Film Music Central

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior (2008)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)

Thoughts on Suicide Squad (2016)

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My Thoughts on: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

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Sonic the Hedgehog occupies what might be a completely unique position in my mind. This is, as far back as I can remember, the first time I’ve ever gone to see a movie because I felt I owed it to the filmmakers to do so. Allow me to explain: remember when the original trailer for this film came out and we were all horrified by Sonic’s appearance? And then, to the shock of all, the studio withdrew the film and actually fixed it? That NEVER happens, and since the studio was so thoughtful as to actually listen to our wishes, I felt I had no choice but to repay them by going to see the film in theaters.

That turned out to be a great decision because Sonic the Hedgehog is a lot of fun! The story doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the comedy is actually pretty funny (that’s saying a lot from me because I’m very picky about the comedy I like). James Marsden made a great foil for Sonic, and aside from one or two awkward moments there really weren’t any moments I didn’t like.

Aside from Sonic himself (more on that in a moment), my favorite part of this film has to be Jim Carrey. He was made for a movie like this and throws himself into the role of Dr. Robotnik with everything he has. Seriously, Carrey’s performance had me in stitches from the moment he arrived onscreen. If the clearly teased sequel happens, then I really hope we see more of Carrey’s Robotnik.

The other part of the film I really liked is Sonic. I was admittedly doubtful that the speedy hedgehog could ever be realized in a live-action movie, but after overhauling the design it works really well. Sonic looks just enough like his video game counterpart to satisfy longtime fans of the video games, while also looking like a living, breathing creature that found its way to Earth.

And that leads me to one point that I do have a problem with: the story of how Sonic got to Earth. Now, I understand that the story needs an explanation of how we got to this point, but that prologue feels extremely rushed, with a lot of exposition crammed into what felt like five minutes or less. Perhaps a sequel will delve into this part of the story a bit more, because I have a lot of questions regarding how and why Sonic has his powers and the film didn’t really answer them (I should note I have never played any of the Sonic games). These aren’t the only pacing issues the story has, but it is the part that bothered me the most.

And speaking of sequels, I am completely excited to see one after seeing the mid-credits scene. When that scene came on, that’s the first time in a long time that I’ve heard a there burst into applause and cheers. They could really be on to something here with a Sonic film franchise and I never thought I’d say this but I want to see what happens next!

Defying my worst fears, Sonic the Hedgehog is a cute movie that makes for a great time. While the story has a few pacing issues, Jim Carrey’s performance as Dr. Robotnik makes up for most of the issues, and the hints of what may come in a sequel leave me eager for more. If you go in with an open mind, you are definitely going to enjoy this movie.

Let me know what you think about Sonic the Hedgehog in the comments below and have a great day!

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Film Reviews

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Soundtrack Review: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

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WaterTower Music has announced that the soundtrack for Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is finally available for purchase. The soundtrack features 27 tracks composed for the motion picture by Daniel Pemberton. He is a multi Golden Globe, Emmy and Bafta Award-nominated composer who has been regularly cited as one of the most exciting and original new voices working in modern film scoring today. Constantly working with some of the most renowned names in the industry Pemberton has scored projects for the likes of Danny Boyle (Yesterday, Steve Jobs), Ridley Scott (All The Money In The World, The Counsellor), Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game), Darren Aronofsky (One Strange Rock), Edward Norton (Motherless Brooklyn), Louis Leterrier (Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance) and Guy Ritchie (The Man From UNCLE, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword).

Regarding the score, composer Daniel Pemberton had the following to say:

One of the best things about writing this score was the fact I felt Harley Quinn as a character would be into anything – I can see her listening to whatever she wants: opera, metal, hip-hop, EDM, rockabilly, gospel, pop. I always felt she didn’t really care for one thing – she’d absorb them all and not give a f*** if anyone thought it was cool or not. So, I felt I’d do that with the music. In the same way she dresses like no one else, pulling disparate styles together to make something her own, I wanted to do the same with the score. Then couple that with a crew of other great larger-than-life characters and the completely unique take on Gotham that director Cathy Yan has created, a world with a kaleidoscopically colorful palate, you have something very special to inspire you.

And the soundtrack for Birds of Prey truly is an eclectic collection of musical styles befitting the insane mind of Harley Quinn and the twisted world of Gotham. Anyone who describes this soundtrack as being “not much to listen to” really hasn’t been paying attention. While it’s true that several of the tracks firmly belong to the pop rock genre, others, and I must cite “The Black Mask Club” by name, are more traditional, with an aura of menace generated by the strings.

I’m also a really big fan of the fast-paced electronic music that characterizes the early parts of the films (particularly Harley getting really drunk at the club). It really gets you into Harley’s state of mind, not just in the moment but as a whole. You have to remember that Harley Quinn is a crazy person at the core, and the electronic music fits that part of her perfectly. It’s frenetic, almost manic, and it symbolizes Harley’s insane mind racing along from one idea to the next with little to no concept of the consequences. “Harley Gogo Agogo” is a great example of this idea.

Of course a lot of the soundtrack is just fun to listen to, like “Battle Commences” and “Fight Together.” Pemberton is really skilled at weaving together music that heightens the action on the screen or making potentially dull moments interesting, it’s one of the reasons I like his work so much. There is always something going on in this soundtrack, and in this case that’s a good thing.

Track List

Flying High (Birds of Prey)
The Fantabulous Emancipation Explosion
Harley Quinn (Danger Danger)
Birds of Prey
Harley Gogo Agogo
The Black Mask Club
Stolen Diamond
Bad Ass Broad (Whistle MF)
Lonely in Gotham
Black Canary Echo
The Bertinelli Massacre (The Huntress Story)
Bump It!
Roman Sionis
Lockdown
Bruce and the Beaver
Lotus Flower
Femme Fatale
Breakout!
The Bertinelli Revenge
I Want To Kill You Because I Can
Zsasz Showdown
Work Together
Battle Commence
Fight Together (Birds Of Prey)
Founders Pier
Roller Vs Rollers
The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

I hope this review has inspired you to check out Daniel Pemberton’s soundtrack for Birds of Prey, which is available for purchase now. I certainly enjoyed listening to it, and it proves once again why Pemberton is one of my all-time favorite film composers.

Let me know what you think about the soundtrack in the comments below and have a great day!

Film Soundtracks A-W

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My Thoughts on Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

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Oh where do I even START with Birds of Prey?? It’s been almost a full 24 hours since I sat down to see this movie and I’m still wondering how to piece together what I think of this film. At one point, I didn’t think I’d ever be sitting down to watch any kind of follow-up to Suicide Squad (2016), but here I am having done it, and I loved it!

Well, first let’s start with the obvious: Birds of Prey is a fantastic film. I walked out of the theater feeling highly satisfied with the experience. This is the kind of comic book movie that I love, the kind that features the misfits and crazier characters that can be found in these types of films. And Birds of Prey certainly isn’t lacking there: for those who haven’t heard, the story follows a certain Harley Quinn as she embarks on a new life of independence after unceremoniously breaking up with the Joker. There’s just one tiny little hiccup in this plan: now that she’s single, most of Gotham wants Harley dead. And that’s just the beginning of the story, it gets crazier from there.

You can practically feel the tug between male and female in this movie, with Roman Sionis (and his downright creepy henchman) serving as the epitome of everything that is wrong with the male patriarchy, while Harley and the other Birds of Prey show all the ways things can be awesome when you turn awesome and badass women loose on the world.

The casting for this film is spot-on:

Margot Robbie is the perfect cinematic Harley Quinn (though I will always have a special place in my heart for Arleen Sorkin, the animated Harley from Batman: TAS), and watching her interact with the other “Birds of Prey” is a lot of fun.

Jurnee Smollett- Bell is AMAZING as Dinah Lance (aka Black Canary). Aside from Harley herself, Dinah is absolutely my favorite character in the film, please give her her own movie because I would sit down to watch it. (minor spoiler: the moment where we get to see Black Canary’s power is as awesome as you think it will be).

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a good Huntress, though I almost wasn’t a fan of how she played the character (I have a special place in my heart for Huntress). Though, having had time to think about it, I get why the film does what it did with the character. I will say it might not be what you expect, so keep an open mind when she’s introduced.

Rosie Perez and Ella Jay Basco are a lot of fun to watch as Renee Montoya and Cassandra Cain respectively. With Perez, you really feel Montoya’s frustration as all of these road blocks are placed in front of her. And Basco is just phenomenal. Give her more roles as Cassandra Cain and I will come see the films that include her.

I would dearly love to watch a movie starring all of these ladies again. I don’t even care what the story is about, I just want to see all of them together again.

And then there’s Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis. Outside of the awesome Birds of Prey, his performance is one of the biggest highlights of the film. He’s terrifying, he’s funny, and my God he’s PERFECT for this movie.

With all of that said, I should add that Birds of Prey is not a perfect movie. It does take a while to get going, and the film’s storyline is a little problematic at times. However, once things really get going, oh man do they ever get going. From the third act onward I was riveted to the screen. The climax of this film was everything I wanted and more. Please, please, please, PLEASE give me more of this in future DC films and I will be a very happy movie-blogger indeed.

I also can’t review this film without giving Daniel Pemberton’s soundtrack a mention. He’s quickly become one of my favorite film composers and this film features all the reasons why I love his work. The music is quirky and perfectly suited to this madcap story, and it includes a number of song selections that perfectly speak to the themes of man vs woman. Hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on the soundtrack at some point for a more proper review.

What I’m trying to say is that you really should go see Birds of Prey. It’s a little messy in a few places but the latter half of the film is immensely satisfying and more than makes up for any faults in my opinion.

Let me know what you think about Birds of Prey in the comments below and have a great day!

Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Pokémon 3: The Movie: Entei – Spell of the Unown (2000)

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And now we come to the last Pokémon movie that I know for sure I watched back in the day. I remember sneaking off to watch Pokémon 3: The Movie and being completely enthralled by the story, as I usually am by anime stories.

In summary, Pokémon 3: The Movie centers around the mysterious Unown (pronounced “Unknown”), extremely powerful psychic Pokémon that can bend reality itself to their will. When the Unown are accidentally summoned by Molly Hale, a young girl who has just lost her father (and her mother two years previously), a strange world of crystal and fantasy is created that threatens everything around it if it isn’t stopped.

One thing that jumps out to me right away, especially compared to the first and second films, is the presence of the obviously CGI Unown. Their appearance is almost jarring because of how different they look compared to everything else in the film. Given the mysterious nature of the Unown, this isn’t exactly a bad thing, and the CGI holds up really well given the film turns 20 this year. Also, another thing related to the Unown that I really like is the little “nexus” they develop once they’re fully ensconced in Molly’s home. You know, when they’re all orbiting each other and singing that little song to themselves. It’s almost like they’re working together as a hive mind to obey whoever has summoned them.

Another thing that stuck with me as I watched this film is how deep some of this film’s themes are. I had a sense of this when I first saw the film, but now that I’m two decades older, I think I understand the message even better. If you think about it, at its core Pokémon 3: The Movie centers around grief and the various ways one can handle it. And keeping that in mind, Molly’s actions make perfect sense. If you’re a little girl who has just lost her father and you find yourself in the company of Pokémon who can give you anything you want just by wishing for it, then of course you’re going to retreat into a fantasy world where you don’t have to face the cold reality that your parents are gone. That’s a powerful thing for any movie to deal with, and I think it’s handled fairly well in the end.

And speaking of altering reality, the crystalline world created by the Unknown is so beautiful, I’d actually forgotten how gorgeous it looked. It’s like a bizarre piece of art that is lovely but deadly at the same time (because there’s nothing that’s actually “alive” out there). Everything, the flowers, the trees, and so on, is preserved in crystal so that it never dies (which also feeds into my earlier point about the movie dealing with a child’s handling of grief).

Finally, I need to talk about Entei. While it’s made plain that this is only an illusion of Entei, he feels perfectly real. A lot of this has to do with Entei’s animation, which absolutely brings him to life on the screen in my opinion. Another interesting note, and one I wasn’t even aware of until I checked the cast notes, is that Entei and Molly’s father are voiced by the same person (which makes so much sense when you remember that Molly views Entei as her father). I love little details like this that make the story so much better every time I watch it.

It was so much fun to watch Pokémon 3: The Movie again, and relive some amazing childhood memories. Let me know what you think about the third Pokémon movie in the comments below and have a great night!

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (1999)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon 4Ever- Celebi – Voice of the Forest (2001)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2002)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior (2008)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon 3: The Movie: Entei – Spell of the Unown (2000)

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My Thoughts on: Pokemon-The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998)

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To give you an idea of just what kind of impression the first Pokémon movie had on me, consider this: it’s been over 20 years since I first saw Pokémon: The First Movie, and portions of the film have remained with me to this day. Don’t ask me why it took 20 years to watch the film for a second time, but that is indeed the approximate length of time between views.

In summary, Pokémon-The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back deals in large part with the introduction of Mewtwo, for me one of the most iconic Pokémon to be found in the entire franchise. Mewtwo is a clone of the ancient Pokémon Mew, and this knowledge drives Mewtwo to discover his purpose in life, a purpose that he ultimately decides (after some unfortunate encounters with Team Rocket) is to purge the world of humans and “inferior” Pokémon.

I still remember sitting and watching this movie in 1999 and being in awe of all of it. Mewtwo terrified me then, and if I’m honest he’s still pretty scary even now in the year 2020. The extent of his psychic powers is pretty intimidating from his introduction, and they only grow from there. I honestly forgot just how intense Mewtwo’s introductory scene is, the movie certainly starts off to a bang from the word go.

I was pleased to discover that even after all this time, I still enjoy the first Pokemon movie. Mew was one of my favorite parts of the movie. To tell the truth, I’d completely forgotten about everything Mew does in this film, and certain scenes had me positively squeaking with delight.

And then, of course, there’s THAT scene. Anyone who’s seen this movie knows exactly what I’m talking about. That moment with Ash at the climax of the film. The moment that broke us all when we were kids and damn it all but it completely broke me all over again the minute I saw it. Anyone who tries to tell you that Pokémon is “just for kids” has clearly never seen this movie because that moment is sad, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s downright DARK (before it gets better anyway). I was worried I wouldn’t be able to “feel” that moment now that I’m all grown up, but clearly there was no need to be concerned.

Finally, the overall message of this film deserves a mention. While it’s somewhat ironic for Pokémon (a franchise about fighting monsters) having an anti-fighting message, it still works in my opinion. What they’re trying to say is that Pokémon shouldn’t be made to fight by someone else’s whims. In theory, trained Pokémon fight because they’ve formed a relationship with their trainer and they choose to obey, so it’s not quite the same thing. And of course there’s also Meowth’s little monologue about how we “share the same Earth, the same sky” and maybe if we focused more on THOSE things, then the world would be a much better place.

Watching Pokémon: The First Movie brought back a lot of feelings for me, mostly good ones. For a lovely 90-odd minutes, i was 11 years old again, just enjoying the adventure of Ash and his friends. I would definitely say the movie holds up after all this time, and should be seen at least once by anyone even remotely interested in the Pokémon series. I’m glad I sat and watched the film again. The animation feels “alive” in a way that you just don’t see these days.

Let me know what you think about Pokémon: The First Movie-Mewtwo Strikes Back in the comments below and have a great day!

My Thoughts on: Pokémon 4Ever- Celebi – Voice of the Forest (2001)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2002)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior (2008)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon 3: The Movie: Entei – Spell of the Unown (2000)

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My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (1999)

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While I’ve been a fan of Pokémon in general since they arrived in the United States, I actually haven’t seen that many of the cartoon series or movies (with the first movie being a notable exception). So that’s how it came about that today was the first time I ever saw Pokémon: The Movie 2000, the second Pokémon movie.

In brief, Pokémon: The Movie 2000 follows Ash Ketchum as he attempts to save the world from a mysterious collector who is attempting to collect the three legendary Pokémon Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno to his collection in an attempt to lure out Lugia, an equally legendary creature, despite the catastrophic effect his attempts are having on the planet.

Considering I’ve been watching the Pokémon movies in relative isolation, I’m not sure how many details I’m missing out on by skipping over the various series. However, I can say that even without knowing anything else, I really did enjoy this movie. I like the idea of several legendary Pokémon living in close proximity to each other, in fact it reminded me a bit of Godzilla and Monster Island, with the similar concept of various kaiju living so close together.

Moltres, Zapdos, and especially Articuno (my favorite) are amazing to look at. Each legendary creature gets the chance to show off what they can do, and I really liked watching them fight each other. Another awesome thing? Team Rocket. They were in prime form in this feature, and their little plot twist at the end had me giggling.

The collector makes for an interesting villain, as he is so obsessed with collecting the legendary creatures that he pays no mind to the fact that doing so will result in the destruction of the Earth. There’s something horrifying about people like that, and I couldn’t help but notice that the last we see of him, he’s plotting to start his collection all over again (implying to me that this could all happen again).

I also can’t get enough of the music in this movie. “Lugia’s Song” (I presume it to be called) is beautiful, with a simple but compelling melody. I really love that the sounds Lugia makes form the basis of the song.

If you haven’t seen Pokémon: The Movie 2000 before, I highly recommend it. It’s a cute, fun little movie that all Pokémon fans should see at least once.

Let me know what you think about Pokémon: The Movie 2000 in the comments below and have a great day!

My Thoughts on: Pokémon 4Ever- Celebi – Voice of the Forest (2001)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2002)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior (2008)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)

Become a patron of the blog at: patreon.com/musicgamer460

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

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook

Soundtrack Review: Anne With an “E” (2017-2019)

See also:

Film Soundtracks A-W

Become a Patron of the blog at patreon.com/musicgamer460

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

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My Thoughts on: Trolls (2016)

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Well, as the saying goes, better late to the party than never! Four years after its release to theaters, I finally sat down and watched DreamWorks animated film Trolls. As I recall, I skipped this film because, well, it was November 2016 and certain things were happening, and I just never got around to checking it out as I wasn’t really feeling the vibes of this film. However, when I saw that a sequel would be coming out this spring, I decided to give Trolls a chance.

And wow, what a cute, amazing, adorable film! I admit, I wasn’t exactly keen on the premise of a movie based on the Trolls toys I played with when I was a little kid, but the studio really makes it work. There’s a believable backstory, a sensible plot, and even a satisfying twist in the third act (albeit one that’s slightly telegraphed in hindsight, but it is a children’s movie so I’ll let it slide).

In brief, Trolls follows the titular characters as they escape the clutches of the Bergens, a perpetually unhappy group who believe that eating trolls is the only way to feel even a glimmer of happiness. 20 years after their initial escape, the Bergens recapture most of the trolls, and Princess Poppy (Anna Kendrick), along with a somewhat reluctant Branch (Justin Timberlake), take it upon themselves to rescue them. Comedic adventures ensue.

I think my favorite part of Trolls, adorable animation aside, is the awesome soundtrack. This is the kind of film you can jump up and dance to, or at least tap your feet to. Having Justin Timberlake in the cast was great, although for a minute or two I was legitimately convinced that he would go the entire film without singing (oh the irony). And really the rest of the cast is awesome too, with Anna Kendrick and Zooey Deschanel among my favorites. I also have to give a shoutout to Christine Baranski as Chef, she makes an awesome villain.

If you still haven’t seen Trolls, I highly recommend it. It’s a little over 90 minutes of adorable, quirky fun and I’m glad I finally checked it out after all this time.

Let me know what you think about Trolls in the comments below and have a great night!