Yearly Archives: 2017

Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (2017)

*warning: a variety of spoilers follow*

I have been waiting months for this film to arrive and once it did, oh my gosh, it was absolutely worth the wait!!

Ordinal Scale is the first full length film set in the world of Sword Art Online, an anime that begins with the tale of 10,000 gamers trapped in a virtual reality “death game” called Sword Art Online (SAO). Of the original 10,000, only 4,000 made it out alive, among them Kirito, his girlfriend Asuna, Klein, Silica, Liz and Agil. Four years after the original death game concluded, in the year 2026, Japan is entranced with a new Augmented Reality (AR) device called the Augma that lets you fight epic battles (among many other functions, think of it has a futuristic version of Google Glass) in the real world. But curiously, monsters from the old SAO game are showing up, which shouldn’t be possible because the server for SAO was shut down when the game ended. Or WAS it??

There are many things I loved about this film, the mystery behind the Augma was intriguing, as was the revelation of who Yuna, the beautiful AI girl who serves as a “host” for Ordinal Scale really is (she has connections to the original SAO game).

And then there’s the ongoing relationship between Kirito and Asuna. To my surprise, Kirito is initially reluctant to engage in Ordinal Scale, which is unusual for him, he’s usually jumping in headfirst to a new game. According to Kirito, he doesn’t like Ordinal Scale because it doesn’t feel the same as a VR (Virtual Reality) game. Unlike VR, in AR your actual physical body is moving, meaning you have to be in great shape to move and engage quickly enough to win (there’s an embarrassing moment when Kirito runs to attack and ends up falling flat on his face after tripping on a curb). But soon Kirito has no choice but to engage in the game when something weird begins happening to the players who survived SAO…

It starts with Kirito’s friend Klein: during one AR battle, the #2 Ordinal Scale player, Eiji, attacks Klein and his friends. At a certain point in the battle, a node on their Augma devices glows and pops out , being sucked up into nearby drones used to project the game all over the city. Not only is Klein’s arm broken, but his memories of SAO (two year’s worth) are missing. And then the same thing happens to Asuna: while protecting Silica from an attack, Asuna’s Augma node is taken and HER memories of SAO (as well as two years worth of memories of her boyfriend) are taken away, devastating her and briefly casting doubt on her relationship with Kirito.

To get Asuna’s memories back, Kirito must become the top player in Ordinal Scale and along the way discover the truth behind this latest game (I won’t spoil it, but it’s really good).

My favorite part of the film comes at the height of the final battle when we’re finally shown something I thought we’d never see: Floor 100 of Sword Art Online (the original game was based on a castle made of 100 floors. The original game ended early on the 75th floor when Kirito realized that the leader of a powerful guild was actually the creator of the SAO game.) For this final battle, Kirito and company are transported to the Ruby Palace on Floor 100 and, even more, are changed back into the forms they possessed in the original game (which brought shouts of joy from the audience).The Ruby Palace is simply beautiful (and huge!!) with wonderful gardens around the entire structure. Inside the castle resembles a giant cathedral as it seems to be one very large room. The boss they have to fight on Floor 100 is insanely powerful and it ultimately takes every ally Kirito and Asuna have ever made to defeat it.

The story ends with something that’s been a long time coming: after getting “married” in the original SAO game, Kirito finally keeps a promise he made in-game and gets engaged to Asuna in the real world (they were 15 going on 16 in the original game, so they’re at least 19 going on 20 now).

But that wasn’t all….after the credits finished, we got a short peek at the upcoming Season 3 of Sword Art Online!!! It’s maybe 90 seconds long, but at the end, we get a glimpse of the latest VR world: Rath, the setting of the recently concluded Alicization Arc. No date was given but it is confirmed now that SAO WILL return!!!While the movie last night was a one night only event, I hope that eventually the film will be released on one of the streaming services so everyone can see it (I know the English dub is in progress). I’m not sure if the movie will be released on DVD here in the US, but if it is I will let you know.

Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale was an awesome experience, worth the wait and I sincerely hope there are more films to come!

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Disturbing Disney #2: The truth of Pleasure Island in Pinocchio (1940)

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Before we get to what makes this scene so disturbing, we need a little context first:

So as you might expect, Pinocchio is talked into taking a little trip to Pleasure Island (despite Jiminy’s best efforts to stop him). They join a carriage full to the brim of rowdy boys pulled by eight donkeys (remember that detail). It’s so crowded in fact, that Pinocchio is sitting up front by the Coachman with an older boy named Lampwick. They bond as kids tend to do when they’re traveling together and after a long ferry ride to Pleasure Island, the pair stick together once they get inside.

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Pleasure Island looks like the world’s biggest amusement park. There’s the typical rides, a Ferris Wheel, and lots of deliciouis food to eat (pies, ice cream, popcorn, etc.) along with other attractions you wouldn’t normally find: a tent devoted to fistfighting, a model house that the boys are free to rip apart, even “Tobacco Row” where the boys can have all the cigars they want (remember, this is 1940). And above all the clamor is the repeated sound of voices saying “Help yourselves boys, it’s all FREE, everything is FREE!” Jiminy Cricket smells a rat from the start though, but he’s lost Pinocchio in the crowd, so there’s really nothing he can do at the moment. In all the chaos, nobody notices when the Coachman orders the gates to be shut, remarking ominously “give a boy enough rope, and he’ll make a jackass of himself before long.” It’s an odd comment, but it’s meaning becomes too clear in a few minutes:

After a short scene break, we see that Pleasure Island is now deserted. All the rides are dark, the place is a mess, but there’s no boys, anywhere! We know they haven’t gone home because even Jiminy is wondering where the boys are. Actually, the place isn’t entirely empty, Pinocchio and Lampwick are busy playing pool while drinking and smoking cigars, but we’ll get back to them in a moment. After Jiminy gets into an argument with the pair, finally telling them to go ahead and “make jackasses” of themselves, he heads to the gate to leave, but on the other side, he hears the sound of donkeys….a LOT of donkeys.

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It’s horrifying to hear this little donkey cry “I want to go home to my mama!” When you know that’s NEVER going to happen!

Through a crack, Jiminy emerges to find the Coachman and his minions loading crate after crate of donkeys back onto the ferry used to take the boys to the island. What happens next is the first disturbing part of this scene:

As you see, the Coachman is screening the donkeys to see if they’re still capable of speech. If they bray in response, they’re stripped of their clothing and sent into an available crate (labeled for the salt mines and the circus, among other places). But in the case of others, like Alexander, who CAN still talk, they’re sent back to a waiting area, until presumably they lose their ability to speak. This is the moment that disturbs me and breaks my heart: when Alexander is thrown back, you can hear him and the others begging to go home, they don’t WANT to be donkeys, and then the Coachman snaps “QUIET!! You boys have had your fun, now PAY for it!” Remember earlier when the carnival promised the boys that “everything is free?” Of course it wasn’t free, that’s one of the first lessons we learn in life, but now these boys have to learn it the hard way.

Now back to Pinocchio and Lampwick (this is the REALLY disturbing part): Lampwick is still making fun of Jiminy, when suddenly his ears turn into donkey ears (to Pinocchio’s surprise).

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The oblivious Lampwick continues to mock, and then a donkey tail sprouts out!

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“What does he think I look like, a jackass?” Lampwick doesn’t realize it, but his face IS that of a donkey’s now.

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Based on Lampwick’s reaction, I think he’d heard stories about Pleasure Island, but had never believed them (hence his cry “I’ve been double crossed (betrayed)”, I bet the Coachman assured him those stories were lies.)

Pinocchio laughingly tells him he does until his laugh changes into a donkey bray. Lampwick finds that funny until HE brays too. Then, Lampwick realizes that something is wrong with HIM! “What…what’s going on?” he asks desperately as he feels his changed face and discovers he has long donkey ears. And then…he sees his face in the mirror and screams “I’ve been double crossed!! Help! Help!! Somebody help!!” Lampwick is running through the pool hall desperately but there’s nothing anyone can do. Pinocchio can only watch in horror as the rest of Lampwick’s body begins to change (an especially horrifying part is when Lampwick’s hands, clawing at Pinocchio for ANY kind of help, turn into hooves before the puppet’s terrified eyes).

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Lampwick’s final change is a disturbing moment, especially since you can hear him fighting against losing the power to speak as a human

And then, like a scene straight out of a horror movie, we see Lampwick’s final change in silhouette. With a final cry of “Mama, MAMA!!!” Lampwick is forced down to all fours and begins frantically braying, kicking and smashing everything in sight. It’s a horrifying fate for anyone to experience, but these are all young kids that are now condemned to a lifetime of cruel torture and servitude. There’s no happy ending for these boys, not even a glimmer of hope. And the same fate nearly comes to Pinocchio as well as HE begins to change also (though noticeably he’s changing into a GRAY donkey, everyone else turned brown.) Fortunately, Jiminy finds Pinocchio in time and the pair flee the cursed island quickly enough that Pinocchio only has donkey ears and a tail.

What a horrifying, disturbing fate for all those little boys. And just imagine all the families who are waiting for children that will never come home? The more you think about the situation, the more disturbing it becomes. And remember at the beginning when I pointed out the coach was drawn by donkeys? I have no doubt that the Coachman uses boys-turned-int0-donkeys to help carry more boys to Pleasure Island for the same fate. Oh the disturbing irony of it all. Without a doubt, THIS is one of the most disturbing moments in all of Disney animation, not just because of Lampwick’s terrified reaction to his transformation, but also because these hundreds of boys are left to their fate, with no hope of rescue.

Next time will be one more example from Pinocchio; see, even though he’s escaped Pleasure Island, Pinocchio isn’t out of danger yet. That’s because his father Geppetto has been swallowed by a whale…

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Disturbing Disney #3: Escaping Monstro from Pinocchio (1940)

Disturbing Disney #4: Dumbo loses his mother (1941)

Disturbing Disney #5: The death of Bambi’s Mother (1942)

Disturbing Disney #6: Faline vs. the dogs (1942)

Disturbing Disney #7: Cruella wants to do WHAT??

Disturbing Disney #8: The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met (from Make Mine Music, 1946)

Disturbing Disney #9: Dr. Facilier’s Fate (The Princess and the Frog, 2009)

Disturbing Disney #10: The rat in Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Disturbing Disney #11: Clayton’s Death in Tarzan (1999)

Disturbing Disney #12: The Bear from The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Disturbing Disney #13: “Smoking them out” in The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Disturbing Disney #14: The Salt Trap in The Jungle Book (1994)

Disturbing Disney #15: Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia (1940)

Disturbing Disney #16: King Triton destroys Ariel’s grotto

Disturbing Disney #17: Ratigan becomes a monster in The Great Mouse Detective

Disturbing Disney #18: The Queen’s assignment for her Huntsman

Disturbing Disney #19: Cinderella’s dress is destroyed (1950)

Disturbing Disney #20: Quasimodo is crowned ‘King of Fools’ (1996)

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Thoughts on Logan (2017)

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Wow, where do I even start with Logan? Holy fracking s***!!!! Let me start by saying that I have wanted to see Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine in theaters for a while now, but something has always come up previously. Knowing that Logan was my last chance, I made every effort to see this film as soon as possible and it was totally worth it!

Now, normally when I discuss a film I’ve just seen I hold nothing back regarding spoilers, but…based on what I saw, I cannot find it in myself to spoil this film completely. You really need to watch this film for yourself (if you haven’t already). However, there a few things I NEED to talk about…: *various spoilers follow from this point*

The film is set in 2029 in a noticeably dystopian future (I should point out that this is not immediately obvious, but it plays into the plot at a crucial moment). Logan (for a host of reasons) is working as a limo driver, ferrying all kinds of people to where they need to go. When he’s not working jobs, he lives south of the border taking care of Professor X, who is not well. It is mentioned (and this made my jaw drop) that for reasons unknown (even to Professor X), no new mutants have been born in 25 years; Logan is of the opinion that the mutant gene has died out. Well, that isn’t entirely true…because one day Logan runs into Laura.

Dafne Keen as Laura/X-23: In the world of comics, I didn’t learn of X-23’s existence until just a few years ago (she “guest-starred” in a Black Widow comic). From then on, I was fascinated by the existence of a female Wolverine (I love the retractable claws), and when I learned that the young girl in Logan was X-23…well, that cemented my need to see this film.

Watching Logan and Laura interact was one of my favorite parts of this film. Having Logan confronted with suddenly having a daughter (and a feisty one at that) told a great story, one that I wish could have been continued past this film. My favorite fight scene is towards the end when the pair team up and fight in the woods against a team of bad guys (the moment where she launches off of Logan’s back is as awesome as you think it is).

It turns out that Laura is an escapee from a hidden project that had been attempting to artificially create mutants, using genetic material swiped from various mutants (including Logan). The “X-23” program is deemed a failure when the children are found to be uncontrollable past a certain point and once the “X-24” project is completed, the children are going to be executed until an organization sympathetic to the children helps them to escape the facility. Logan is (reluctantly) hired to take Laura to a place in North Dakota identified as “Eden”, which proves to be a launching point for a final run to the Canadian border, where the children are to be granted asylum, IF they can get across that is. See, the agency that created the children wants them back, desperately, and they’ll stop at nothing to get them.

I don’t want to reveal too much more, but I will say a few things in general:

this film absolutely needed an R rating to tell this story properly, there is no way Logan would have worked as a PG-13 film
if you haven’t figured out the identity of X-24, the reveal is very well done and generated an audible gasp from me
Dafne Keen absolutely KILLS it as a younger, female version of Wolverine. I would be genuinely happy to see a standalone X-23 film (with Dafne continuing to play the character).
Patrick Stewart’s performance as Professor X deserves an Oscar, as does Hugh Jackman’s performance as a noticeably-past-his-prime Wolverine.
Marco Beltrami’s score for the film is excellent (he rarely disappoints me)
Logan is a well-executed conclusion to the Wolverine saga, though I am very sad to see Jackman exit the role. He will always be Wolverine to me.
Boyd Holbrook’s character has one of the best “bad guy gets his comeuppance in spades” scenes that I’ve seen in quite a long time. Just goes to show that one should never piss off a group of mutants.
While this IS the conclusion of the “old” X-Men as we know it, I believe there has been a hook left to follow a new generation of mutants (and I don’t just mean the recent films following younger versions of the classic characters), which would be exciting.
One last note: be prepared to cry at the end.

I’m so happy I went to see Logan, it did not disappoint. Have you gone to see Logan yet? What did you think about it? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

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Disturbing Disney #1: The Coachman in Pinocchio (1940)

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I think it should go without saying that Pinocchio is one of the most disturbing Disney movies ever created. It will certainly occupy quite a few places in this series (which is why I’m starting out with it), and one of the most disturbing parts of this film is the character of the Coachman (voiced by Charles Judels, who coincidentally also voices Stromboli in the same film).

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The Coachman is introduced about halfway through the film. At a sleepy tavern one night, the tricksters “Honest” John (a fox) and Gideon (a cat) are regaling the Coachman with how they tricked Pinocchio into going with Stromboli, the latter paying them a (tiny) modest fee in return. The Coachman appears bemused by all of this, and finally asks the two if they’d like to make some REAL money, thumping down an enormous bag of money on the table. To get paid, all Honest John and Gideon have to do is find as many naughty boys as they can and direct them to a coach that he has leaving at midnight. A few of the details are obscured in whispers, but the conclusion is that by the end of it all, the Coachman will be taking all the boys off to Pleasure Island.

“PLEASURE ISLAND?!!?” Honest John appears petrified for once and questions what will happen if the law finds out?? (Note how the music rises in “panic” along with Honest John’s words). Given the disregard for the law Honest John has shown before, it speaks volumes that he’s worried about it now. But the Coachman isn’t worried as there’s no risk: “You see…” he says “they never come back…as BOYS!!!”

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THIS is what makes this a “Disturbing Disney” scene, not just the Coachman’s threat about the boys never returning (as humans) but also his unexpected transformation into this monstrous/demonic figure. When I re-watched the film for the first time in many years, I literally leaped back in my seat as I hadn’t remembered this part at all!! It’s a truly disturbing moment that makes the skin crawl. Clearly, the Coachman isn’t an ordinary human, in fact, I don’t think he’s human at all! Based on what we’ll see in the second installment, I think it likely that the Coachman is a literal “devil in disguise” (he is wearing red after all) or at the very least he’s a dark spirit working in league with the devil.

One last note, I just wanted to mention my thoughts on something I read while researching for this post: for those who say that this scene is a metaphor for pedophilia (i.e. they never come back as “boys” because he’s going to use them in THAT way, etc.), I would say consider WHEN this film was made. I’m not saying that issue didn’t exist in 1940, but films were still highly censored when it came to taboo subjects and if the review board had the slightest inkling that’s what this moment referred to, the scene would have been cut for sure (or the line would have been altered). That’s all I wanted to say about that; I believe the Coachman’s words can be interpreted literally, they’re not coming back as “boys” because they’re not going to be human when they return.
And to think this is found in a movie watched by children…*shudders* and if you think THIS is bad, just wait until #2, that’s when I’ll tell you the secret of Pleasure Island (and what happens to Pinocchio’s friend Lampwick…I nearly started with this scene instead but I thought it would be better to build up to it.)

What do you think of the first installment of “Disturbing Disney” ? I promise I’ve got plenty more to share with you. I can’t wait to see Logan tonight and share my thoughts on it with you 🙂

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For more Disturbing Disney, see also:

Disturbing Disney #2: The truth of Pleasure Island in Pinocchio (1940)

Disturbing Disney #3: Escaping Monstro from Pinocchio (1940)

Disturbing Disney #4: Dumbo loses his mother (1941)

Disturbing Disney #5: The death of Bambi’s Mother (1942)

Disturbing Disney #6: Faline vs. the dogs (1942)

Disturbing Disney #7: Cruella wants to do WHAT??

Disturbing Disney #8: The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met (from Make Mine Music, 1946)

Disturbing Disney #9: Dr. Facilier’s Fate (The Princess and the Frog, 2009)

Disturbing Disney #10: The rat in Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Disturbing Disney #11: Clayton’s Death in Tarzan (1999)

Disturbing Disney #12: The Bear from The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Disturbing Disney #13: “Smoking them out” in The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Disturbing Disney #14: The Salt Trap in The Jungle Book (1994)

Disturbing Disney #15: Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia (1940)

Disturbing Disney #16: King Triton destroys Ariel’s grotto

Disturbing Disney #17: Ratigan becomes a monster in The Great Mouse Detective

Disturbing Disney #18: The Queen’s assignment for her Huntsman

Disturbing Disney #19: Cinderella’s dress is destroyed (1950)

Disturbing Disney #20: Quasimodo is crowned ‘King of Fools’ (1996)

101 Dalmatians “Cruella de Vil” (1961)

James Newton Howard talks The Village (2004)

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Like practically every M. Night Shyamalan film ever created, The Village is a strange film. An isolated village in the middle of the forest lives in fear of strange “monsters” that inhabit the woods all around them, but (as you might expect from a Shyamalan film), things are not exactly what they appear to be.

I’ve never actually seen this film all the way through, but I do recall my jaw smacking the floor when I read a synopsis and found out what the big twist in the story was. Depending on who’s watching, you either see the twist coming a mile away or you have no idea what’s coming at all (I’m definitely the latter).

What I DO know about this film is its soundtrack. This is another example of the work of James Newton Howard (Atlantis: The Lost Empire), in fact his work on this score earned him his fourth Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score (unfortunately he lost to Finding Neverland). This short video takes us into the scoring process for The Village and highlights the contributions of Hilary Hahn, the violinist whose solo work is one of the best parts of the soundtrack. It’s always fun to learn about the scoring process of a film, and even though I’m not the biggest fan of M. Night Shyamalan’s work, I did enjoy watching how the score for The Village came together, and I hope you enjoy it too.

If you’ve seen The Village, let me know what you thought of the film in the comments below 🙂

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James Newton Howard talks Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

James Newton Howard talks Signs (2002)

James Newton Howard scoring King Kong (2005)

Film Composer Interviews A-H

Film Composer Interviews K-Z

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Thinking about The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

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After a series of delays (blame the stupid head cold), I was FINALLY able to watch The LEGO Batman Movie this past Saturday night. My first thoughts when the credits rolled were: BWAHAHAHAHAHA, that was funny!!! Given all the depressing things that have been going on recently, this film provided a much needed laugh.

I think what I love the most about this movie is all the Easter eggs referencing past Batman films and television shows. I’m certain there’s a reference for every Batman film (and show) ever made, up to and including: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Batman vs. Superman, Batman and Robin, Batman Forever, Batman Returns, Batman (1989), Batman: TAS, Batman Beyond, there’s even references to The Batman Movie (1966) and the subsequent television series (mostly seen with the “campy” villains, but there are other references as well).

Will Arnett actually makes a pretty good Batman (I mean, I enjoyed his performance in The LEGO Movie, but it’s one thing to be a supporting character and quite another to be the lead in a film). In this film, Batman is seemingly quite happy to live in his own world, completely isolated from all meaningful human contact (except for Alfred), insisting that he doesn’t “need” anybody, even though Alfred insists he would be a lot happier if he made some friends (or started a relationship). Meanwhile, The Joker’s ego is smarting after Batman declares that he (Batman) doesn’t HAVE a “greatest villain” and that the Joker means nothing to him. I have to say, Zach Galifianakis absolutely KILLED it as the Joker, who is quite possibly the most psychotic villain there is! Zach did an amazing job of letting the “crazy” just flow through his voice acting, and I would happily listen to him perform the role again.

Back to the story: Commissioner Gordon has retired, being replaced by his daughter Barbara Gordon. Barbara, unlike her father, believes that the police should work together WITH Batman, instead of Batman working alone. Predictably, Batman HATES this idea, but he’s soon in a pickle: out of nowhere, the villains, led by Joker, surrender en masse!! With no villains to fight, Batman is essentially out of a job! Complicating matters further is the fact that Batman (as Bruce Wayne) unwittingly adopted orphan Dick Grayson, and he is reluctant to assume any kind of father-figure role.

Despite this mess, Batman has a plan to get himself back into the good graces of Gotham City. He’s going to get rid of the Joker permanently (it’s not enough for him to be locked up in Arkham Asylum) by sending him to the Phantom Zone. The problem is…the only device that can open the Phantom Zone is located in the Fortress of Solitude which belongs to Superman. Also….Batman is too big to sneak into the area where the device is held, which means he needs Dick Grayson’s help, and then Barbara Gordon finds out, and it quickly dominos into a mess where 1) Joker is sent to the Phantom Zone and 2) Batman and Robin are locked up in Arkham!!

As it turns out, Joker WANTED to be sent to the Phantom Zone. He is bound and determined to make Batman see that he (Joker) is Batman’s greatest nemesis, and he’s going to do that by recruiting the greatest villains of all time. HOW Warner Bros. pulled this off I don’t know, but what happened next is one of the greatest mash-ups of all time. Joker proceeds to recruit (in no particular order): King Kong, The Wicked Witch of the West (and her flying monkeys), the Kraken, Medusa, the Daleks (though they’re NOT called by that name), Voldemort (yes, THAT Voldemort), the raptors and T-Rex from Jurassic Park, Agent Smith (from The Matrix) and Sauron (!!!!!!!!!!!!). With this unstoppable group of villains, the Joker breaks out of the Phantom Zone (with Harley Quinn’s help) and proceeds to attack Gotham once again. The only way Batman can save the day is if he swallows his fears about losing people he cares about (again) and accepting help. And finally, he does, working together with Robin, Alfred, Batgirl (Barbara) and all of his traditional villains (who are angry that Joker wrote them off as losers) in a fight for the ages.

I left the film feeling very satisfied. The LEGO Batman Movie is a perfect popcorn film, great if you need a laugh for an hour. The voice acting was spot on, I don’t think there was a single miscast in there (and I can’t reiterate enough how awesome Zach Galifianakis is as the Joker). It’s also made me even more excited to see the sequel to The LEGO Movie (when it eventually comes out) and now I’m likely to see The LEGO Ninjago Movie when it comes out this fall. If you haven’t seen this film yet, I highly recommend it, you’ll have a great time watching it 🙂

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Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

See also:

Animated Film Reviews

Thinking about: The LEGO Movie (2014)

My Thoughts on: The LEGO Movie 2-The Second Part (2019)

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook 🙂

Danny Elfman talks Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

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Danny Elfman talks Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Oh dear…I actually had some hope for this sequel at first. When Alice Through the Looking Glass was announced, I felt excited because I’d enjoyed Alice in Wonderland and I was initially up for a return to this crazy world. And then the previews started and things got…weird (and I don’t mean weird in a good way).

The more I watched and learned, the more this felt like a re-hash of the first film (with Sasha Baron Cohen thrown into the mix). I’m not ALWAYS opposed to sequels, but if the best they can do is remix the original plot…then forget it!!

The basic plot is as follows: Alice has spent the last three years sailing on the high seas (as she said she would do at the end of the first film) but finds upon returning home that her ex-fiance has bought her father’s company and wants her ship in exchange for the family home. The Butterfly leads Alice back into Underland where things are in a right mess: the Mad Hatter is “madder” than usual, convinced his family is still alive. The White Queen asks Alice to visit Time to see if he can save the Hatter’s family in the past and from there…things get slightly screwy (okay things get royally screwy).

There are several trips back into time; we learn why the Red Queen has an abnormally shaped head (because apparently she wasn’t always like that); we learn why the White Queen is the rightful ruler and we also learn why the two sisters hate each other so much. At the end of it all, time is restored, the Hatter is reunited with his family and the White Queen and the Red Queen are friends again while Alice returns home and now sails on the high seas with her mother (somehow retaining the company? or the ship? It’s confusing…)

That being said, Danny Elfman DID return to score the film, so that is one positive in a film that largely disappointed. I hope you enjoy this brief interview with the composer.

See also:

Film Composer Interviews A-H

Film Composer Interviews K-Z

Danny Elfman talks Batman (1989)

Danny Elfman talks Batman Returns (1992)

Danny Elfman “Planet of the Apes” scoring session (2001)

Danny Elfman talks Spider-Man (2002)

Danny Elfman talks Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Danny Elfman talks Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Danny Elfman talks Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

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Danny Elfman talks Alice in Wonderland (2010)

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Danny Elfman talks Alice in Wonderland (2010)

If I’m perfectly honest, Alice in Wonderland (2010) should be included in my “Didn’t Think I’d Like it (But I did!)” series because, well, I really didn’t think I would like it when the previews arrived. But during my spring break that year I went to see the film because a friend of mine wanted to see it and I actually enjoyed it.

This film is actually something of a sequel to the first Alice in Wonderland (1951) because Alice is now grown up and has all but forgotten her childhood adventure in Wonderland (renamed here as “Underland”), believing it all to be just some fanciful dream she had. Finding herself on the cusp of being forcefully pushed into a marriage she doesn’t want, Alice unexpectedly returns to Wonderland/Underland, where, as it turns out, she must slay the Jabberwocky, defeat the Red Queen and return the White Queen to power. Mayhem and insanity ensues, including a hilarious sub-plot where Alice accidentally grows into a larger person and briefly joins the Red Queen’s court as a woman named “Um” (due to a misunderstanding when the Queen asked her name and she was fidgeting on how to answer).

One of the highlights of this film is the musical score by Danny Elfman. The composer is well known for his collaborations with Tim Burton, and this effort is one of their more memorable efforts in recent years. The film is also notable for using the voice of Alan Rickman (RIP) as the voice of the Caterpillar.

In the brief interview I found, Elfman briefly talks about his work on the film’s score (I always love watching interviews like this one, I just wish they could be longer!). I hope you enjoy this interview clip.

See also:

Danny Elfman talks Batman (1989)

Danny Elfman talks Batman Returns (1992)

Danny Elfman “Planet of the Apes” scoring session (2001)

Danny Elfman talks Spider-Man (2002)

Danny Elfman talks Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Danny Elfman talks Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Danny Elfman talks Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Film Composer Interviews A-H

Film Composer Interviews K-Z

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My Thoughts on: Justice League Dark (2017)

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Wow!! Wow, wow and WOW!!! More please!!!

Those were the first thoughts I had as the end credits of Justice League Dark began to roll. For weeks I’d been looking forward to picking this up the day it came to DVD/BluRay, largely because this film features Matt Ryan reprising his role as John Constantine (granted it’s animation and not live-action, but I’ll take what I can get).

I actually haven’t seen that many of the DC animated films, the last one I recall seeing is Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, so it’s hard for me to say where this one ranks in terms of animation quality and etc. But I can say that what I saw, I liked. Some of my favorite parts involved the casting of magic spells, which did look a little reminiscent of the spell-casting in Doctor Strange, but that’s another story. Let’s get down to details!!

The titular Justice League Dark (for this film) consists of:

John Constantine: The extremely reluctant leader, a smartass magician and conjurer, owner of the House of Mystery, lives dangerously by conning demons out of their riches, and has a penchant for getting punched in the face by people he’s pissed off. To be brief, he doesn’t play well with others (watching him interact with Batman is a riot!!)

Zatanna Zatara: A popular stage magician who also possesses very real and powerful magic. She’s the only person Constantine is actually willing to work with (as it is implied they not only worked together previously, but that they also had a relationship of some kind). She’s resisted using her powers to fight evil (as Constantine does), citing that she prefers using her abilities to bring joy to others.

Jason Blood/Etrigan: Jason is a 500 year old immortal and formerly a knight of Camelot. He’s an unwilling immortal because, after being mortally wounded by an insane wizard named “Destiny” (no, really, that’s his name), Merlin bound the dying knight to the demon Etrigan to save his life. To summon Etrigan, Jason must recite a rhyme, and his body is replaced with Etrigan’s. Etrigan is a Hell demon who only speaks in rhyme (and even though he’s a demon, he seems less evil than most). Jason has spent centuries trying to find a way to separate Etrigan from himself.

Deadman: This is one I’d never heard of before now. Formerly a trapeze artist named Boston Brand, Deadman was assassinated during a performance, but his spirit was given power by a Hindu god named Rama Kushna, giving him the ability to possess the living in order to bring his killer to justice. Deadman is a wisecracking smartass, but he started to grow on me as the story went on.

And there’s also…

Swamp Thing (!!!!!!!!): Unbelievably (to me) this is the first time Swamp Thing has ever appeared in a DC Animated film (which is crazy because he’s an awesome character!!!) He doesn’t appear for that long in the story, but when he does appear, he practically steals the show. Swamp Thing is the protector of “the Green” (basically all plant life), and was formerly a human named Alec Holland. Alec was murdered, and his body used as the basis to create Swamp Thing. He really doesn’t like Constantine.

There’s also Batman, yes, I said Batman. I reluctantly understand why they put the Dark Knight in this story, but I hate that they had to do it. Basically, Warner Bros. wanted to ensure that as many people saw this film as possible, and they knew that if Batman was advertised as being in the story, more people would check it out on impulse. But truly, Batman doesn’t do THAT much, he’s more of an observer than anything else (especially when magical things are going on).

The story of Justice League Dark is actually really dark!! The opening sequence became more disturbing as it went on. Here’s the gist: some unknown force is causing ordinary citizens to believe they’re surrounded by demons and monsters that they have to attack/kill to get away from. This results in unspeakable tragedies: a woman mowing down dozens of bystanders with her car; a man who nearly kills his wife and children because he believes “monsters” killed them (in a gruesome twist, it’s revealed he’s already killed several neighbors and their families); and, most heartbreaking of all, a woman throws her newborn from the roof of a cathedral because she believes she’s given birth to the devil. Batman is able to save the baby, but the mother jumps to her death.

MASSIVE STORY SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT!!!

The dark Justice League are led to believe that this is the work of wizard Felix Faust (someone the regular Justice League has encountered in the past). Richie, an old friend of Constantine’s, who is also dying from a magical cancer, also points the finger at Faust, claiming the wizard attacked him. Richie also states that a magical ring seen in the memories of one of the victims belongs to Faust as well. The team goes to confront Faust in his magical observatory, leading to a magical battle for the ages. There is an especially epic sequence when Zatanna goes into total badass mode, unleashing her full magic on the wizard, nearly killing him until Constantine stops her. Then comes a wrinkle: Batman confirms that Faust is NOT the culprit in this attack. But Richie, a dying man, wouldn’t lie to Constantine…or WOULD he?

In a plot twist I did NOT see coming, it’s revealed that Richie is actually possessed by a fragment of the wizard Destiny’s soul (portions of which were bound in a huge gem that partially shattered when Merlin defeated him 500 years ago). Destiny has conned Richie into thinking that if he acquires the rest of the gem (currently sitting in the House of Mystery after Constantine acquired it in a card game from some demons), he (Richie) will become immortal and very powerful. The attack was staged, with blame falsely assigned to Faust so that the team would leave him alone in the House. But Richie has been tricked: the only thing reassembling the gem will do is give Destiny the means of re-entering the physical world, using Richie’s body as a base for his own.

Now the world is in real danger: Destiny is so powerful that he could conquer the world in a matter of days. The trouble is, the wizard is protected by a super-powerful magical shield, and he also wields the power to drive any potential attackers mad, making them think they’re surrounded by monsters. In fact, Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern all become infected by this madness, and the team is barely able to hold them off for a time. Also, Destiny is able to 1) forcibly separate Jason Blood from Etrigan and 2) seemingly disintegrate Swamp Thing by pulling Alec Holland’s aged remains from his plant body (whether this is permanent or not is not explained). It comes down to Constantine and Deadman to provide an opening to defeat the wizard. Constantine allows Deadman to possess him and tricks Destiny into taking him inside the magical shield. Once inside, Deadman launches into the wizard, distracting him long enough to bring the magical shield down, giving Jason Blood the chance to stab the wizard in the back, mortally wounding him. The wizard is destroyed, but Richie remains…for a moment. Throughout the film, Constantine has noted Death Shrouds hanging around Richie’s house (spirits that take souls to Hell). They’ve been waiting for Richie to die, and after everything he’s been through, Richie’s soul is ripe for the taking. He begs Constantine to do something, but after being betrayed, Constantine can’t take the risk that Destiny isn’t manipulating Richie still. The result? Richie’s soul is literally dragged screaming into Hell.

The Earth is saved, but not everyone on the team survives (I won’t say who, but it made me sad when a certain character died). Zatanna has been invited to join the Justice League, and apparently so has Constantine (he laughs at the idea).

I really enjoyed this movie a lot. Seeing Constantine was just amazing (I could literally watch him all day long and not get bored), and as I said before, watching him interact with Batman was downright hilarious! I also (no surprise) loved the music; the main theme was fantastic. I sincerely hope there are Justice League Dark sequels down the road. I will also take a stand alone Constantine film, a stand alone Swamp Thing film, even a stand alone Zatanna film (but I really just want more Constantine).

I highly recommend this film, even if you’ve never read anything about Justice League Dark or Constantine before, this is a great jumping in point, because we get backstory on practically everyone. The film is available on DVD/BluRay as of yesterday (February 7th).

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