Tag Archives: film

My Thoughts on: The Secret of NIMH (1982)

*I’m really sorry I’ve been slow with blog posts in recent days, life has been crazy this past week but I’m going to work hard to get back on track this week, that includes reviewing Dodgeball no matter what. Thanks for being so understanding!

Animated films were practically my entire world when I was growing up. I have fond memories of most of them, but The Secret of NIMH (along with most of Don Bluth’s animated films) holds a distinct place in my memory. I must have been pretty young the first time I saw this film, since it’s in my memory as far back as I can remember.

The story is based on the book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (the name was changed to prevent any possible disputes with the makers of Frisbees) and follows Mrs. Brisby, a mouse, as she tries to keep her home safe from a farmer’s plow. Normally she’d just pack the family up and move, but her youngest son is sick with pneumonia and can’t leave the house. That’s the motivation for this dark fantasy story, and it quickly gets darker from there.

The word “dark” to describe this film a lot, because that’s exactly what The Secret of NIMH is: dark! Even the anthropomorphic rats and mice are drawn with a…a sharp grittiness that you just don’t see in Disney (observe the less than welcoming mouth of Auntie Shrew for a case in point, and she’s mean to be a GOOD character). Jenner, the primary villain, is an even bigger example, since he practically oozes menace, even when he’s pretending to be nice. Don’t misunderstand, the animation is exquisite throughout, but there’s no way you’ll mistake this for a Disney film, it’s far too dark (even the colors seem to come from an overall darker color palette).

Don Bluth, as I’ve said several times before, had a unique viewpoint when it came to animated films. He believed that children could take just about anything in a story so long as there was ultimately a happy ending. That explains why The Secret of NIMH has creatures being brutally squashed underfoot (like the Great Owl killing the spider), stabbed in the back, and even a gruesome example of a throat being cut (that’s what I’m sure the animators were going for, even though the cut looks like it’s in the chest, it feels like it’s meant to be a throat slash). All of these things were burned into my brain from a very young age, but it took me years to understand that what I was feeling was a mild form of trauma, since I was seeing things I shouldn’t have known about for a number of years.

I could honestly go on forever about how traumatizing The Secret of NIMH is (that’s why I created the Disturbing Bluth series), though thankfully the trauma doesn’t stop me from continuing to enjoy it today. However, for the rest of my life, I will always wonder how a film like this was able to be made and marketed for children, containing the dark visuals that it does (only Disney’s The Black Cauldron is darker in my opinion).

If you endured The Secret of NIMH as a child, what did you think about it? Let me know your thoughts about the film in the comments below and have a great day!

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Disturbing Bluth

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My Thoughts on: The Hateful Eight (2015)

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Ohhhhhhhh boy.

This is only the second Quentin Tarantino film I’ve actually seen (Inglourious Basterds was the first) and I still don’t know exactly what to think about it. I knew from Inglourious Basterds that I was in for a bloody and violent experience, but that still didn’t prepare me for what I saw.

The Hateful Eight is set in the Old West, at a stagecoach lodge during the height of a blizzard. Eight characters are holed up in the lodge until the storm breaks, and the story gets more complex from there. There’s a killer loose, and one by one characters start dying.

Putting aside all of the graphic bloodshed and swearing, there’s one thing in this film that really bothers me. Call me old fashioned, call me missing the point, but I’m really bothered by how John Ruth (Kurt Russell) treats Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh). I get that Daisy is a wanted outlaw and dangerous in her own right, but sometimes she gets punched for no reason and that really, REALLY bothers me.

I suppose I enjoyed this film in the end, but it was almost too violent for my tastes. I especially didn’t like the reveal of what happened to Minnie and her family, that almost made me turn the movie off on the spot. And the reveal of a hidden character who’s actually been present the whole time…I want to like it, but it’s so out of nowhere. Literally, there’s no sign this character exists until the reveal, and when it comes I was more like “Huh?” then “Oh my gosh!”

I really tried to keep an open mind while I watched this film, but the simple truth is I didn’t like The Hateful Eight as much as I liked Inglourious Basterds. It’s not a terrible film by any means, it just doesn’t mesh with my personal tastes.

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

Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: The Most Dangerous Game (1932)

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Remember all those books and short stories we had to read in our high school English classes? I remember some of them, naturally a few stories stuck in my memory better than others. One I never quite forgot was “The Most Dangerous Game” (also known as “The Hounds of Zaroff.”) The reason I remember this story so much is, the teacher showed us a movie version of the story after we read it, to better reinforce the story I suppose. I hadn’t seen the movie version since, but when I had the opportunity to pick a copy up during a sale, a bunch of memories came flooding back. The 1932 film adaptation of The Most Dangerous Game is probably the version that follows the original story the best. It was filmed on many of the same sets used for King Kong and even includes Fay Wray as the leading lady (and the ONLY lady) of the story.

The story follows a big-game hunter, Robert Rainsford, who ends up stranded by a shipwreck on a small island inhabited by Count Zaroff, a man completely obsessed with hunting. Zaroff is already playing host to two survivors of a prior shipwreck, Eve (Fay Wray) and her brother Martin (Robert Armstrong). When Martin disappears, Eve enlists Robert to help find her brother and together they discover the Count’s terrible secret: he hunts humans for sport! The Count had earlier hinted at discovering “the most dangerous game” in the world, but had refused to say what it was.

This revelation horrified me, both when I read the original story and when I first saw this film. It’s the stuff of nightmares, if you think about it. Imagine being turned loose into the jungle, knowing that eventually someone will be hunting you and trying to kill you. It’s like something out of a horror film, and has been seen again and again in various films and television episodes. Of course, the question we’re meant to think about is, is this murder as Rainsford claims it to be, or is it just sport with lethal consequences, as Zaroff claims? Allow me to play Devil’s Advocate for a moment and point out that Zaroff does give his victims a sporting chance, giving them a head start and a knife to defend themselves or use as they wish. On the other hand, these “advantages” are hardly helpful since most of Zaroff’s victims, one would assume, are not trained hunters and would quickly lose their heads no matter how many advantages they are given.

I for one am on Rainsford’s side in this argument. No matter what Zaroff claims, what he does is tantamount to murder. It would be one thing if these people had committed a terrible crime, and this was their punishment. But these people’s only misfortune, so far as we know, is to be shipwrecked on Zaroff’s island.

Plot details aside, I love Max Steiner’s score for this film. Steiner composed a “hunting horn” motif that is introduced in the opening credits of the film and recurs throughout the hour long story. In fact, the motif is replicated exactly by Zaroff’s hunting horn when it’s blown late in the film, and it could be argued this motif is a strong hint of what’s to come in the story.

Even if pre-Code films aren’t your usual cup of tea, I recommend giving The Most Dangerous Game a try. It’s an excellent example of early 1930s cinema and contains lessons that resonate even today. I really think you will like it. If you have seen The Most Dangerous Game, let me know what you think about it in the comments below and have a great day!

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Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

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Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

*Warning: some spoilers for Godzilla: King of the Monsters follow

Holy sh*t. I say again, holy sh*t! Do I ever have some thoughts on Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

First off, let me say that I was initially not a fan of the MonsterVerse, I can admit that. Godzilla (2014) was okay, and Kong: Skull Island (2017), while better, still didn’t sell me on the concept of a world where Godzilla and King Kong co-exist. And then I saw the first trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters and I found myself completely buying in. The idea of seeing legendary monsters like King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra realized in American cinema was so exciting that I couldn’t wait to see how it turned out. This film rocketed to the top of the list of films I had to see this year. Listening to the soundtrack last week only increased my excitement. And having seen it, I have to say…I absolutely love it!

Godzilla: King of the Monsters provides all of the kaiju action you could ever want. The battles between King Ghidorah and Godzilla in particular were incredible to watch. I didn’t understand why Ghidorah needed motion capture until last night, when I realized each of Ghidorah’s heads has its own personality (which makes the monster even more fun to watch). I also like how the major kaiju are introduced in the film, with each having a scene set aside for their proper introduction. What makes it even better is that with each introduction, the film provides backstory that explains how we know the names of these creatures.

Another thing I like in this film are the Easter eggs that refer back to the original Japanese films. There’s a reference to the Oxygen Destroyer from the original 1954 film, and, unless I’m mistaken, there’s an oblique reference to the twins that are connected to Mothra in multiple films.

Now, with that being said, the film does have its flaws. One of the biggest issues for me are the plot points dealing with the Hollow Earth. I understand, for the most part, what they’re going for with this concept, but I also feel it hasn’t been explained enough. Furthermore, if you went in to Godzilla: KOTM without first seeing Kong: Skull Island, the Hollow Earth theory will be completely new to you, when actually it’s first mentioned in Kong. Now, if I understand the information revealed in the credits correctly, the Hollow Earth is going to be more explored in Godzilla vs. Kong, however I feel like some of those revelations are going to come too late for some and should have arrived in their own separate film, or in THIS film. Basically, what I’m trying to say is, while THAT underwater scene with the Hollow Earth was really cool to look at, I needed more exposition as to how all of that could exist where it does.

Another flaw that bugs me the more I think about it is Charles Dance. Given how incredible the actor is, I feel like we didn’t get as much of him in the story as we should have. Yes, he has a few good scenes, but I thought there would be a lot more. Also, I really don’t like that his plot arc is essentially left hanging. Did he get away? Did he die with his associates? We don’t know because the movie doesn’t tell us (and as far as I know, he’s not cast in Godzilla vs. Kong). Apart from that, I liked the human story in this film. I agree it’s not the fanciest story ever told, but then again, it’s a Godzilla film, it doesn’t have to be fancy to work.

Overall, despite its flaws, I really enjoyed Godzilla: King of the Monsters. As I suspected, the music elevated certain scenes to epic levels of greatness. I really hope that there will be more films in the future that feature Rodan, Mothra, and the other kaiju now that they’ve been properly introduced. I also think this is the film that finally cemented the MonsterVerse as a solid concept.

Let me know what you think about Godzilla: King of the Monsters in the comments below and have a great day!

Kong: Skull Island (2017), my thoughts

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Soundtrack Review: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

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The official soundtrack for Godzilla: King of the Monsters is now available. The music for the third installment in the Monsterverse (following Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017)) was composed by Bear McCreary (The Walking Dead). This film sees the world under assault from a series of titans, including Rodan, and the seemingly almighty King Ghidorah. It will ultimately be up to Godzilla to prove himself the alpha monster and take his place as King of the Monsters.

Regarding the score, Bear McCreary had this to say:

“For Godzilla, I chose to incorporate and adapt the legendary Akira Ifukube’s iconic theme, and for Mothra, Yuji Koseki’s immortal ‘Mothra’s Song,’ both being classic themes from the franchise’s origins,” McCreary explained. “I hoped to form a connection between Ifukube’s uniquely brilliant style and the aesthetics of modern blockbusters.”

Additionally, “director Michael Dougherty used the term “Monster Opera” when describing the magnitude and importance of the score to the storytelling.”

I definitely get the sense of “Monster Opera” when listening to McCreary’s score for this film. The music overall creates an epic sense of scope that matches what I’ve seen of the monsters in the previews thus far. The music proclaims what we’ve long known: Godzilla: King of the Monsters is going to be an epic clash on every level.

McCreary does a masterful job incorporating Ifukube’s iconic theme for Godzilla into the score. It’s played relatively straight in the main title, but then McCreary…heightens it, if that makes sense, by incorporating a variety of instruments, remixing the theme to help it reach even greater levels of grandeur. The original theme reappears throughout the score, and I love that McCreary took the time to musically tie this Godzilla film back to the original, as if to say “this is a true successor to the original Godzilla, the music say so.”

Aside from the tracks that include McCreary’s take on the original theme, “Rodan” is quickly becoming one of my favorite tracks in the score. I’m not sure if this is Rodan’s theme or simply music associated with his appearance in a scene (there IS a difference), but I love this music anyway. I think this track exemplifies just how dangerous Rodan and the other titans are. McCreary incorporates loud trumpet blasts that I suspect might be mimicking the sounds that Rodan makes (that is a complete guess on my part, I haven’t seen any of the original kaiju films that have Rodan in them so I’m not sure what he sounds like). And if nothing else, these trumpet blasts symbolize the danger that Rodan represents. This music is loud, it’s blaring, it practically screams “Oh my god, RUN!”

And then there’s the music associated with Ghidorah, the monster I’m most looking forward to seeing apart from Godzilla himself. I can’t name these particular tracks because it might lead to some spoilers, but the music that makes up Ghidorah’s theme and is otherwise associated with him left me completely enraptured. I swear McCreary has incorporated into the music a sense of motion that mimics Ghidorah’s three heads moving and twisting about. I am very excited to hear this music in context once the film comes out.

Overall, this is a fantastic film score. For the sake of avoiding potential spoilers I’m not covering the entire soundtrack but believe me when I say this soundtrack latches onto you and doesn’t let you go until the end. Some tracks are fraught with tension, and in others you can almost feel the monsters stomping about as the music plays. Even though the film doesn’t come out until next week, I’m convinced that McCreary has created a score that will seamlessly intertwine with the action to create a spellbinding story. You should definitely listen to this soundtrack when you get the chance, it is one of the best I’ve heard so far this year.

Once you listen to the score (and see the film), let me know what you think about the soundtrack for Godzilla: King of the Monsters in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

Film Soundtracks A-W

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Soundtrack Review: John Wick: Chapter 3 (2019)

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The soundtrack for John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum, is now available for purchase from Varèse Sarabande. In this third installment of the adrenaline-fueled action franchise, skilled assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn. The score for this film was once again composed by Tyler Bates (Guardians of the Galaxy, Atomic Blonde), who to date has worked on every film in the John Wick series.

Regarding John Wick: Chapter 3, Bates had this to say:

“While his fight, stunt, and weapon work is second to none, Chad [Stahelski] embraces original music with equal passion – setting the table for Joel Richard and I to experiment and create a distinct “sound” for the John Wick world. Five years ago, we cranked “Killing Strangers” at concert volume in my studio. And now John Wick is a trilogy. Working with Chad has been a truly amazing experience.”

Having now seen all three John Wick films, I have to agree that the music for these films are very distinct indeed. One thing I like about John Wick: Chapter 3 and the series overall is that the music sounds the same across all three installments. As soon as you hear the first beat of music, you know you’ve come back to the world of assassins and John Wick. I’ve never quite been able to define the nature of the music in firm words, but the words that come to mind the most often are “techno-futuristic.” The music Bates creates weaves into the background and fight scenes almost seamlessly, creating this edgy, near-futuristic world that’s inhabited by Wick and a seemingly endless legion of assassins.

There’s some nice twists in this score also. “The Adjudicator” has an almost militaristic sound (fitting given the role she plays in the film) while “Elder Tent Offering,” quite ironically given what happens in that scene, has some of the most lyrical music in the score. But I think one of my favorites is “Winter at the Continental,” which is essentially a techno-remix of Vivaldi’s “Winter.” I remember hearing “Winter” played straight before the fight began, but I either didn’t realize or didn’t remember that there was also this fast-paced remix, which is really fun to listen to, since Bates takes Vivaldi and “modernizes” it for Wick’s world.

I really like the music Bates has created for John Wick: Chapter 3. It’s edgy, it’s fast-paced, but it also slows down when necessary, and it fits the film’s world perfectly. I love how Bates can insert slow moments out of nowhere, it’s easy to forget about them since most of the film is devoted to fights, but the slow moments are just as beautiful.

Let me know what you think about the music for John Wick: Chapter 3 in the comments below and have a great day!

Film Soundtracks A-W

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Soundtrack Review: Brightburn (2019)

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Film Soundtracks A-W

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My Thoughts on: Prospect (2018)

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Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: John Wick: Chapter 3 (2019)

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*warning: I don’t think I let any spoilers slip but it’s possible I did without realizing it

Two years.

We’ve been waiting two years to find out how the story of John Wick continues after he was sent running for his life with a one hour head start. After two years of waiting, our patience was finally rewarded with John Wick: Chapter 3 and my god did it ever deliver.

The story picks up immediately after the ending of John Wick: Chapter 2 and follows John Wick fighting to stay alive with every assassin in New York City and the world after the bounty on his head. The fight sequences are deliciously brutal, and the tension rarely lets up once the story gets going. It might be my imagination, but it feels like the fights are getting more brutal with every installment. Also, that scene with the horse is absolutely perfect.

Halle Berry as Sofia is a great addition to the John Wick universe, my only gripe is that I wanted more of her in the story. She’s clearly a complex character with a complex past (much like Wick) and I would love to learn more about her in future installments. Also, her dogs are just as awesome as you think they are.

One of the things I like best about John Wick: Chapter 3 is that we learn more about the complex structure of rules that governs this group of assassins that Wick belongs to. More of the hierarchy is revealed, and it turns out that some characters that appeared to be all powerful also answer to a higher authority (which in itself was a bit of a shock for me). I actually wouldn’t mind seeing a prequel that explains how this group was established in the first place. There must be a story behind how an organization was formed with this much power all over the world and I would love to see it.

Keanu Reeves is on point once again as John Wick. You wouldn’t think there’d been two years since the second film and five years since the original film, just by watching him. There’s a great range of emotion in his performance, especially towards the end of the film. And speaking of the end…I honestly did not see that ending coming. It took everything I thought I knew about the situation and turned it upside down. That being said, I loved the ending because it practically confirms that John Wick: Chapter 4 will be happening. With all of the hype surrounding this film, it makes perfect sense that they would want the story to continue.

I really enjoyed John Wick: Chapter 3, and I’m excited for the fourth installment that is bound to follow, but I do hope the next installment ends it. I only say that because, while the story was good, some of the fight scenes felt a little long, and I’d rather not see the story become ruined with too many sequels. But for now, I’ll revel in the perfection that is John Wick: Chapter 3. Definitely check it out when you get the chance.

What did you think of John Wick: Chapter 3? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and have a great day!

Thoughts on: John Wick Chapter 2 (2017)

Thoughts on: John Wick (2014)

Film Reviews

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