In Barbara Leaming's biography of Bette Davis, the author seems to have a strong distain for her subject. There is scarcely a kind word said about the movie star here and she comes off as a bit of a monster. Leaming's use of words often reveals a complete lack of sympathy for Bette. While Bette Davis was a very flawed individual, when you aren't allowed to sympathize or relate to the subject in a biography, it makes for rather cold and uninvolving reding. The entire book made me feel still a great distance from the subject. This book tells of many horrible things Bette did but doesn't give any insight into why she did it. In other words, the lack of sympathy and empathy for Bette keep us from ever getting close enough to her to know who she was as a person. This can end up feeling more like a gossip tabloid rather than an actual biography.
Even Leaming's look at Davis's filmography is mostly dismissive. She praises a handful of her films and performances and dismisses all the others.
With this said, the research here is very admirable. This book is packed with a lot of great and insightful information about Bette's film work and personal life. I found a recorded conversation between Bette and Mae West incredibly invaluable. Even the biggest Bette Davis fans will learn a lot from this book.
With all the great research that went into this book, it is even sadder that this is such a cold and distant read.
This sequel has a wonderfully fun premise. Trying to get away from his job killing people and spend more time with his family Hutch takes his family to where he had his favorite vacation spot as a kid. However, when his planned vacation spot ends up being run by a corrupt and dangerous woman, he finds himself back in the danger he tried to get away from. The idea of a trained killer simply trying to enjoy a simple vacation but finding himself reluctantly pulled back into the danger is ripe with comedic protentional. While the first movie had its share of humor, this sequel becomes just as much of a comedy as it is an action film. It is hard to complain about this, when the humor is as laugh out loud funny as it is here. The whole packed audience was laughing themselves silly watching this film and I laughed out loud quite a few times myself. Despite more focus on comedy, this film is not lacking at all in action. There is as much over-the-top gory fun as fans of these R-rated action movies love. These action scenes are as much over the top silly fun as an R-rated gorier version of a Looney Tunes cartoon. And at only an hour and a half, this movie moves at a fast pace and is very fun from start to finish.
Of course, like in the first film the real not-so-secret weapon is Bob Odenkirk in the lead role. He is not your typical action star and that is what makes him so perfect as this often-reluctant hero. At the same time, he handles the action scenes and comedy perfectly. He also has wonderful chemistry with Connie Nielsen (as his wife), Christopher Lloyd (as his dad), Gage Munroe (as his son) and Paisley Cadorath (as his daughter), which is incredibly important for a movie that is just as much about a family man as it is about a killer. Sharon Stone is also a true scene-stealer as a delightfully over the top villain.
Though Timo Tjahjanto did not direct the first film, he is able to bring the same charm to this sequel. He is set to direct The Beekeeper 2, and hopefully he will do just as great with that action movie sequel.
Orson Welles: The Road to Xanadu is the first in a series of books stage/film director Simon Callow has written about Orson Welles. It covers Orson's life from childhood to the making of Citizen Kane (1941).
This is an incredibly engaging read. Focusing on only part of Orson's life, allows it to be much more in depth than the average biography. Even those who are very familiar with Orson's work and life will learn a lot from this book. Callow goes into great depth into many of Orson's stage and radio productions (and even greater into Citizen Kane), while still having plenty of room to paint a picture of his personal life and who he was as a person. The writings about his stage and radio productions are especially valuable to Welles fans as most writings about him seem to focus on his film work. Not only do we get great detail about the making of these productions but there is also great critical insight (as the author has worked on the stage as well). This critical insight often praises Orson's genius showing how it was very evident even at this early stage, while also not being afraid to criticize, his flaws as a storyteller. This is a fair and unbiased look at his work and while it may be very critical one always feels the author's fondness and appreciation for his work. The same can be said for Callow's portrait of Welles as a person. The book does not shy away from Welles' flaws as a person, yet it is a derogatory piece either and is just as quick to point out his better qualities. By the end of this book, we feel a much greater understanding of Orson Welles as a person.
I am an unabashed fan of the live action Disney comedies. Even the ones with less than stellar reputations, I still kind of enjoy. However sadly the Disney studio has been making less and less of these movies. That is why I was looking quite forward to seeing this new one. Sure it may be a sequel to a remake, but I still looked forward to seeing it. As this film started I sadly started to have some doubts. The story felt rushed and some of the jokes felt quite forced. However as soon as the body swapping happened, this movie really took off and proved to be a real delight. Having four characters swap bodies allowed this movie to follow the basic formula of the previous films, while not directly copying any of them. All four of these main characters are quite well written. During the early scenes, they seem one dimensional but as the film goes on we learn more about them and they become more and more likable. The four main actresses are also incredibly wonderful here (Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons) are all wonderful in their roles and have great chemistry with each other. Because of this even while being a silly comedy, this movie knows how to tug on your heartstrings when it wants to. Though in the early scenes the humor falls flat as it goes on the comedy gets funnier and funnier. The audience I was with laughed out loud quite a few times and I joined in a few times myself.
The soundtrack is also excellent and greatly enhances the movie. A mixture of current pop music and alternative rock that sounds very early 2000's-ish, perfectly reflects the generational gap that plays a major role in the story. Conveying this through the use of songs is a very clever and fun way to make this culture gap all the more effective.
Despite a weak start, this is a delightful and incredibly fun movie.
For the most part, this thriller about a man who protects whistle blowers who are in danger is very much in the vein of classic old-school thrillers. There are hardly any action scenes until the last act. Instead, this film builds tension through its story and characters. For most of the film, the story is very straightforward and that is what makes it work. We like these characters and when the danger they are in is effectively built up little by little. Because of this gradual building of tension, it truly hooks you for the majority of the runtime. By the time the action sequences actually come, they are much more tense and exciting then they would have been otherwise. It also helps that the characters are very easy to relate to. For the man who is protecting the woman in danger, we see learn that he is a recovering acholic. To see him struggle to keep away from this addiction as things get tense only makes him feel more real and human to us. This part could have been left out but it adds a lot to the drama and makes the character more real to us. The performances from Riz Ahmed and Lily James are truly wonderful and make us feel fully gripped even during the most dialogue heavy scenes. The villains of this movie are also excellent, creating just the right amount of danger and tension.
The one thing that keeps this movie from getting an "A" is a huge plot twist towards the end. Unfortunately, when it comes to modern thrillers the filmmakers often feel like there must be some major plot twist that completely changes how we view everything that came before. While this can sometimes work quite well, in most cases it feels completely unnecessary. That is definitely true here, where the twist feels like it exists to simply to shock rather than because it is a good ending for this story. It is shocking but it doesn't make a lot of sense and it doesn't make the story any better. However this twist happened so late in the movie, that it did not even come close to ruining what was otherwise a great movie.
Despite a very weak ending, this is a gripping and wonderful thriller.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing a medley of Whispering Hope and Star of Hope. Whispering Hope beautiful hymn comes from the pen of Alice Hawthorne (the pen name for poet Septimus Winner), who is best known for her contributions to children's music with songs like, Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? and Ten Little Indians. This lovely medley comes from Roy and Dale's 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet By and By.
This is followed by Anne Wilson with The Devil is Too. This comes from her 2025 EP, God Story.
Afterwards is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1935 recording of One More River to Cross.
Up next comes Johnny Cash with Jesus Was a Carpenter. What I love about this song is that it takes about what happened back when Jesus was on Earth, but it puts it in a modern context even looking at many of today's political and social issues. This shows that the Bible is just as true today and that even after all these centuries we can still apply it to what is going on in our world today. The very idea of praising Jesus in socially conscious folk song, paints a great picture of what Johnny Cash and his music were all about. This recording comes from his 1970 album, Hello I'm Johnny Cash.
Then comes Patty Loveless with Precious Memories. Though this is a sweet uplifting song, it was based upon a tragedy. In 1922, John Wright lost his five-year-old son. Wright would later say about this song, “’Precious Memories’ was born in the midnight hours as I bathed by pillow with tears, likewise all my songs came through life’s severest tests.” Though this is a very famous hymn, John Wright only received $36 for writing it. He would remain a janitor that was always struggling to make ends meet for his entire life.
This is followed by Alison Krauss and The Cox Family with Remind Me Dear Lord. This comes from their 1994 gospel album, I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.
Now for Sister Rosetta Tharpe with her 1944 recording of Strange Things Happening Every Day.
Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the San Joaquin with their medley of Sweet Hour of Prayer, Amazing Grace and Great Is Thy Faithfulness. This wonderful medley comes from their 1997 gospel album, Gospel Trails.
Now for the third chapter of the Buck Jones movie serial, The Red Ryder (1934).
Now for a message from S.M. Lockridge.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7
Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32
Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Corinthians 7:5
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:35-40
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
With a lovely English backdrop, Rolfe Kent's charming score, a leisurely pace and a top-notch cast (including Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham and Kristin Scott Thomas (who also directed and co-wrote this film), this film provides a nice, pleasant trip to the movies. Because of this there is definitely enough to enjoy about it. However, when you get past the pleasant exterior, you find that this movie is completely hollow inside. There is no depth or emotional center to latch on to. Though this movie tries to have some serious drama and a message towards the last act, this again rings hollow as the drama never feels real to us and the message feels forced.
Though pleasant enough, this movie lacks any real depth and there it becomes hard for it to stand out among many similar movies.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a delightful short film starring Mickey Mouse, Musical Farmer (1932). This was the next to last film Mickey made for Columbia Pictures before his shorts would be distributed by United Artists. The latter part of this cartoon with the henhouse being treated as an assembly line recalls an earlier Disney film, the Alice Comedy, Alice's Egg Plant (1925). This idea though would be best used not in a Disney short but in a Warner Brothers cartoon, Swooner Crooner (1944). Musical Farmer was released to theaters on June 8, 1932 and was the next to last Mickey Mouse cartoon to be distributed by Columbia before the Disney films would be distributed by United Artists. This short film made its TV debut on an episode of The Ink and Paint Club entitled Musical Mickey (1998).
Up next is the Fleischer Screen Song short, Whispers in the Dark (1937). The title song was written by Friedrich Hollaender and Leo Robin. Other songs written by this duo include My Heart and I, Awake in a Dream and Moonlight and Shadows. Whispers in the Dark was written for the feature film, Artists and Models (1937) (not to be confused with the Martin and Lewis movie of the same name), which starred Jack Benny and Ida Lupino. In that movie the song was performed by Connee Boswell with Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra and received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song (it lost to Sweet Leilani from the Bing Crosby movie Wakaki Wedding (1937)). In this cartoon the song is performed by Gus Arnheim and his Band with June Robbins. This short film reached theatres on September 24, 1937.
In 1997 animation legend Chuck Jones wrote a children's book starring Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny titled Daffy Duck for President. When Warner Brothers decided to follow the feature film, Looney Tunes Back in Action (2003) with a series of new animated Looney Tunes shorts for movie theaters, one of these shorts was a cartoon based off this book. Daffy Duck For President (2004) never got the theatrical release it should have as Looney Tunes Back in Action proved a disappointment at the box office. However, this is a truly delightful cartoon. It was dedicated to Chuck who had passed away in 2002.
Next comes the Blue Racer in Camera Bug (1972).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now it is time for a classic silent film with Mutt and Jeff in A Restless Night (1916).
Now comes Mickey Mouse in Big House Mickey (2001). This cartoon originally aired in the House of Mouse episode, Rent Day (2001).
Next is the Aesop's Fables cartoon, The Family Shoe (1932). Like many cartoons from the Van Beuren studio, the highlight is the lively musical score by Gene Rodemich.
For those of you still in suspense, here is the epic conclusion, Maggie in Peril (The Thrilling Conclusion) (1989). This short was made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the Simpsons got their own TV series.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
One of the funniest movies to come out in a very long time.
Oh, how I have missed this type of absurdist, abashedly silly and unashamedly stupid type of comedy. Though there have been comedies in recent years, comedies as silly and stupid as this have become all too rare today. I am happy to report that the new Naked Gun movie is not only as silly and dumb as you could hope but it is also laugh out loud funny. It has been a long time since I have laughed this much at a new movie. Yet this movie had me laughing from start to finish. There was a gag nearly every second of this wonderful movie and somehow most of them hit the bullseye.
As a major fan of the three preceding Naked Gun movies and the Police Squad TV show (which the movies were based off of), this felt perfectly in line with those comedy classics. In fact, if it wasn't for the different cast and some modern references (don't worry the filmmaker never overdo these) this could easily been mistaken for one of the Naked Gun movies from the 1980's and 90's. Director/co-writer Akiva Schaffer (whose directorial debut was the delightfully silly comedy Hot Rod (2007)) completely understands what made the previous movies and TV series so much fun and captures it perfectly here. He also understands that to a movie like this the comedic energy and the delivery are just as important if not more so than the gags themselves. Liam Neeson also perfectly understands the assignment. What made Leslie Neilsen, so perfect in previous entries in this franchise is that he had been a dramatic actor and played his role as Lieutenant Frank Drebin as if he was playing a dramatic role. Liam Neeson is an actor who is not especially known for comedy (though his cameo in Ted 2 (2015) was easily the funniest part of that film) and plays the role of Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. with the same amount of seriousness. Having Neeson react to the stupid humor that populates this movie in a serious fashion or say a completely silly line in a serious tone makes each gag even funnier.
If I had one complaint about this movie, it is that the big climatic scene, while still quite funny, is not as memorable as that of the first and third Naked Gun movies. However, with how much this movie made me laugh that is hardly a complaint at all.
One of the highlights of a movie buffs year is the annual Cinecon film festival, this year taking place at the Writers Guild of America Theater in Beverly Hills. This festival is a four-day weekend (August 29-September 1) mostly made up of rare and obscure films (some of which you won't be able to watch anywhere else) as well as new restorations of classic films. Though there are some movies from the 1950's and 60's, the bread and butter of the festival are films from the 1910's, 20's, 30's and 40's with a passion for the type of B movies that greatly outnumbered the more prestigious films of that era. Some of the highlights for this year include special guests such as Ann-Margret, Juliet Mills, Mamie Von Doren, Pat Boone, Maxwell Caulfield and the family of silent film actress Myrtle Gonzalez, new restorations of two classic silent Laurel and Hardy shorts, restorations of Max Fleischer cartoon shorts, Modern Love (1929) a rare feature film featuring the great Charley Chase, the Marion Davies feature It's a Wise Child (1931), the great James Stewart western The Rare Breed (1966), a panel on the making Bride of Frankenstein (1935), some rare television appearances from Dick Van Dyke (there is always a brief portion dedicated to vintage TV in this festival) and one of Charlie Chaplin's best short films (Easy Street (1917)). If you don't have any plans this Labor Day weekend, there is no better way to spend it then going to Cinecon. To buy tickets or view the full schedule go to Cinecon's website by clicking on this link.
For any of those whose idea of a classic movie skewer more towards the 1990's, you are covered as well. Some truly delightful films from the 1990's are returning to regular movie theaters. First up is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). This live action film starring our favorite shell wearing and pizza eating heroes is returning to theatres as a Fathom Event on August 17 and 20. A one-night event with the two Tim Burton directed Batman movies (Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992)) will be playing at 160 select AMC theaters in Dolby on August 25. Very exciting for me especially is that Casper (1995) will be returning to movie theaters for its 35th anniversary starting on October 3. Just in time for Halloween, this delightful family film will hopefully delight new audiences on its return to the screen. Though this movie has more than a few detractors and doesn't have the best critical reception, it holds a special place and my heart and is a Halloween tradition for me. I can't wait to see these delight 1990's films on the big screen and become a kid once again (I was born in the 1990's).
This sequel captures all the charm of the first film, while even building on it. This movie has all the same fast paced and wacky energy that is still a compete blast to watch. It also has all the incredibly well executed action scenes that can hold their own with those from live action flicks or anime. The story is once again full of a great sense of adventure and fun one-upmanship between the characters. Speaking of the characters, they are wonderful here. What I love about these characters is that not only are they likable on their own, but they work even better together. The friendships between these characters feel completely real and heartfelt (without ever being mushy or overly sentimental). The comedic interplay between these characters is also a lot of fun and it is a joy to watch them play off each other. This film also does a great job of examining who these characters truly are deep down as they struggle when life after reforming doesn't go as smoothly as they hoped. Watching them struggle with wondering if they truly did the right thing makes for some surprisingly good drama. This is where the movie actually transcends the original. The new characters are also excellent, and this film has a wonderful new trio of villains that have more than a little in common with our heroes.
While this film has a few laugh out loud moments, I do admit to finding the first film stronger in the humor department. The majority of gags here were more likely to make me smile or chuckle than truly laugh. There was nothing bad about any of these gags (except that one fart joke went on much too long) but it just simply isn't as string in this department as I had hoped.
This is the second feature film directed by Pierre Pernifel, whose first directorial feature was the first Bad Guys (2022). He however served as an animator on such Dreamworks movies as the first three Kung Fu Panda movies, Shrek Forever After (2010), Rise of the Guardians (2012), Mr. Peabody and Sherman (2014) and Penguins of Madagascar (2014). His co-director is JP Sans for whom this is his first feature film as a director. He had worked as an animator on such movies as Rio (2011), Rise of the Guardians, Trolls World Tour (2020) (for which he was a supervising animator), The Bad Guys (for which he was head of character animation), Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) and Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken(2023).
The reason this movie works so well is because it very emotionally honest and has a great understanding of its main characters. The authenticity comes from the fact that these characters are real people who are played by themselves. Director/writer Kate Beecroft spent three years in South Dakota with the Zimiga family, where she got to know Tabatha Zimiga and her teenage daughter Porshia Zimiga. Though the movie itself is a fictional story, it borrows many elements from the lives of the real people who inspired it. This film about the two living on a horse ranch which is also the home to other teenagers who either have families that either can't financially support them or want to take the time to raise them. Meanwhile the mom has financial trouble with her ranch and there is a great deal of friction between mother and daughter when Porshia's father dies. What is most remarkable about this movie is the main performances from the real-life Tabitha and Porshia. Despite not being professional actors, these two give top-notch performances that always feel real, honest and completely believable. Perhaps because of their true connection to the story, this allows them to access these emotions in such a way that actors playing the role couldn't have done as well. With this in mind nearly every emotional moment involving either of these characters is incredibly emotional effective. One scene towards the end had me tear up in a way I didn't expect to at all. Though the story goes through many familiar beats, the execution makes it, so these familiar beats still hit very hard.
This movie's main flaw though lies in the supporting characters. As completely real and complex as the mother and daughter are, the other characters are rather bland and forgettable. Many of them simply feel like plot devices instead of actual characters. When it comes the group of teenagers living with our main characters, they have little in the way of distinguishable personalities. Because of this these characters become essentially interchangeable, and it is hard to even remember their names.
Despite any flaws though, this is a drama that truly packs an emotional punch.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1952 recording of Land Beyond the Sun.
This is followed by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Have You Read the Bible Today. It is important for each of us to read our Bible each and every day. The Bible is not just some book; it is the living breathing word of God. It is easy for our faith and Christian Walk to become idle and stagnant and the easiest way for this to happen is to simply not read our Bible. Taking some time each day to read the Bible is the best way for our faith and our walk with God to continue growing and maturing. This recording is the B-side of a 1955 Little Golden Record by Roy and Dale. The A-side was The Bible Tells Me So.
Afterwards is The Blue Sky Boys with their 1946 recording of Dust On the Bible.
Next is Harry McClaskey with his 1918 recording of Lord I'm Coming Home.
Then comes Anne Wilson with Twenty-Three. Like many of her songs, this 2025 recording deals with the death of her brother and dealing with turning the same age he was when he died. This song pulls on your heartstrings, as she puts so much of her heart and sense of loss into it. For anyone who has ever lost someone close to them, this song will speak deeply to them. This song is part of Anne's new EP, God Story.
We continue with Johnny Cash and U2 with The Wanderer. This song was written by Bono in 1993 (under the working title The Preacher). The song was inspired by the book of Ecclesiastes but takes place in a future time with a narrator who is worried about the lack of God in society. It is considered to be one of Bono's best songs, but for some reason whenever he tried to record it himself, it didn't work for him. Then he came up with the brilliant idea of having Johnny Cash sing the song (this idea came to Bono when he learned Johnny was going to be in Dublin). Bono would say that Johnny would teach him a lot about how to deliver a song like this during this recording section giving advice about how to put over each word effectively. Johnny told a reporter, "I don't know if it will ever be released or even what it's called." The song would be released on the U2 album, Zooropa (one of U2's most experimental albums) and John would state that this song gave him a sense of artistic renewal.
Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the San Joaquin singing The Boss Is Hangin' out a Rainbow. This is a cover of a Sons of the Pioneers song, and the song was written by Bob Nolan, one of the founding members of that group and one of my favorite songwriters. This version of the song come from the Sons of the San Joaquin's 1992 album; A Cowboy Has to Sing.
Now for the second chapter of Buck Jones movie serial, The Red Rider (1934).
Now for a message from pastor Greg Laurie.
Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 2 Peter 1:5-7
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 1 Thessalonians 5:6
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Titus 2:11-12
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9:25
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Disney short starring Pluto, Cat Nap Pluto (1948). This short film also features Figaro, who made his big screen debut in the Disney feature film, Pinocchio (1940) as Geppetto's cat. The cat would prove such a popular character with those at the Disney studio he would also be used in the studio's cartoon shorts.
Ub Iwerks is a legend of animation if there ever was one. His work with Walt Disney (the two co-created Mickey Mouse) in the 1920's remain some of the highlights of Disney history and it is hard to imagine where Disney would be without Ub. However, thoughts on the cartoons he himself heading after leaving Walt prove not to be as popular with cartoon fans. While I do agree that none of this work reaches the height of the best of his Disney work, I personally feel there is a lot to enjoy about these cartoons and that includes his Flip the Frog cartoons. Up next is one of those, The Cuckoo Murder Case (1930). The following is a review from Motion Picture News, "Fifteen or more series of animated cartoons on the market at one time make the going tough for this type of short. That is unless they are turned out with the cleverness of 'Cuckoo Murder Case,' one of the Flip the Frog subjects produced by Ub Iwerks. Here the cartoonist takes the usual mystery slant but sends it over with loads to spare. The answer is in the treatment. Iwerks has Flip go through the most amazing contortions. This shows real thought."
Next up comes a clip from The Fleischer Screen Song cartoon, When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba (1936). The music in this film is provided by The Mills Brothers. This includes not only the title song but the music throughout the cartoon, much of which is done with scat singing. Music-wise The Mills Brothers through their own version of scat singing were able to sound like a full band using only their voices and one guitar. This type of music works remarkably well as the score for a cartoon.
The Hound For Hire – Sam Basset, Private Eye series of theatrical shorts is hardly held in high regard. In fact, Jerry Beck has often included these films in his annual Comic-Con panel, Worst Cartoons Ever. Despite this, there is a certain corny charm to films, even if one would never call them good. So "enjoy" Case of the Nervous Sheriff (1961).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Up next comes the Pixar short, Luxo Jr. (1986).
The most famous film animator/comic strip artist Winsor McCay made is easily Gertie the Dinosaur (1914). This film was actually a vaudeville act before it was in theaters. The act consisted of Winsor McCay talking to his animated dinosaur Gertie. He would tell her what to do and Gertie would do it (most of the time). This was translated to theaters by having an off-screen narrator, who speaks through intertitles (since this was a silent film). This film has often times wrongly been called the first cartoon ever made. While this is not true (It isn't even McCay's first cartoon, it is his third), its place in animation history is still extremely important. The reason for this is Gertie, herself. She is one of the first animated characters that the audience was allowed to see think. Unlike most of the earlier silent cartoon characters, Gertie does not seem like she is just moving drawings projected on a screen, but instead like a real character that we know and relate to over the course of the film. This was the beginning of character animation, and one of the first successful attempts at it. Like McCay's earlier short Little Nemo (1911) this film begins in live action. Winsor McCay bets his fellow cartoonists that he can make a dinosaur come to life and boy does he. This cartoon still holds up incredibly well today and received the number 6 spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
For those of you who are still in suspense here is Maggie and Peril (Chapter 2) (1989). Be sure to stay tuned next week to see what happens.
Today's cartoon selection ends with the Looney Tunes TV special, Bugs Bunny in King Arthur's Court (1978), which was produced, directed and plagiarized by Chuck Jones.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck.
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
Run Time: 85 minutes. Studio: Mary Pickford Company. Director: Marshall Neilan. Writer: Agnes Christine Johnston. Based on a novel by Jean Webster. Producer: Mary Pickford. Main Cast: Mary Pickford, Milla Davenport, Percy Haswell, Fay Lemport, Mahlon Hamilton. Cinematographer: Charles Rosher.
It may be strange to say but I feel that Mary Pickford is often overlooked today. Despite being one of the seminal figures of silent film and the immense popularity she enjoyed (as well as how many still know her name today), her works often don't receive the same attention today as do other major figures of the silent era. Her films screen less in theatrical settings and are not discussed as often as the works of some of her peers. This is a shame as her movies are just as delightful, charming and fun today as they were back in the 1910's and 20's.
In this film, young orphan Judy (Mary Pickford) receives educational funding from a wealthy benefactor (Mahlon Hamilton). However, the benefactor insists that the two never contact in person. Despite this she gets a glimpse of him and writes him letters calling him "Daddy Long Legs."
This is a pure delight of a film, featuring all the charm of Mary's best work of this era. Like some of Mary's best work, this may not be a full comedy, but it does keep a delightfully light comic touch throughout. It is during the more comedic scenes that Mary Pickford's charm truly shines best. During these scenes she conveys such an effortless charm that it is simply hard not to enjoy watching her. Mary Pickford also shines incredibly well during the more dramatic scenes making this film a perfect showcase for her range. The writing by Agnes Johnston (who would later be a writer on many of the Andy Hardy movies with Mickey Rooney and the Harold Lloyd talkie feature Movie Crazy (1932)), also makes it so that we are always sympathetic to and on the side of our young hero. While the romance may be creepy to some because of the age difference, the romantic scenes are often quite lovely. The story moves by at a fast pace and is never once boring. Every second of this film is at least fun to watch. The story may be predictable, but it is fun with some quite good emotional moments thrown in as well. This movie is also quite well shot (due to the work of Charles Rosher, Mary Pickford's favorite cinematographer) and often visually appealing. The artwork on some of the intertitles is also often lovely. There is simply very little to this film not to like.
Picture-Play Magazine, 1919
Wid's Filmdom, 1919
After working for Adolph Zukor's Famous Players for five and a half years, Daddy Long Legs marked the first movie Mary Pickford made as an independent producer (the film was distributed by First National). It is said that as well as producing the film, she also helped credited writer Agnes Johnston with the script. Some sources even claim that she directed part of the movie when director Marshall Neilan was too drunk to (Neilan was known around Hollywood for having a drinking problem). Adolph Zukor predicted that Mary's goal to self-produce her own films would end in failure couldn't have been more wrong. Daddy Long Legs grossed $1.3 million at the box office and was a great critical hit as well.
At the same time Mary Pickford's mother Charolette bought the rights to Jean Webster's 1912 book, she also bought the rights to another 1912 book, Eleanor H. Porter's Pollyanna (which the next year would also be adapted into a delightful Mary Pickford movie).
Much of this movie used location shooting and much was done throughout Los Angles. The building used for the orphanage was the former Occidental College Hall of Letters (in the neighborhood of Eagle Rock). This college was built in 1904. By the time this movie was shot had been abandoned making it perfect to use for the orphanage. Mary Pickford was not the only major silent movie star to use this location for shooting. It would later be used multiple times by Charlie Chaplin. It appeared as a maternity hospital at the start of Chaplin's The Kid (1921) and a sanitarium in Chaplin's Modern Times (1936). By the time Modern Times was created the college was up and running again and that was filmed at their new physicality. A shot of a real orphanage does appear in the film, however. There is a brief scene where a comparison is made between the kids at an orphanage and prisoners on a chain gang and to make this point a shot of a real orphanage was used Known as Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (and located at 917 S. Boyle Avenue near Hollenbeck Park), this orphanage opened in 1890 and remained open until 1953. The same orphanage was used earlier in another Mary Pickford movie Stella Maris (1918).
Parts of this movie were also filmed in Malibu. In one scene wealthy trustees and their spoiled daughter visit the orphanage. Later when they return home it is at a mansion at 450 S. Lucerne in Windsor Square. This mansion was built in 1915 and amazingly still exists today. Mary leased the property in August of 1918 and moved out a few months after Daddy Long Legs had its premiere. In another scene where Judy leaves for college, we get a glimpse of the Southern Pacific Depot. Having opened in late 1914, this station was located in Central Avenue at 5th. On may notice in this scene that someone in the background is wearing a face mask. This scene was shot during the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918 and 1919. Similar to when Covid was at its height, many were wearing masks at this time. The Southern Pacific Depot can also be seen in a lengthy sequence in Rupert Hughes' Souls for Sale (1923). The romantic scene by the rock pool was filmed at Malibu State Park (at the time called Crags Country Club). The graduation ceremony was filmed at Busch Gardens; a location used quite often in Stella Maris. The benefactor's home was really the home of Colonel John Eldredge Stearns (who was quite a local character as you can read here), which is still standing and located at 27 St. James Park.
The New York Times stated, "Jean Webster's familiar and widely loved 'Daddy Long Legs' has come to the screen to give Mary Pickford one of the best parts she has had for a long time. Spectators who filled all the seats and standing room of the Strand for every showing of the picture yesterday and waited packed in the lobby for their turn to go in, testified to the popularity of the story and of the star. Marshall Neilan, who directed the production, has employed his usual skill and taste in setting forth Miss Webster's story with all possible pictorial charm. In fact, considering the work of the director 'Daddy Long Legs' rates high. Mr. Neilan is one who appreciates the essentially pictorial character of a true photoplay, and he has the ability to show this appreciation in reels of film. In addition, he gives his pictures an individual stamp, especially when touches of humor are permitted, that makes them distinct creations. The chief criticism that might be found of 'Daddy Long Legs' as a photoplay is that some one thought it necessary to pile superfluous words on some of Mr. Neilan's eloquently descriptive pictures."
You can watch this delightful movie below on YouTube.
The Invincible Iron Man marked the third in a series of direct to video animated Marvel movies (it was preceded by Ultimate Avengers: The Movie (2006) and Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther (2006)). It also predates the first of the live action Iron Man movies by a little more than a year making this Iron Man's first solo feature film.
In this film, despite resistance from Stark Industries Board of directors, Tony Stark uncovers an ancient Chinese city and accidently releases an ancient evil. To the villain Mandarin from being brought back to life, Tony creates an armor suit and becomes the superhero Iron Man.
Though this movie does not reach the heights of the MCU Iron Man movies (especially the first and third one), it is an enjoyable film. Tony Stark here is exactly the character we all know and love. Like all the best versions of this character, he is very flawed here, but it is how he overcomes his flaws and does the right thing that makes him so appealing. The storyline is very basic and predictable. However, it does its job well enough and allows for some surprisingly good emotional moments as Tony deals with having let down his father. The scenes between Tony and his father are excellent. The action scenes are quite fantastic and often the highlight of the movie. These scenes are quite exciting, very well paced and have a great sense of scale. The animation in these scenes is also surprisingly quite good for a direct to video movie. Though the animation may not be quite as great in other parts of the movie, this is made up for by strong character design. The background art is also very strong creating a great sense of atmosphere to the scenes in China.
What this movie lacks though is the presence of a strong villain. Most of the villains receive so little screen time that they are not properly developed. Some of these villains are so bland and forgettable that they simply run together in your mind. There is a twist villain at the end but frankly this comes off as too little too late.
This film's directors are Patrick Archibald, Jay Oliva and Frank Paur. All three of these directors will have work that is immediately familiar to fans of superhero animation. Frank Paur had directed episodes of such popular superhero cartoon shows as Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men Evolution and The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. He would later be a director on the Marvel animated direct to video movies Doctor Strange (2007) and Planet Hulk (2010). As well as being a director Paur also worked as a character designer for this movie. Jay Oliva was a director on many direct to video superhero movies including Doctor Strange, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008), Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 (2012), Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 (2013), Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) and many more. Oliva also worked as a storyboard artist on many of the live action theatrical movies for both DC and Marvel. Patrick Archibald directed episodes of the animated TV shows Spider-Man Unlimited and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. He would again serve as director on the next direct to video animated Marvel movie, Doctor Strange. He also served as a storyboard artist on the animated TV shows, Static Shock, Wolverine and the X-Men, The Super Hero Squad Show and The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Based on a story by himself, Avi Arad and Craig Kyle, the screenplay was written by Greg Johnson. Greg Johnson had written episodes of such animated superhero TV shows as X-Men Evolution, Wolverine and the X-Men and Spidey and His Amazing Friends. He also would write for such direct to video animated Marvel movies as Ultimate Avengers: The Movie, Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther, Doctor Strange, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, Planet Hulk and Thor: Tales of Asgard (2011).
This film has a wonderfully creative premise. After losing her mom, a little girl is plagued with dark thoughts as she works out her grief. Following advice from the school therapist, she draws out these dark thoughts in her notebook to help let them out in a healthy way. She draws these dark thoughts in the form of killer monsters. However, when her drawings come to life she teams with her brother and a kid, she doesn't get along with to stop her own creations.
Luckily this movie lives up to its very creative premise. Though this is a family movie, it is not afraid to dive into the darker aspects of the story. This film delves quite deeply into the grief the main character is feeling over the loss of her mom. As she is dealing with dark thoughts that mostly revolve around death, the filmmakers never tone down these dark thoughts. In fact, this film goes as far with these aspects as it can while still receiving a PG rating (when PG has essentiality become another G-rating, it is rare to find a PG movie that actually feels PG). Yet as dark as her drawings get, they always feel as if they came from a kid's imagination. Not toning down the darkness of her thoughts doesn't take away from her likability. Rather it makes her feel more real and nuanced than many other child characters in movies. The filmmakers also deal with this part of the story in a very mature and intelligent way, giving us a lesson about letting our feelings out in non-harmful ways rather than keeping them in her mind. It also has the nuance of letting us know that while we shouldn't be ashamed of our darker thoughts, we also shouldn't let them take the place of our happy thoughts. This is not only a needed lesson for kids but for adults as well. Though dealing with the loss of a parent is a typical story point for family movies, this is one of the most heartfelt and realistic examples I have seen.
The monsters are also a lot of fun. They are incredibly creative in a way that feels like they were created by an imaginative child. The designs and ideas behind these monsters are wonderful. Meanwhile, there is just the right amount of scariness to them. They are scary enough to feel threatening and give parts of the film a fun eerie vibe. Yet they are not too scary to make this inappropriate for kids or give kids nightmares.
As well as the darker scenes and the monsters, this movie keeps a sense of humor throughout. While not every joke lands, the ones that do are actually really funny.
It is amazing to think that this is director/writer Seth Worley's first feature film. I am looking forward to what he does in the future.
A family movie that is simultaneously bland and annoying.
This is very clearly a case of a movie trying too hard, something that is evident from the very start. The film starts with a narrator explaining the lore in a way that seems like the movie trying too hard to be some kind of epic, which is immediately undercut by some immature and unfunny humor that is once again trying too hard. This is immediately followed by a hip-hop musical sequence that is the cinematic equivalent of an elderly grandparent trying to sound hip and modern. This over effort is apparent in every musical sequence and comedic moment, each which try too hard to be hip and modern, despite the fact that hip and modern is never what the Smurfs were intended to be. When the humor is not trying to be hip and modern, it is trying for some absurdist comedy. However, this comedy is done so poorly that it instead simply comes out as feeling simply random.
Meanwhile the story is completely bland and overly familiar. The story of a Smurf trying to find what his gift is, when all the other Smurfs have their gifts as well as the Smurfs stopping an evil wizard is typical Saturday morning fare. Unfortunately, the film just seems to be going through the motions with this storyline. The filmmakers just give us the familiar beats without any heart.
Combining the humor and musical numbers with this bland story makes this a strange combination of a movie that both tries too hard and simply goes through the motions without any heart or passion.
The best thing about seeing this movie is that it was preceded by a short SpongeBob cartoon. That short cartoon is delightful, funny and simply a treat for cartoon fans.
This is the third segment of the thirteenth episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends (or two in the case of Batman and Robin) teaming up with a special DC Comics guest.
In this cartoon, a group of scientists create a shrinking way. All but one of these scientists seek to use the shrinking ray to help better the world. The other scientist seeks to use it for personal gain. This evil scientist uses the ray to shrink his collogues, so that he can use it the way he pleases. The super friends stop him.
This is a very fun episode. I have always had a fondness for these episodes with a typical person as the villain rather than some great supervillain. I especially love when these villains can actually feel like a threat to our super powered heroes. This is done very well here. There is especially a bit of suspense in the climax. The cartoon really gets good when the Super Friends must shrink themselves to save the other scientists. Seeing them deal with seemingly giant versions of smaller animals and insects is simply the type of corny superhero fun that I love. The design work on these creatures is wonderful and helps make the sci-fi feel even more fun. This episode also once again benefits from some strong background art that enhances the sci-fi feel.
This is the first segment of the thirteenth episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends (or two in the case of Batman and Robin) teaming up with a special DC Comics guest.
In this episode, two black teenagers have car trouble and harassed by two racist teenagers. The Wonder Twins go to help.
This is a pretty typically forgettable Wonder Twins cartoon. The message about the idiocy of racism is an important one to teach kids. Yet it is conveyed in a completely forgettable and didactic way. There is little entertainment value here as well with underwhelming action scenes and didactic dialogue.
Note: Sorry about no Cowboy Church post this week. Been very busy with both work and school. School work especially took much longer than expected. I promise there will be a Cowboy Church post next week. In the meantime, enjoy this video about actor Dwight Frye.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Though many of us today associate Looney Tunes with characters like Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck, the first staring Looney Tune character was Bosko, a little boy who shared much in common with Mickey Mouse. This character was created by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, who were former Disney animators and later major directors for MGM's cartoon output. When they left in 1933, they would take the rights of this character with them, which led Warner Brothers to have to create new characters. Today's cartoon selection begins with very first Looney Tunes cartoon ever, Sinkin' in the Bathtub (1930). The credited animator of this film is Friz Freleng (credited as Isadore Freleng), who would later become one of series' main directors as well as the creator of Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam, Sylvester and (not for Looney Tunes) Pink Panther.
Up next is the Fleischer Screen Song cartoon, You Came to My Rescue (1937). The title song was written by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger for the feature length movie, The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936), which had an all-star cast including Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Ray Milland, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa and Leopold Stokowski. Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger also wrote Bob Hope's signature song, Thanks for the Memory, which was introduced in the feature film, The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938).
Now for the classic Terry Toons short, The Elephant Mouse (1951). In this cartoon a cat mistakes a baby elephant for a big mouse, similar to the way Slyvester would mistake a baby kangaroo for a big mouse.
When Gene Dietch took over the Terry Toons studio in 1956, the studio's output changed drastically. One cartoon that really shows this is The Bone Ranger (1957). The idea of a dog chasing after a bone was one that could have easily been done by the old studio; however, they would have done it completely differently. They would have made a simple slapstick gag fest. However, this cartoon seems more concerned with the character and the animation of the lead character, than really making one laugh. The slapstick impact of even tried and true gags appears muted here and never calls attention to itself. There is even a surprising bit of sentimentality in this film. The background art is also completely different from anything the old Terry Toons would have done. Those cartoons would have used a standard cartoon background that would hardly call attention to itself. However, this film has a very stylized and very eye-catching background that plays a large role in the effectiveness of this cartoon.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now it is silent movie time with Koko Hops Off (1927).
Next, we join Pluto in Wonder Dog (1950). This short film would not make its TV debut until episode of 60 of the 1981 show, Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald. The other cartoons in this episode were Lonesome Ghosts (1937) and Donald's Lucky Day (1939). The cartoon also aired on the Disney TV special From Disney, with Love (1984), which aired on Valentines Day and featured multiple romantic themed cartoons as well as clips from Disney features.
Casper the Friendly Ghost was created by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo. The character was created with the intention of staring him in a 1939 children's book. However there was little interest in this idea. During World War 2, Oriolo sold the rights to the book to Famous Studios, the animation studio which was making the Popeye cartoons at this time. The studio originally viewed this as a one shot cartoon, but Sam Buchwald liked the idea and by 1950, Casper cartoons would officially become a series. Animator Myron Waldman worked on the majority of the Casper films would later state, "The boys at the studio used to kid me when we were doing the Caspers; they'd call them the 'ooh-ahh' pictures, but I always felt those pictures would last much longer than a picture that was just based on gags, because nobody can remember the gags. When they go to see it again, or talk about it, I think they like a story - kids especially." Up next is the first Casper cartoon and one that was also an adaption of the book. So, enjoy The Friendly Ghost (1945).
Next is The Simpsons in Maggie in Peril (Chapter One) (1989). This short was made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the animated family got their own TV series. Be sure to toon in next week to see what happens next. I know you will be in suspense.
THanks for joining me come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
Marvel fans rejoice on the fourth try, the Fantastic Four finally receive a great movie.
With a few exceptions, the best MCU movies can be watched as a stand-alone movie (for instance the first Iron Man and the first Guardians of the Galaxy). This movie can perfectly be viewed as just that. No knowledge about other MCU films or streaming shows is necessary here and the ending feels conclusive for this particular story (while still leaving the door open for more stories of course). Marvel geeks may be aware of ways that this might be leading to future events in the MCU, but being aware of such things is not essential to your enjoyment of the film.
One way this film stands out from previous Fantastic Four movies is that the focus is completely on the family dynamic. This has always been what has made the Fantastic Four stand out from other superhero teams in the comics. The are not a strategic strike team like the Avengers nor the close friends or colleagues of the Justice League. They are very literally a family and function exactly like one. This is unfortunately what all the previous movies starring the superhero team missed. Helping out on this front is the humor is completely character based rather than the type of smart aleck humor that has been in a lot of recent comic movies (it worked in some of those films, but I don't think it would have for the Fantastic Four). Most of comedic moments aren't just there for comedy but also to help us have a greater grasp of these characters. The great chemistry between Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn goes a long way as well (once again casting director Sarah Halley Finn proves herself to be the true hero of the MCU). Even the villain receives very little screen time because unlike in other superhero films, he is not the main focus here but rather how are heroes respond to his threat (which is just as well since even the best MCU movies can suffer from weak villains at times).
This movie is actually rather light on action with only a couple of real action scenes. These action scenes however are quite exciting and fun. The film also benefits from a great look that is completely new for the MCU. The look is a mixture of a 60's aesthetic and some futuristic sci-fi elements. This works so well it is hard to believe that this is the only the second feature film from director Matt Shakman, who has mostly worked in TV (it is not his first MCU project though as he directed the streaming mini-series WandaVision).
This is exactly what I wanted from a Fantastic Four movie.
