taylor role. Earlier the same year this cartoon was released another Merrie Melody parodied Fantasia with an unrefined wolf doing the Deem Taylor role. That cartoon was called Pigs in a Polka (1943). A Corny Concerto was directed by Bob Clampett (who also made some of the vocal sound effects here) and written by Frank Tashlin. It is odd to have Tashlin write a Warners cartoon he didn't direct. Tashlin had in fact just returned to Warners after a stint at Disney, making him a perfect candidate to write this Disney parody. This film features another rarity for a Warners cartoon. That is the fact the Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig share the screen. This is the only time Porky hunts a fully formed Bugs Bunny, though he did hunt a prototype of the character in Porky's Hare Hunt (1938). It has been debated whether or not the Duck that appears in the second part of this cartoon is or isn't Daffy. I like to think of him as Daffy, myself. Despite having Porky, Bugs and probably Daffy, Mel Blanc doesn't do a single voice in this movie. That is because the character he usually voices don't talk for the whole film. The only speaking voice heard is Arthur Q. Bryan as Elmer Fudd. Also notice that Bugs makes Porky and his dog into a couple of boobs. This cartoon appropriately appears in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes by Jerry Beck.

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein 

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Movie Review: The Flash

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A top notch superhero film. 

I admit that I may have a little bias towards this film because I am a DC fan and The Flash is my favorite superhero, but oh my gosh I loved this movie. Inspired by (though not a direct adaption of) the famous comic storyline, Flashpoint, this is a superhero movie that is simply full of heart. This film truly gets to the heart of The Flash character, and it is a very emotional ride. This movie delves into loss and the ways in which we deal with it. Even if some of us have not lost our parents, it is beyond easy to become very emotionally involved in what our main character is going through and what compels him to do what he does. Because of this no matter how much action, fan service or humor this movie may have, it never loses its emotional core. This heart and this emotion are what drives the entire film. There are moments here that are completely heartbreaking and others that will definitely warm your heart. This is not to say that the other elements in this film are lacking in any way. This movie has a lot of humor throughout. Though there are some comedic moments that fall flat, they are few and far between. Most of the humor here is simply wonderful. There were many moments which made me laugh out loud throughout the movie. What also made the comedy work is that no matter how silly it might get it always was based around the characters. This is what allowed this movie to have a silly sense of humor without ever distracting from the emotional core of the story. What made many people excited about this film is Michael Keaton returning as Batman. He was just as wonderful here as he was in the two Tim Burton Batman films. Looking at him and listening to him still make this feel like the character stepping directly out of the comics and onto the screen. There is no doubt about it this is Batman. The fan service with this character is done just right. There are some delightful moments that reference the Tim Burton films and we hear Danny Elfman's wonderful theme from those movies. Yet these scenes never become too much and this version of Batman is never here simply for those references. Supergirl is also very well handled here and even though her story arc does not get enough screentime, the filmmakers perfectly capture what makes her such a great character. Sasha Calle (in what is amazingly her first feature film) is simply perfectly cast as this character. The action scenes (despite some underwhelming CGI) are very well done and often a lot of fun to watch. They are excellently paced and often well staged. Again these action scenes are fully in service to the story and in fact some of the most emotion moments happen during them. 

Despite a few minor faults, this is exactly what I wanted out of a Flash movie.