Michael's Christmas Movie Guide: Iron Man 3 (2013)

 

Iron Man 3 was the first of the live action Iron Man movies (not counting The Avengers (2012)) to be directed by someone other than Jon Favreau (though he still served as an executive producer and played the character of Happy). The director instead would be Shane Black. Shane Black had made his directorial debut with another movie starring Robert Downey Jr., Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005). His other directorial effort The Nice Guys (2016), The Predator (2018) and Play Dirty (2025). Before becoming a director, he worked as a writer on such movies as Lethal Weapon (1987), The Monster Squad (1987), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), The Last Boy Scout (1991) and Last Action Hero (1993). About taking over this film series Black stated, "truthfully, the way to go about doing a part 3, if you're ever in that position, as I'm lucky enough to be, is to find a way that the first two weren't done yet. You have to find a way to make sure that the story that's emerging is still ongoing and, by the time you've finished 3, will be something resembling the culmination of a trilogy. It's about, 'How has the story not yet been completely told?,' and I think we're getting there. I think we've really found ways to make this feel organic and new, based on what's come before, and that's what I'm happy about." 

In this film, Tony Stark finds himself during with strong PTSD after the events of The Avengers. He is having bad anxiety attacks and is having trouble sleeping. Meanwhile a terrorist known as the Mandarin is supposedly behind a series of bombings. When Tony investigates, he discovers that there might be more going on here than meets the eye. 

This is one of the most underrated MCU films. It is rarely listed when people talk about the best Marvel movies, however it is truly excellent. 

Like many of the best superhero movies, this functions as a character study first and foremost. Tony Stark feels even more real and human here than in the other MCU films. After two solo movies and one Avengers film, it is amazing that the filmmakers were able to find a new side to Tony to explore here. Exploring the character's anxieties and unhealthy obsession with control is a great route to go here. The way the film deals with these sides to him are incredibly well done. It feels very real, giving a strong weight to this superhero film. This vulnerability is increased by having Tony separated from his Iron Man suit for the majority of the film. The movie feels like a real-world drama at many times with a few comic book style embellishments and this is the secret to why it is so effective. 

This movie's story is also quite refreshing. It is rare to find a 21st century action packed Hollywood blockbuster that is not completely predictable. Yet this movie has some very clever twists and turns that initially took me by surprise. The film does a great job of building clear expectations and then completely subverting them in very intelligent ways. 

Though the action is not the focus here, the action scenes are excellent, living up to the high standards laid in place by the previous films. This action scenes are quite exciting and often feel larger than life.   

The movie does have some flaws though. The pacing is off at times. Certain scenes go on too long, while some plot points and subplots are quite rushed. The humor can also fall quite flat at times (though there are a couple really funny moments here) and is not always in tune with the more serious tone of much of the movie. 

These flaws though are very well drowned out by all the elements that are truly great here.   

About how this movie ended up taking place around Christmas Shane Black stated, "Well it just sort of evolved oddly enough in Iron Man 3, because I had resisted it. It was [co-screenwriter] Drew [Pearce] who taught me... I think it's a sense of if you're doing something on an interesting scale that involves an entire universe of characters, one way to unite them is to have them all undergo a common experience. There's something at Christmas that unites everybody and it already sets a stage within the stage, that wherever you are, you're experiencing this world together. I think that also there's something just pleasing about it to me. I mean I did LETHAL WEAPON back in '87 and Joe liked it so much he put Die Hard at Christmas and there was some fun to that. So, look, you don't have to do every film that way." He would add "It's a time of reckoning for a lot of people, when you take stock of how you got to where you are now and lonely people are lonelier at Christmas and you tend to notice things more acutely, I think."

This film was a major box office success grossing $1.266 billion worldwide. The movie outgrossed Iron Man (2008) and Iron Man 2 (2010) combined. It would be the second highest grossing movie of 2013 with Disney's Frozen being the top film. Critical reviews were mostly positive, though not as glowing as was the case for the first Iron Man.  

Resources Used

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2013/

https://www.slashfilm.com/525964/why-iron-man-3-is-a-christmas-movie/

https://collider.com/robert-downey-jr-shane-black-iron-man-3-interview/

Movie Review: Violent Ends

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B-

A well-made but very familiar thriller. 

This movie has a very familiar storyline about a man who comes from a family of criminals. He wants to break away from his family's criminal ways because he is going to get married and have kids. However, his fiancée is killed in a botched robbery that he believes his family is responsible for. He seeks revenge on those who he believes killed his fiancée. We have seen this type of story many times before and that can make it to where this film will blend in with similar ones in our minds. However, this does not mean it can't be well told. 

There is quite a bit to like here actually. Our main character is quite a good one. He is a character that we at first really like and root for. However, as his darker side comes out, our feelings towards him become more complicated. His moral decline is presented in a completely believable and gradual way. With this the movie does a great job of showing us how a seemingly good guy can have a monster living inside. This is all helped by an excellent lead performance by Billy Magnussen. The movie is also full of some really effective action scenes and some surprisingly good twists and turns.

I could have done without this film's opening scene where the main character hunts and kills a deer. He then very graphically cuts the deer up into meat. As a vegetarian and strong believer in animal rights I have always been very uncomfortable with these overly gory animal scenes. Beyond this though the scene is simply pointless in the context of the movie.   

This may be overly familiar, but it is quite good for what it is.  

 

100 Years of Brodies with Hal Roach: The Jaunty Journeys of a Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Pioneer (2014)

 

For those of us who love classic comedy, Hal Roach is a legendary name. He produced many classic films starring the likes of Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd, the Our Gang kids (also known as The Little Rascals), Charley Chase and plenty more. All these years later these films stand as some of the greatest comedies of all time. So of course, for us any book about Hal Roach makes for essential reading. However, this book stands as one of the best books about the subject. This is because it not only gives us a historical overview of one of the best comedy studios of all time, but it also gives us the most vivid portrait of Hal Roach as a person available. 

Author Craig Calman is a comedy filmmaker himself who discovered the work of Hal Roach at a very young age becoming enamored with the films of Laurel and Hardy. Little did he dream as that young kid that one day he would meet the producer of those classic Laurel and Hardy films. At the age of twenty he went out on a limb and tried to contact Hal Roach, when working on a term paper. This resulted in a decades long friendship. This book is the result of that friendship. Much of the book is filled with quotes from Hal Roach. Because of this we not only get a view of how films were made at the Hal Roach Studio but also insights into Hal Roach viewed comedy and filmmaking. His views on comedy are quite revealing from him speaking about taking children into consideration but never making films only for them to him talking about how he believed that comedies should not exceed forty-five minutes (though he would make feature length comedies out of necessity). He even speaks about others in the comedy field from Mack Sennett to Benny Hill. While I may not agree on some of those comments, they do say a lot about his approach to comedy and how it differed from others. Even the times when Roach's memory proved to be faulty, what he remembers about his own work says a lot about the way he viewed his career and the various films he worked on. 

Though by design this book cannot go into as much detail about individual films as Randy Skretvedt's Laurel and Hardy books or Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann's book about Our Gang, it still gives a very nice historical overview of the work from this movie studio. Probably most valuable is that for each year of the studio's existence, Calman provides a list of how many films were made with each of the studio's comedy stars as well as how many dramatic features or special productions were made for each year. Calman as well as using his personal experience with Hal Roach also digs into studio documentation and old movie magazines to create an even greater dig into the history of these films. 

Also unlike many histories of the Hal Roach Studio, this book does not neglect the studio's later involvement in TV. This includes both TV shows made by the studio and those that used the studio's resources for filming (did you know The Abbott and Costello Show was filmed there?).

 This book is a must have for any fan of classic comedy. 

For any fan of classic comedy 

How Mack Sennett Picks His Bathing Beauties

Other than the Keystone Cops, Mack Sennett's Bathing Beauties are the most famous staple of the silent comedies produced by Mack Sennett. Sex sells is not a recent idea and more than 100 years ago, filmmakers knew that nothing would get audiences' (especially male audiences') attention as much as beautiful women. Mack Sennett took this idea even farther. When it came to his filmmaking style Mack Sennett certainly believed that more was more. This was not only true when it came to his unsubtle brand of slapstick humor but also to how many beautiful women, he would have onscreen. If one beautiful woman in a bathing suit would capture someone's attention, then multiple women in bathing suits would do so even further. Thus, was born Mack Sennett's bathing beauties. 

If you are wondering how Mack Sennett picked his bathing beauties than look no further. Such is explained in the following article from a 1923 issue of Screenland magazine. If you have any trouble reading the pages below click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in. 

Here is a MAck Sennett produced short featuring the Bathing Beauties, Heroic Ambrose (1919).

Video Link: Fats Waller & Ada Brown - That Ain't Right - Stormy Weather (1943)

Cowboy Church #240

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing Sweet Hour of Prayer. Prayer is one of the important parts of a Christians life but it also something that many Christians don't spend enough time doing. I admit myself to having been guilty of prayer far less than I should. Yet talking to the God of the universe is an incredible privilege we have and one of the greatest blessings in our lives. 

This is followed by Brenda Lee with This Little Light of Mine. This song is often credited to Harold Dixon Loes, but there is some debate as to whether or not he wrote the song. This hymn is said to date back to the 1920's. However the first known recording of the song comes from 1934, where it was sung by a man named Jim Boyd, who at the time was imprisoned in the Huntsville, Texas State Penitentiary. In 1939 a recording was made of a woman named Doris McMurray, who was serving time in a prison in Huntsville. She stated that she learned the sing from her grandmother in Waco. Since she was an African American woman this supports the belief that this song was originally an African American spiritual. In the 1950's and 60's this song would take on a whole new meaning as it would be used for the Civil Rights movement. Civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer would state, "Singing is one of the main things that can keep us going. When you're in a brick cell, locked up, and haven't done anything to anybody but still you're locked up there and sometimes words just begin to come to you and you begin to sing. Like one of my favorite songs, 'This Little Light of Mine, I'm Going to Let it Shine.' This same song goes back to the fifth chapter of Matthew, which is the Beatitudes of the Bible, when he says a city that sets on a hill cannot be hid. Let your light shine so that men would see your good works and glorify the father which is in heaven. I think singing is very important. It brings out the soul." 

Afterwards is Patty Loveless with Bramble and the Rose. This comes from her 2009 gospel album, Mountain Soul II. 

Next is Anne Wilson with Those People. Though the church should be some of the most welcoming people in the world, too often they are the opposite. Jesus died for everybody and because of this prejudice has no place in the heart of a Christian. 

Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. This song should remind us of how blessed we truly are. It is the things we take for granted each day that are our greatest blessings. Sometimes we need to stop and simply thank God for these blessings. The narrator of this song is not thankful for any big event in his life, but rather for all the little blessing he receives every day.

This is followed by John Berry with I Surrender All.  This song was written by Judson Van de Venter in 1896. A schoolteacher, who was being called to become an evangelist it took him five years to surrender and leave his teaching job for what was his true calling. This song reflects this brave and faithful action. 

Today's musical selection ends with Loretta Lynn with When Thery Ring Those Golden Bells. This recording comes from Loretta's 1965 gospel album, Hymns.

Now for the exciting conclusion to the Buck Jones movie serial, The Red Rider (1934). 

Now for a message from the Reverand Billy Graham. 

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you

    from the fowler’s snare

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

    ten thousand at your right hand,

    but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes

    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”

    and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10 no harm will overtake you,

    no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you

    to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;

    I will be with him in trouble,

    I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him

    and show him my salvation.”

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

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #253

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Sylvester and Tweety in The Jet Cage (1962). Though this film gives Milt Franklin credit for the music, much of the music was done by William Lava. This is because Milt Franklin died of a heart attack before finishing the musical score and had to be replaced by William Lava. About the Sylvester and Tweety cartoons, director Friz Freleng stated, "Tweety doesn't do anything. He can't even put a hat on because his arms are too short. And he's got such a bug head. The comedy comes out of Sylvester and his determination, his stubbornness to get the bird no matter what happens to him. Still, everybody says, 'Oh I love that Tweety.' Audiences are funny. They never love the characters that really get the laughs."

Next the Terry Toons cartoon, A Yokohama Yankee (1955).

Mickey's Amateurs (1937) is a rare directorial effort by Pinto Colvig, who my fellow Disney fans will know best as the voice of Goofy (who appears in this film). He co-directed this cartoon with Erdman Penner and Walt Pfeiffer. Penner spent most of his time at Disney working in the story department. He even worked on such Disney feature films as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), The Reluctant Dragon (1941), Victory Through Air Power (1943), Make Mine Music (1946), Melody Time (1948), The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955) and Sleeping Beauty (1959). Walt Pfeiffer was a childhood friend of Walt Disney and would become manager of Disney's Penthouse Club. None of these men were typically directors of cartoons and to see them in the director's chair is a rare treat. The three also wrote the short, which was a more typical job for them.  In their book Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History, J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein describe this film as "...an extremely offbeat cartoon, with wild, freewheeling gags and animation that suggest other studios as much as Disney." Animator Al Eugster remembered working on this cartoon with a real fondness stating, "I felt I had more freedom during my assignment on this film." This short would be the last Mickey Mouse cartoon released for United Artists. The following is a review from The Motion Picture Herald. "Making sport of the current amateur hour craze, the Disney penmen have devised some of the craziest and comic cartoon moments yet to hit the screen. With Mickey Mouse as the master of ceremonies, the talent parade their specific specialties. Donald Duck recites "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," which is a very coy act for Donald and a good laugh for his audience. The female aspirants are represented by Clara Cluck and Carabelle Cow who offer a song and a piano treat. The highlight of the progamme and the one that would receive this reviewer's vote is 'Bandmaster Goofy and his Fifty Piece Band.' Goofy and his 'Rube Goldberg' invention play 'In The Good Old Summertime' and then going modern, the pace proves too much for the maestro and his machine. The subject must be seen to be appreciated and enjoyed and enjoyed. The fun it offers defies description. Running time, one reel."  

Now for the Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, Stone Age Stunts (1930). This cartoon features two mice who look a lot like Mickey and Minnie. In 1931 Walt Disney would actually file a lawsuit against the Van Buren studio over the use of two mice that looked too much like Mickey and Minnie. The result was the Van Buren studio was no longer allowed to use these two mice characters. 



 

Time for a commercial break. 

Now for some silent era fun with Ko-Ko in Toyland (1925). 

Next is The Blue Racer in Snake Preview (1973). This short film is directed by Cullen Blaine, who had previously worked on the DePatie-Freleng TV series Super President and The Barkleys as a layout and storyboard artist.  He would later direct the Pink Panther cartoon, Pink Piper (1976) and various episodes of shows like The Get Along Gang, Garfield and Friends and Hey Arnold. He would also work as a timing director on such shows as Timon and Pumba, 101 Dalmatians: The Series, Static Shock and What's New Scooby-Doo. Snake Preview also features Crazy Legs Crane who would star in his own series of short cartoons. 

 

 

Next comes a Friz Freleng directed classic, Daffy the Commando (1943). This is a very topical cartoon for the era, throwing in many World War Two gags and old radio show reference. However, a fast pace and some solid gags help it stand up very well today.  The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Daffy the Commando: Looney Tunes Cartoon - This is Daffy's best. By the way where has Vitaphone being keeping Daffy Duck? This is the first I played in a long while. -Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va."



 

Now for The Simpsons in Burping Contest (1987). This is one of the Simpson shorts for the Tracey Ullman show before the family 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 be merry. 

Resources Used

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

 I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck.

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

 

Silent Film of the Month: Too Many Kisses (1925)

 

Run Time:  60 minutes. Studio: Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. Director: Paul Sloane. Writer: Gerald C. Duffy. Based on a story by John Monk Saunders. Producers: Jesse L. Lasky, Adolph Zukor. Main Cast: Richard Dix, Frank Currier, Albert Tavernier, Frances Howard, William Powell, Paul Panzer, Arthur Ludwig, Joseph Burke, Harpo Marx. Cinematographer: Harold Rosson. 

One of the few good things to come out of 2020 was the resurfacing of the delightful silent movie, Too Many Kisses. 

In this movie, Richard Gaylord, Jr. is the son of a successful businessman, but his playboy ways make his father doubt his ability to take over the family business. The son is sent on a trip to Basquea region of France, where it is believed that woman would never be seen with a man outside of their own culture to rid him of his playboy ways. However, there he meets a local girl who falls for him, but he is afraid that starting a relationship with her would cause him to lose the opportunity to take over the company in the future. 

With only an hour-long runtime, this movie is fun from start to finish. The whole film moves at a fast pace and even if it isn't laugh out loud funny, it keeps a delightful comic momentum going throughout. The story itself may be slight and silly, but the movie never takes itself seriously enough for that to bother us. In fact, it just adds to the unpretentious charm. Also helping is Richard Dix in the main role. Dix multiple times has proven himself to be very adept at this type of light comedy. He adds such an effortless charm to this role that makes even the corniest moments a lot of fun. 

Those who know this movie mostly know it for being the film debut for Harpo Marx. In his autobiography Harpo would remember only appearing extremely briefly in this movie claiming that if you blinked you missed him. While this is still a supporting role, it is still more substantial than he gave it credit for. He even receives his only cinematic line of dialogue in this movie, though because it is a silent film, we only see it via intertitle and don't hear his voice.  

Another actor who had an early film role here was Willaim Powell. In contrast to his later movie roles, in the silent era he often played villains. Yet he adds so much to role as he clearly enjoys playing this villainous role very much. 

Paul Salone is a rather unknown director and most of his films are those that even the staunchest film buffs may not have heard of. Some of his "best known" movies include two movies starring the comedy team of Wheeler and Woosley: The Cuckoos (1930) and Half Shot at Sunrise (1930). He would direct Richard Dix again in The Shock Punch (1925). 

This film's writer Gerald C. Duffy was better known as a short story writer with many popular short stories that appeared in various magazines. IMDB states that he wrote more than 200 short stories by the time he was 23. However, he did do quite a bit of film work during the silent era, starting as a title writer and working his way up to a story writer. He would suddenly die at the age of 32, in the middle of dictating a script. Some notable screenplays include the Mabel Normand features, The Slim Princess (1920) and What Happened to Rosa (1920) as well as the Mary Pickford vehicle Through the Back Door (1921). 

Exhibitor's World, 1925

The following is a review from a 1925 issue of Exhibitor's Trade Review (there are spoilers in this review but since this is such a lighthearted romp, this should not matter much). 

"A crackerjack comedy drama that should pack them in wherever it is shown! Richard Dix more than makes good in 'Too Many Kisses,' a great attraction to the needs of all classes of theatres.

"The feature is a laugh getter from beginning to end and mingled with its crisp, brisk humorous situations, a generous measure of romance and spirited melodrama. Director Paul Salone has balanced his story values neatly, the action buzzes along at a merry clip and there isn't a slack moment in the entire six reels.

"We are all familiar with the handsome young American screen hero who does to a foreign country, performs wonderous deeds of valor and winds up carrying off the prettiest girl in sight. Such is the principal theme of 'Too Many Kisses,' but it's treated in an altogether new fashion, with such excellent comedy effects, unlimited dash and vim that it never lands in a conventional rut or ceases to grip and hold the spectator's attention. 

"Hero Richard Gaylord is such a confirmed lady's man that his anxious papa ships him to Spain in order to dodge any more breach of promise cases on the part of his fair country women. But the first thing Dick does is to fall head over heels in love with a Spanish beauty and then the fireworks start. For the said beauty, Yvonne, is much desired by the captain of the guards. Julio who is framed for his skill as a knife thrower and general ferocity and naturally objects strenuously to Richard's intrusion.

"The thrill's pile up in lively style from the moment Julio steps into the picture. Richard is handicapped because he promises Yvonne not to fight, but when she releases him from that promise what he does to the pugnacious Julio is plenty. He whips the latter in as dynamic a scrap as has even been filmed, and a happy climax is attained when Gaylord Senior arrives and gives Yvonne his OK. 

"Richard Dix has gone ahead with giant strides lately but has never done anything quite as good as his portrayal of the vivacious young Gaylord. By refraining from overstraining the 'heroics' he gets all the fun possible out of the role, without neglecting the romantic angle, an exceedingly fine performance. Frances Howard shows up as well as the heroine Yvonne, is attractive and wins universal flavor. The support is excellent." 

I highly recommend you get the Blu-ray from the Film Preservation Society. This Blu-ray has musical accompaniment for the feature by Bill Marx, Harpo's son. As well as the main movie the Blu-ray also features the Paramount publicity film, The House That Shadows Built (1931), which features a Marx Brother skit that was only performed on film for this one film. It also features the silent short, A Child's Impulse directed by D.W. Griffith and starring Mary Pickford. 



 

REsources Used

https://www.jbkaufman.com/movie-of-the-month/too-many-kisses-1925

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries: A Halloween Hassle at Dracula's Castle (1984)

 

An excellent episode. 

In this episode, the Mystery Inc. Gang is invited to a Halloween party at Dracula's castle. However, they soon learn the reason they were invited. Having heard that the gang are famous ghost hunters, Dracula and all his monster friends want the gang to rid the castle of the ghost of monster hunter Van Helsing. 

This is a truly wonderful episode. I love how it combines having real monsters with a typical Scooby mystery. It really helps that the mystery itself is very well done with some surprisingly good twists along the way. The ghost is a great villain with a delightfully creepy and memorable design. I especially the glow around him. The monsters themselves are a lot of fun, and I love their designs as well. The humor is also quite good here and the final twist here is really funny. 

This episode was written by the very popular cartoon and comic book writer Paul Dini, whose excellent work has appeared on such shows as Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Animaniacs, Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Static Shock, Duck Dodgers, Justice League Unlimited and New Looney Tunes. However, he is probably best known for being the creator of Harley Quinn. His other work with Scooby Doo would include the direct to video movie Scooby-Doo!: Abracadabra-Doo (2010). 

Movie Review: Bugonia

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

Another reminder why Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone are the best director-star duo in movies today. 

This movie has the delightfully strange and creative premise of two conspiracy theorists kidnapping a CEO, because they believe she is an alien bent on Earth's destruction. From this premise Lanthimos delivers one of his funniest but angriest films. Beneath all the humor and weirdness, this is a very pessimistic movie. Lanthimos and screenwriter Will Tracy (Co-writer of The Menu (2022)) are angry at humanity for what they have become in our 21st century world (socially, politically and most of all ethically). This may be one of the bleakest portraits of humanity in all American cinema. In fact, it would downright depressing if it wasn't so entertaining. Luckily for us though there is a lot to actually enjoy here. Lanthimos' typically over the top humor is all of this movie and it has rarely been funnier than it is here. The movie also works equally well as a thriller. It keeps you guessing what direction the story is going in all the way through. Even when you think you know where the story is going it makes you constantly second guessing yourself. The suspense scenes are just as excellent as the comedic ones. Each one is full of lots of excitement. 

It is hard to talk about the ending of this movie in detail without giving away spoilers. What I will say is it is incredibly effective and makes you want to laugh, while at the same time making you feel very uncomfortable and ashamed for wanting to laugh. It is in short brilliant. 

This movie also benefits from a fantastic and very small cast. Emma Stone is as wonderful as she has proven herself in her previous films with Lanthimos. Jesse Plemons is equally wonderful.

This may not be a film for everyone, but it is still a wonderful movie. 

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo: Scooby’s Trip to Ahz (1981)

 

One of the more memorable Scooby and Scrappy shorts. 

In this short, Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy are planning on watching the Wizard of Oz (1939) in the Mystery Machine. However, when Scooby accidentally knocks himself out, he dreams he is in Oz. In his dream he is the cowardly lion, Shaggy is the Scarecrow and Scrappy is the Tin Man. 

Though not exactly funny, this short is loaded with charm. For some reason these characters feel perfectly at home in an OZ like setting. There is a lot of imagination put into this setting, much more imagination than in the typical Scooby and Scrappy short. Even if it is a bad pun, there is something quite charming about the Yellow Brick Toad. The artwork here is lovely and has a great storybook type feel to it. Most of all though there is just a certain calm relaxing Saturday morning charm to this cartoon that I really enjoy. 

No one will claim this to be a masterpiece but it quite charming.  

Movie Review: Anniversary

 

Michael's Movie Grade: F

A frustratingly vague and unintentionally silly political thriller. 

This movie about a new controversial political party tearing apart a family is both very politically charged and apolitical at the same time. It seems to very desperately want to say something, but afraid to make any real political commentary at the same time. At first it seems like this will be a very important movie with a lot to say but the closer you look at it you find it is completely hollow and without substance. When politics is the focus of the film then a movie needs to have a political point of view. The problem with an apolitical political movie is that it is too vague and abstract for us to have any real attachment too. What we simply get is some people seemingly talking about politics but saying nothing (admittedly that is similar to some actual political speeches I have heard but that is beside the point). 

For a movie that is supposed to be holding a mirror to our society, it often becomes too over the top and unintentionally silly. For what starts off as a rather realistic thriller, it quickly veers into completely unbelievable territory. Each plot twist makes the film more unbelievable and sillier. If this was a South Park like satire, this would work but instead the movie takes itself 100% seriously as if they believe everything in this movie can not only happen but somehow seems like a very probable future for America. 

  This is a complete mess that views itself as a film with substance, despite lacking anything to actually say. 

The New Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Show: Who's Minding the Monster (1983)

 

A strange but fun episode. 

In this episode, Daphne, Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy take a trip to Transylvania. They read that the Frankenstein monster is on the loose and Daphne decides they should investigate. They go to Frankenstein Castle to investigate and find the castle is now occupied by the Draculas. Scooby and Shaggy become a babysitter for the Dracula's however the normal human looking baby turns out to be a werewolf. 

There is a lot that is very strange about this cartoon. Despite the obvious supernatural elements to this episode, Daphne remains completely unconvinced that the supernatural can be real and she never once doubts this. If this was played for laughs, that would be one thing, but her disbelief is just treated as a matter-of-fact thing making it seem just odd. The uses of the monsters are also quite odd. The Frankenstein monster is treated as almost a robot and Dracula's wife looks like the bride in The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Towards the end this episode takes an even stranger twist, and the final gag is more bizarre than funny. However, it is this strangeness that truly makes this episode stand out and gives it a real bit of charm. The episode also benefits from a strong sense of atmosphere and some great background art. 

The main flaw of this episode though is its runtime. At this time a half-hour of Scooby-Doo was made up of two 15-minute segments. However so much happens here that it would have benefitted from a half hour runtime. The episode simply hops from one plot point to the next. This doesn't allow enough time for the episode to take advantage of the comedic possibilities of the story. Scooby and Shaggy babysitting a werewolf in particular has lots of comedic possibilities, yet they are never fully utilized. 

The credited writer for this episode was Robert Goldblatt, this is the only writing credit I can find for him. Perhaps this accounts for the oddness of the cartoon. 

This is a very weird and odd Scooby short but that honestly gives it a real charm. 

Garbo the Athlete

 There are many words that come to mind when you think about Great Garbo, but none of those words are athletic. Yet this following article from a 1930 issue of Modern Screen Magazine insists that athletic was just what Greta Garbo. If you have any trouble reading the following article, click on the pages below and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you don't have touch screen click here. 

Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated: All Fear the Freak (2011)

 

An intense and wonderful episode. 

In this episode the Mystery Inc. Gang goes on their biggest mystery yet as they face the Freak of Crystal Cove and try to solve the mystery that dissolved the original Mystery Inc. gang before them. 

Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated was one of the few Scooby shows to have a continuing story arc from episode to episode. One of the best aspects of this show is how well it built up the stakes from episode to episode. This is one of the few cartoon shows where not only did each episode lead up to something bigger but when that something bigger came, it completely lived up to what it promised. Most of these shows have disappointing conclusions but this show lives up to everything it promises. This can easily be seen in this finale to the first season. This episode feels so much bigger than anything that came before. Not only is the monster creepy and threatening but this episode truly changes the relationships between the characters. Unlike most Scooby mysteries the mystery has a greater and much more personal effect than simply a monster being unmasked. The reveals in this episode are truly shocking with the most shocking unmasking in the history of Scooby-Doo. This not only feels like a great cumulation of everything that everything that this season has been heading towards, but it also promises something much larger and more intense in the second season. 

This episode was written by Mitch Watson, who wrote many episodes of this show's first season and provided some voices of incidental characters. His non-Scooby work includes the live action made for TV movie, Ben 10: Race Against Time (2007) and the TV series, Beware the Batman (a very underappreciated TV show). 

The episode was directed by Victor Cook, who not only directed many episodes of the show but was also the supervising director for the first season and a producer for the second. As well as this show, he also directed the direct to video movie Scooby-Doo Stage Fright (2013). His non-Scooby work includes such series as Spectacular Spider-Man and Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters.

This is truly a wonderful episode. 

Movie Review: Blue Moon

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

One of the best movies of the year (so far). 

For those of you unaware Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers were one of the greatest songwriting teams of the 20th century. With Hart providing the lyrics and Rodgers providing the music, the team had written many gems of the Great American Songbook. These include My Funny Valentine, Where or When, The Lady Is a Tramp, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and of course Blue Moon. The two worked only together until Rodgers teamed up with Oscar Hammerstein II for Oklahoma. This movie tells the story of Lorenz Hart at a bar after seeing the premiere of Oklahoma. 

On paper it would seem like a movie like this wouldn't work. It takes place almost entirely in one setting and is filled with wall-to-wall dialogue. While you can argue about how cinematic this type of storytelling is, you become so caught up in how great the dialogue is that you don't even really pay attention to this. Early on in the film, two characters quote Casablanca (1942) to each other. Perhaps it is inevitable that a movie filled with such great dialogue would pay tribute to the film with the most iconic dialogue in cinema history. The script by Robert Kaplow (author of the best seller Me and Orson Welles) is extremely witty, intelligent, engaging and insightful. This is the kind of script that stays with you long after the film is over. The ideas expressed in the dialogue are very profound and thought provoking, yet this is not the only charm of the dialogue. Being a film about a lyricist, words are chosen not only for their meaning but their sound. Appropriately there is a real lyrical quality to the dialogue that is quite entrancing. Even so the dialogue can also be really funny at times, which helps the film from getting too heavy as to not be entertaining. Of course, having some of the greatest American music play throughout the movie

One line from Casablanca that is quoted numerous times throughout is "nobody ever loved me that much." Within this quote lies the tragedy of the story. Though Hart had some written the lyrics to some the greatest love songs ever, he never experienced that kind of love himself. Meanwhile his alcoholism and personal problems have driven away the closest people he ever had to him. This movie looks at a deeply lonely and sad man, who finds more companionship with a bartender and piano player in a bar than to those who should be closest to him. Yet the movie does not spend most of its time pitying him but rather empathizing with him. We deeply feel every emotion he is feeling and any of us who have ever felt lonely or incapable of being loved, see too much of ourselves for our own comfort. This complexity is perfectly captured by Ethan Hawke's magnificent performance. This may be the best performance of his career as he perfectly captures every single emotion and complexity to this character.   

Yet Hawke is not the only standout of this cast. The whole cast is excellent, and special attention must go to Margaret Qualley as a younger woman he is infatuated with. She is positively radiant on screen, and we can perfect understand this infatuation.

This is a pure masterpiece.  

Movie Review: Truth and Treason

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very well made but familiar World War 2 movie. 

There have been many movies lately about individuals standing up against the Nazi Regime in Germany. Perhaps this is because in today's politically heated climate, the message of standing up to the evils around you is incredibly timely. It is also safer to tell these stories than ones involved directly in today's political climate. This is especially true since most sides of the political spectrum (except for those dangerous amoral extremists who actually wave around Nazi flags), will believe the modern equivalent of the Nazis to be people on a different side of the political spectrum.

Talking about being safe, safety is the main flaw of this film. This movie does nothing that the countless similar films haven't done already. It does all these elements quite well, but its familiarity makes it simply blend in with the many similar movies. Because of this, you are not likely to remember much about this movie in the future and if you do, you will probably get it confused with a different film.

Despite this the movie is very well made. The emotional moments hit quite hard and some of the tense scenes feel almost unbearable. Even the romance (something that often feels forced into these films), is quite effective and touching. However, the heart of this film lies with the characters and the cast. We automatically like and care about these characters. Even more than this we respect their bravery and how strongly they stand for what they believe in. The cast is uniformly excellent. Ewan Horrocks is especially compelling in the main role. 

The New Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Show: Hound of the Scoobyvilles (1983)

 

A really fun episode. 

Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne and Scrappy are taking a trip to Scottland to find out why Barkerville sheep have been disappearing. Many of the shepherds believe that they are disappearing because of the monstrous Hound of the Barkervilles. Unfortunately, Scooby is mistaken for the Hound of the Barkervilles and the gang must work together to clear Scooby's name. 

This is one of the better episodes of this show. It is very atmospheric with some great spooky background art that recalls the original Scooby-Doo Where Are You.  The Hound of the Barkervilles also has a wonderfully memorable and creepy design that really enhances the episode even if he only appears on screen briefly. However, what really makes this episode work so well is having Scooby-Doo be suspected of being the monster. This is a great twist on the typical Scooby formula that helps this episode stand out. 

However, I will admit this episode is low on laughs and the mystery is too easy to solve. 

Despite any flaws though, this is simply a delightful episode. 

All-New Super Friends Hour: The Mummy of Nazca (1977)

 

This is the third segment of the fourteenth 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, our heroes must save the day when the evil Professor Korloff brings an ancient mummy to life for his own nefarious reasons. 

As a fan of superheroes and the old Universal monster movies, this episode is a pure delight. The whole episode has a delight spooky Halloween-eque feel to it that I find tons of fun. The mummy's design is simple but very effective and his muffled vocal noises give him a delightful spooky feel. On top of this the mummy proves to be a very fun Super Friends villain, feeling like a real threat to our heroes. To name the professor leading the mummy Professor Korloff is a very fun nod to the classic Universal monster movies and to Boris Karloff who was the star of the horror classic, The Mummy (1932). The action scenes are a lot of fun here as well. 

If I had one complaint it is that this episode takes place mostly in the daytime. A spooky themed episode like this would have been even more fun and effective with a nighttime setting. 

All in all, though, this is a delightful episode. 

All-New Super Friends Hour: Dangerous Prank (1977)

 

This is the second segment of the fourteenth 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, the Wonder Twins must help when a prank goes very wrong and a teenage girl ends up trapped in an avalanche.

This is another rather lame Wonder Twins cartoon. Once again, the message takes precedence over any actual entertainment. Once again, this message is presented in a very didactic way with dialogue that is much too on the nose. The supporting characters again seem to only exist to drive home this obvious moral.

I will say that the background art is lovely in this cartoon though. 

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who: The Scooby of a Thousand Faces (2019)

 

A really fun episode. 

In this episode, the gang goes to Greece, where they visit a museum. At this museum they see a minotaur come to life. Before they can say "Jinkies," superhero Wonder Woman comes to slay the minotaur. When the minotaur gets away. The Mystery Inc. Gang and Wonder Woman team up to stop the creature. 

There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. The gang's chemistry with Wonder Woman is fantastic. Scooby's fanboy like crush on Wonder Woman is especially tons of fun, especially when Wonder Woman thinks Scooby is the most adorable dog in the world. Wonder Woman thinking the monster is real while the gang thinks it is a person in a mask adds a great dynamic and provides a fun twist on the usual Scooby formula. The humor is also pretty strong in the episode. Daphne and Velma get some good comedic lines here. Scooby and Shaggy meanwhile get some great bits of slapstick (especially during the training scenes). 

My one complaint about this episode is that the design of the minotaur is kind of generic and unmemorable. 

This episode's writer was Caroline Farah, who wrote many episodes of this show and a couple for Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. Her non-Scooby work includes Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (a really underrated cartoon show) and Monsuno. This episode was directed by Gavin Dell, who also directed episodes of Family Guy and Border Town. He has also worked as a storyboard artist on such shows as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Looney Tunes Show, Elena of Avalor, Disenchantment and Futurama. 

Cowboy Church #239

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with their 1950 recording of May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to Ya. This song was written by Peter Tinturn, who also wrote the songs for the Roy Rogers movie, Days of Jesse James (1939).

This is followed The Monroe Brothers with their 1937 recording of Sinner You Better Get Ready.

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with his version of the old Carter family song, Troublesome Waters. This recording comes from John's 1964 album, I Walk the Line. John certainly went through troublesome waters in his life. At one time they simply became too much for him to handle on his own. John spoke about this time stating, "It just felt like I was at the end of my line. I was down there by myself and I got to feelin' that I'd taken so many pills that I'd done it, that I was gonna blow up or something. I hadn't eaten in days, I hadn't slept in days, and my mind wasn't working too good anyway. I couldn't stand myself anymore. I wanted to get away from me. And if that meant dyin', then okay, I'm ready. I just had to get away from myself. I couldn't stand it anymore and I didn't think there was any other way. I took a flashlight with me and I said, I'm goin' to walk and crawl and climb into this cave until the light goes out, and then I'm gonna lie down. So I crawled in there with a flashlight until it burned out and I lay down to die. I was a mile in that cave. At least a mile. But I felt this great comforting presence sayin', 'No you're not dyin'.' I got things for you to do. So I got up, found my way out. Cliffs, ledges, drop-offs. I don't know how I got out, 'cept God got me out." After this experience, he knew that he had to repent from his many sins and rededicate his life to the Lord. (quote from The Man Called Cash by Steve Turner). 

Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. This song should remind us of how blessed we truly are. It is the things we take for granted each day that are our greatest blessings. Sometimes we need to stop and simply thank God for these blessings. The narrator of this song is not thankful for any big event in his life, but rather for all the little blessing he receives every day.

Next is Anne Wilson with Dead in the Water. This song is from her 2025 album, Stars.  

This is followed by Brenda Lee and Emmylou Harris with Jesus Loves Me. This comes from Brenda's 2007 album, Gospel Duets with Treasured Friends.

Today's musical selection ends with Jerry Lee Lewis with Gather Round Children. This recording comes from The Killer's 1971 album, In Loving Memories (The Jerry Lee Lewis Gospel Album). The backing vocals are by The Jordanaires, who backed Elvis Presley on many of his gospel recordings. 

Now for the 14th chapter of the Buck Jones movie serial, The Red Rider (1934). 

Now for a message from Billy Graham.

Psalm 89

A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;

    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known

    through all generations.

2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,

    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

    I have sworn to David my servant,

4 ‘I will establish your line forever

    and make your throne firm through all generations.’”

5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,

    your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?

    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?

7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;

    he is more awesome than all who surround him.

8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?

    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

9 You rule over the surging sea;

    when its waves mount up, you still them.

10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;

    with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.

11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;

    you founded the world and all that is in it.

12 You created the north and the south;

    Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.

13 Your arm is endowed with power;

    your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

    love and faithfulness go before you.

15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,

    who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

16 They rejoice in your name all day long;

    they celebrate your righteousness.

17 For you are their glory and strength,

    and by your favor you exalt our horn.

18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord,

    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Once you spoke in a vision,

    to your faithful people you said:

“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;

    I have raised up a young man from among the people.

20 I have found David my servant;

    with my sacred oil I have anointed him.

21 My hand will sustain him;

    surely my arm will strengthen him.

22 The enemy will not get the better of him;

    the wicked will not oppress him.

23 I will crush his foes before him

    and strike down his adversaries.

24 My faithful love will be with him,

    and through my name his horn will be exalted.

25 I will set his hand over the sea,

    his right hand over the rivers.

26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,

    my God, the Rock my Savior.’

27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,

    the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

28 I will maintain my love to him forever,

    and my covenant with him will never fail.

29 I will establish his line forever,

    his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30 “If his sons forsake my law

    and do not follow my statutes,

31 if they violate my decrees

    and fail to keep my commands,

32 I will punish their sin with the rod,

    their iniquity with flogging;

33 but I will not take my love from him,

    nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.

34 I will not violate my covenant

    or alter what my lips have uttered.

35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—

    and I will not lie to David—

36 that his line will continue forever

    and his throne endure before me like the sun;

37 it will be established forever like the moon,

    the faithful witness in the sky.”

38 But you have rejected, you have spurned,

    you have been very angry with your anointed one.

39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant

    and have defiled his crown in the dust.

40 You have broken through all his walls

    and reduced his strongholds to ruins.

41 All who pass by have plundered him;

    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.

42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

    you have made all his enemies rejoice.

43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword

    and have not supported him in battle.

44 You have put an end to his splendor

    and cast his throne to the ground.

45 You have cut short the days of his youth;

    you have covered him with a mantle of shame.

46 How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?

    How long will your wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how fleeting is my life.

    For what futility you have created all humanity!

48 Who can live and not see death,

    or who can escape the power of the grave?

49 Lord, where is your former great love,

    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?

50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has[g] been mocked,

    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,

51 the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,

    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.

52 Praise be to the Lord forever!

Amen and Amen.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church.