Movie Review - Klaus (Netflix Original)

I'm a big fan of experimental animation, even though most of the time the experiment fails. But when it succeeds, oh how it succeeds!

Klaus is a 2019 animated Christmas film from Netflix. It is rated PG for rude humor but is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

Animation. The animation was gorgeous. It was 2-D animation shaded to look 3-D, but because it was 2-D it was very fluid and nice to look at and looked painted instead of plastic.

Story/Concept. The story is basically where Santa Claus and writing to him came from. This was a clever approach and story that was fresh but classic.

The Bad

Main Character. The filmmakers made the main character such an exaggerated caricature of a spoiled rich kid that was really difficult to care about him until he changed significantly halfway thru the film.

Feud. The filmmakers played it too same making the characters very bland. No one could have a strong personality or any real conflict for fear of offending someone, so the characters came off as very bland and unremarkable.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the main character had been more likable and the feud had been dropped. There was enough conflict and drama without it. This also would have helped make the first third less slow and less painful to get thru.

Overall

Klaus is an entertaining family film once you get thru the boring and painful first third. The animation is gorgeous. The story of how Santa came to be and why kids started to write to him is clever. Once you pass the first third of the film, the characters are interesting and you care about them and what happens to them. The ending was really nice. I give this film 4 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

 

Movie Review - Frozen II

The first Frozen film was pretty good, but I wasn't sure where they were going to go with that. Sequels tend to either be a repeat of the first film, or the next chapter in a bigger story. Frozen didn't seem to have a bigger story, so I was fearing a bad remake of the first film.

Frozen II is a 2019 cgi animated fantasy family film by Disney. It is rated PG but is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

Story/Approach. The filmmakers were really smart to make this movie completely different than the first one. Where the first one was a romantic comedy that make fun of Disney Princess film troupes, this film was a fantasy adventure exploring the origin of Elsa's powers.

The Bad

Pacing. This film was a little slow and dragged in places.

Character Development. The filmmakers played it too same making the characters very bland. No one could have a strong personality or any real conflict for fear of offending someone, so the characters came off as very bland and unremarkable.

Comedy/Age Range. This movie was made for small children with the humor being very silly and simple. The story and action were also geared for a younger audience so while the film had the potential to be great, it wasn't clever enough or smart enough.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the characters had been more developed and the comedy more sophisticated.

Overall

Frozen II is an entertaining fantasy adventure appropriate for the whole family. The filmmakers were really smart to make this movie completely different than the first one. Where the first one was a romantic comedy that make fun of Disney Princess film troupes, this film was a fantasy adventure exploring the origin of Elsa's powers. Unfortunately, the movie was made for a young audience,  with unsophisticated humor and a pretty obvious story and plot twists. The filmmakers played it too same making the characters very bland. No one could have a strong personality or any real conflict for fear of offending someone, so the characters came off as very bland and unremarkable. The music was good, but not nearly as classic as the original. I give this film 4 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

 

AudioBook Review - The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent by Larry Correia

I'm not the biggest fan of political satire or comedic social commentary, because it tends to be really obvious and negative. It's rare to find something clever and not mean spirited. But every once in a while...

The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent by Larry Correia is an Audible Original scifi comedy. It is available only as an Audiobook.

The Good

Comedy. This book is very funny using insurance to make a lot of really funny jabs at the bizarre things going on in the world and with the government. And it leans slightly conservative which is really refreshing.

Story. The story is pretty simple and straightforward, but takes a unique approach and does a good job exploring several different angles of that approach.

Characters. Most of the characters are very likable being slight variations on classic troupes.

The Bad

Villain. The main villain was a little too "classic black moustache" and could have used a little more originality.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

...

Overall

The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent by Larry Correia is a fun, clever comedy that uses insurance as the vehicle to make a lot of really funny comments on society and the strange things the government has done recently. The characters are variations on classic troupes but are still enjoyable. It's a short story that covers a lot of ground in under three hours. I recommend this book and give it 4 out of 5 eReaders.

   

 

The Christmas Clock - Annual Christmas Card

Book Review - A Matter of Will by Adam Mitzner

I'm a big fan of mysteries, but it's hard to find one with a twist I don't see coming but should have.

A Matter of Will by Adam Mitzner is a mystery book with a little romance on the side. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Mysteries. This book has several mysteries that are all well thought out and engaging.

Characters. The author has created several really enjoyable characters that the reader will feel invested in and care about what happens.

Story, Plot, and Pacing. Aside from the mystery, the story is really entertaining and engaging and moves along at a great pace. Even without the mystery, the side plots are interesting enough that the book would have been great without them.

The Bad

...

What I Would Like to Have Seen

A few important points worked out just a little too smoothly making the characters feel just slightly less real than they could be.

Overall

A Matter of Will by Adam Mitzner is a great book filled with several well-constructed mysteries (one I didn't see coming),  enjoyable characters I felt invested in, an interesting story and plot, and strong writing and pacing that I couldn't put down. I highly recommend this book and give it 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

 

TV Show Review - The Mandalorian, Episodes 1 and 2

I am a huge Star Wars fan and always wanted more adventures beyond the movies. I've read the books, comic books, watched the tv shows, and sat thru the four Disney-made movies, but none of them have satisfied me or felt like Star Wars. But when I hear Jon Favreau was behind this new series, I thought there might be a chance for it to be good.

The Mandalorian an 8-episode 2019 Disney+ original series based on Star Wars by George Lucas. It takes place five years after Return of the Jedi. It is rated TV-PG and is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

Storytelling. The storytelling is the strongest aspect of this show. The way the story is told is masterfully done and is what makes this such a great show.

Characters. The characters are all instantly likable even though we know so little about them, especially the Mandalorian himself. The way the show is shot, we feel like we are inside his head experiencing what he is experiencing. And I love how minor characters from previous Star Wars films have been included with a larger role instead of invention new, uninteresting aliens.

Feels Like Star Wars. This series feels like Star Wars, which is really rare for anything George Lucas wasn't directly involved in.

Story. The story is really strong and tight and holds your attention.

Action. There isn't a lot of action, but what little there is is very enjoyable.

The Bad

Pacing. The show moves at a very slow and deliberate pace and provides a lot of "quiet time" and "white space".

Content. The episodes feel a little sparse when it comes to content. They are 30-40 minutes each, but only contain about 18-22 minutes of actual story.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish more happened in each episode. The shows are very decompressed with a lot of "quiet time" and "white space".

Overall

The Mandalorian Episodes 1 and 2 are masterfully done with incredibly strong storytelling, great characters, pretty decent action, a great story, and--best of all--it feels like Star Wars, something none of the four movies Disney have put out has managed to do. The pacing is a little slow with too much "quiet time" and "white space", and the first two episodes were a little thin on content. But overall the first two episodes have been great, and I can't wait to see the rest of the series. I highly recommend this show and give it 4.5 out of 5 remotes.

    

  

 

Movie Review - Last Christmas

I really like Christmas films as a genre, but there are a lot of bad ones mixed in amongst the good and mediocre. Sometimes the Christmas spirit is enough to make a mediocre film enjoyable, and sometimes nothing can save a film.

Last Christmas is a 2019 romantic Christmas film based on an 80s song. It is rated PG-13 for language and adult situations and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Twist. This film has a very interesting twist that you almost never see in this kind of film. It was a nice surprise, but one I guessed about 20 minutes before the big reveal.

The Bad

Pacing. This film is a little slow and drags in places.

Likability. The characters in the film aren't all that likable, especially the main heroine who makes many bad choices that alienates nearly everyone in her life. It's hard to feel sympathetic for her or root for her.

Political Message. At the end of the movie they shoe horn in a lesbian relationship that isn't even hinted at before and does nothing to advance the plot or add to the story. It isn't even very long and feels like an afterthought.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the characters had been more likable and the comedy funnier.

Overall

Last Christmas is an entertaining movie with an interesting twist that was unexpected in this kind of movie. But the unlikable characters and slow pacing will keep this from becoming a classic. And the shoehorned political message at the very end felt very forced and had nothing to do with the rest of the movie, nor did it affect the story except to slow it down. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

 

TV Show Review - Cobra Kai Season 2

I loved the first season of Cobra Kai, and could barely wait for the next. But would it live up to my expectations  

Cobra Kai Season 2 is an 10-episode 2019 YouTube Originals series based on The Karate Kid film and continuing the story three decades later. It is rated TV-14 for language and is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

Story. The story continues right where the first season ended and introduces several great new elements while continuing the stories already begun in the first season. The writing is just as good.

Action. This season offers one of the best fight scenes in cinematic history at the end of the season and beginning of a new school year.

Pacing. The story is paced just right. It never drags and is never rushed.

Contrast. This series does an excellent job of showing the contrast between 80s culture and 2018 culture and how far society as regressed and how weak and cruel modern youth have become. It is really fascinating from both a social perspective and an entertainment one.

Cliffhanger. This series ends with several cliffhangers, only one we know how it will be resolved.

The Bad

...

What I Would Like to Have Seen

More episodes!

Overall

Cobra Kai Season 2 continues to be one of the best shows I've ever seen. It continues the story of The Karate Kid in a perfectly logical, relevant way being true to the original but brining in so many new elements that all fit. The pacing is perfect with each character given the appropriate amount of time to see his or her story progress and interact with the others. There is a lot of drama, conflict, and misunderstanding along with great action, comedy, and romance. This season introduces several new elements that fit into the existing storyline perfectly and sets up the third season in a big way. I highly recommend this show and give it 5 out of 5 remotes.

      

 

Movie Review - The Grudge (2004 film)

I don't watch a lot of horror movies, because they tend to be more gore than spine-tingling terror. But a few years ago I saw one that was everything a horror flick should be.

The Grudge is a 2004 supernatural horror film based on a 2002 Japanese film of the same name. It is rated PG-13 and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Acting. Sarah Michelle Gellar is one of the greatest actresses ever, and she doesn't disappoint in this film. She really conveys the proper emotions at the proper times. And the actress who plays the ghost is incredible. You'd think she was an actual spectre.

Terror. This movie is truly terrifying without resorting to gore, Nazi death camps, or other overused devices. This movie creates so much terror with just a little music, great production design, and brilliant cinematography.

The Bad

Story & Pacing. This film doesn't have a lot of story which makes it feel long and a little slow. It's a brilliant experiment in filmmaking, but not so brilliant in the entertainment department.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish there had been more story. Developing Jason Behr's character and his story would have helped.

Overall

The Grudge is a a terrifying supernatural horror film that does so much with so little. The filmmakers are able to generate real terror in the viewer without resorting to gore, Nazi death camps, or other overused devices. Instead it relies on just a little music, great production design, and brilliant cinematography. Sarah Michelle Gellar is brilliant in this. The story is a little thin with other characters being underdeveloped which makes the movie feel a little long and slow. If you're looking for a film that is terror without the gore, I recommend this one and give it 3.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.