TV Show Review - The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Season 1

I'm a big Jonny Quest fan from his original series in the 60s to his latest exploits with Tom & Jerry. I even have most of his comics.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Season 1 is a 1996 26-episode season of a 2-season series based on the 1964 series Jonny Quest. It is rated TV-PG and is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

The Darkest Fathoms. This is a pirate story with a supernatural feel. It's very intense for an afternoon cartoon.

In the Realm of the Condor. This is a lost city story that has a good idea and good scenes, but is ultimately slow and a little underwhelming.

Rage's Burning Wheel. This is a space mission story that needed to be two parts to fully develop. The story is exciting with real peril.

Manhattan Maneater. This is probably the strongest and most exciting story. It's a dangerous animal hunt story in New York that is very intense. 

East of Zanzibar. This is a natural disaster story where Hadji and Jonny get lost in a big storm that has a great setup but not as much development as it needs.

Ezekiel Rage. This is an origin story of one of the major new villains and is very exciting and intense with a story in the past and one in the present.

Alien in Washington. This is a bit silly but really fun and clever. It involves real aliens and their involvement in the government.

Return of the Anasazi. This is an ancient alien story that has a great set up but needed more work to flesh out.

The Alchemist. This is a story about alchemy that again has a great idea and great set up but needed a little more development.

AMOK. This is a cryptid story that is pretty good but a little slow.

The Spectre of the Pine Barrens. This is  cryptid meets civilization lost in time story about the Declaration of Independence. The idea is really good. The execution a little slow.

Expedition to Khumbu. This is a story about the yeti that is fairly clever and well done. The surprise at the end isn't very surprising. 

Future Rage. This is a really interesting doomsday meets the supernatural story that is really entertaining.

Alligators and Okeechobee Vikings. This story easily ties for the best episode. Vikings live in the Everglades, dress as Alligators, and stop an evil businessman trying to destroy the Everglades.

The Bad

Escape to Questworld. This is a revenge story mixed with virtual reality. The story is weak as is the VR.

Ndovu's Last Journey. This is a story about a dying elephant that is just as boring as it sounds. There is a supernatural element that is a little interesting but predictable. 

Assault on Questworld. This is another revenge story in VR that is better than the first one but still needs more work.

Trouble on the Colorado. This is a sequel to Return of the Anasazi that should have been great,but didn't have enough meat to the story.

In the Wake of the Mary Celeste. This is a ghost ship story that should have been a lot better given the interesting premise.

Besieged in Paradises. This story concerns using whale songs to form and Internet and control them. It's as strange and disappointing as it sounds.   

Heroes. This is a Greek mythology in VR story. It's very boring.  

The Ballad of Belle Bonnet. This is a ghost story that is very predicable and prosaic.  

In the Darkness of the Moon. This a warewolf story that gets too preachy and needs more meat and originality. 

The Secret of the Moai. This is a clever ancient alien story that gets way too silly. 

Ice Will Burn. This is a lost civilization under the ice story that isn't very interesting.

To Bardo and Back. This is a miraculous cure to a paralyzing injury story that is boring and contrived.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I would like to see longer episodes, maybe having some of the stories take two episodes. Several of the stories felt rushed.

Overall

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Season 1 is a fun re-imagining of a classic cartoon. Many of the episodes are well thought out showing real danger, real peril, and realistic action and equipment. There are a lot of aliens, cryptids, and supernatural elements to keep it fun, but all are handled mostly in a believable manner. Several episodes are brilliant while most are entertaining but need work, and a few are real duds. I highly recommend this show and give it 4 out of 5 remotes.

    

  

 

Book Review - Clockwork Apple by Osamu Tezuka

I've been a huge Tezuka-sensei fan since I first picked up his science fiction trilogy (The Lost World, Metropolis, Next Word) and Astro Boy. He never ceases to amaze and impress with his wide range of genres and incredible amount of output.

Clockwork Apple by Osamu Tezuka is an anthology of comics book stories. It is available in paperback.

The Good

Miraculous Conception. This story felt like a classic science fiction story from the mid-20th Century. A human and a robot are isolated in space, get married, and miraculously have a child. The story examines the fallout of such an event. It wasn't a great story but was interesting.

A Clockwork Apple. This story was really enjoyable and had a lot of meat. It reminded me of the classic Tunnel at the End of the World. It is about a world that isn't what it seems to be and what happens to an individual who figures that out. The story took a unique spin on a familiar tale, and the execution was well done.

Night on the Bypass. This story involves a conversation between a cab driver and his passenger and the secrets they each have. Short, but really intriguing.

Sack. This was an interesting story about split personalities and medical conditions that can change a persons identity. Not a lot to the story, but an interesting concept.

The Bad

The Execution Ended at Three O'Clock. This was the fist story, but not a great start. It's a generic Nazi-like army killing Jew-like innocents. The only unique point was the secret formula and how it backfired on the main character, which was mildly interesting.

Yellow Dust. This story was very dark about a hostage situation that went very wrong.

Showtime with the Devil. This story is about political intrigue, assassination, and betrayal. It was pretty standard fare. Not a bad story, but not a particularly standout one either.

Homecoming. This is a revenge story about an STD from space. More bitter than clever.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

It's an anthology with more good than bad, so I can't complain.

Overall

Clockwork Apple by Osamu Tezuka is an anthology of dark short stories covering horror, war, crime, science fiction, and just plain weird. All the stories are well done (like most things Tekuza-sensei does) with some being more clever than others. There were some interesting twists on familiar stories that were enjoyable, but there were some that were pretty standard fare. I give this book 4 out of 5 eReaders.

   

Movie Review - Dumbo (2019 Live Action)

I hate Dumbo. I hate the story. I hate the Disney animated film. When I heard about the live action remake, I looked to the heavens and said, "Why?" Then I heard Tim Burton was directing it and suddenly got very excited and decided to see it opening night.

Dumbo is a 2019 live action family film. It is rated PG and is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

The Story. The story was solid. There was

The Characters. The actors did such a great job portraying their characters, and the script gave them plenty to work with. Everyone (minus the children) was unique and likable.

Visual Feast. This movie was gorgeous, and as it progressed it only got more and more gorgeous with incredible sets, costumes, and cinematography. Tim Burton is a master of the visual.

Weirdness. The original cartoon had several bits of weirdness (pink elephants, singing elephants, mouse guide, magic feather) that barely made sense in the cartoon. Somehow the filmmakers were able to incorporate all of those in a way that not only worked but added to the movie.

Pacing. The movie moved at a great pace. I was never bored checking my watch, but the movie still moved at a gingerly pace allowing the audience to really absorb what was going on and to feel the emotions with the characters.

The Bad

Ending. The ending wasn't as well thought out as it could have been. It was too easy and preachy.

The Children. The children were very stiff, generic, and predictable. They weren't particularly likable.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the ending had been better thought out and not the obvious, easy, preachy ending seen all too often.

Overall

Dumbo is a gorgeous, well written, well acted family film. The visuals from the sets to the costumes to the cinematography are feast for the eyes--Tim Burton is a master of the visual. The story was solid filling in a lot of explanation and motivation. The script gave the actors a lot to work with, and all of them (minus the children) gave a great performance. The pacing gave the film lots of room to breath without ever feeling slow or boring. The ending wasn't as well thought out as it could have been being too easy and too preachy. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

   

Movie Review - Aquaman

I'm not a huge fan of Aquaman, nor did I enjoy him in Justice League. But the

Aquaman is a 2018 superhero action film based on the comic by DC Comics. It is rated PG-13 for mild violence and is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

Visuals. The film looked really nice with great environments and awesome costumes.

Action. There was a lot of great action. This is an action movie first and foremost. It looked better rendered than a video game, but the movements were very video game-like.

Music. Both the soundtrack and the songs were really nice and different than what you normally hear in any film, especially superhero films.

Black Manta is Evil. I like the fact that Black Manta was not misunderstood, not a tragic figure, not a cartoon villain, but an evil bad guy who does things because he is bad and his wickedness punishes him.

The Bad

Story. The story was pretty thin. It was your typical action film with "twists" that weren't surprising and over the top dramatic reveals.

Black Manta is a Thug. Black Manta was basically an unlikeable thug. Where they've set him up to be in the next film, they needed to make him more interesting.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish this film had had a stronger story.

Overall

Aquaman is an entertaining action flick. It have beautiful settings and amazing costumes. The story is thin, predictable, and mostly an excuse for all the many action scenes. The music was very different than you're used to hearing in films today, but very good. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

   

Movie Review - Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

I am not a Harry Potter fan, but I saw all of the films and found a couple of them entertaining. I had no interest in seeing the first Fantastic Beasts film, but the trailer for the second one made me curious.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a 2018 fantasy adventure film based on the Harry Potter franchise. It is rated PG-13 for mild violence and is appropriate for most ages.

The Good

Visuals. The film was visually beautiful, especially the scenes of the main character's animal sanctuary in his home and the circus in Paris.

Story. The story was solid if a little thin. It made sense and progressed fairly logically.

The Bad

Characters. The characters were not interesting, nor developed. I had a hard time feeling anything for them. I never felt invested in their story or fate.

Lack of Wonder and Fun. The Harry Potter films had a sense of wonder and fun. This film lacks the same fun with magic for most of the story.

Twist. There were a few twists in the story and "mystery", but none of them were shocking or surprising. I actually rolled my eyes at the last one surprised the filmmakers went for such an obvious connection.

Pacing. The pace of the film was very slow. The Harry Potter films had so much going on (until the last two) that they moved. This one didn't have enough story or action to fill the time, so everything was stretched out.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I with this film had more going on, more fun with magic, and more interesting characters.

Overall

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald lacks the fun and wonder of the Harry Potter films. The characters aren't as interesting, and I had a hard time caring about what happened to them. The film is visually beautiful to watch with a few interesting scenes, but most of the movie moves slowly and the story felt thin. The final battle at the end and the "big reveals" were small, obvious, and disappointing. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

   

Book Review - Fight and Flight, Magic 2.0 Book 4 by Scott Meyer

I've been reading this series since it debuted and have enjoyed every installment. Somehow the author has found a way to bring something new to the saga without changing the basic premise or any of the things that make the stories so much fun. When I reached the fourth book, I read a lot of negative reviews about this story, so I hesitated to pick it up. Would it be an epic fail like so many readers had reported?

Fight and Flight, Magic 2.0 Book 4 by Scott Meyer is a satirical, comedic, science fiction fantasy. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Premise & Execution. The author has a really clever premise--there is a text file that dictates the makeup of the universe, and altering that file alters reality. People that find the file end up going back to Camelot and pretending to be wizards. The author has also done a masterful job of executing the premise. It's fun, it's clever, it's enjoyable. And four books later, the author hasn't spoiled the stories nor repeated himself.

Characters. The characters are so enjoyable and so likable. They are well developed and while they grow and learn things, they stay basically the same so the stories never drift from what we like.

Narration. The narrator does a brilliant job giving each character a unique voice and reading the stories in the appropriate tone of voice. He's as responsible for the success of the series as the author.

The Bad

Content. This story was as long as others, but very little happened. The story is about dragons. I think the author could have spent a little more time thinking up cool thinks to do with them.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish more had happened.

Overall

Fight and Flight, Magic 2.0 Book 4 by Scott Meyer continues a fun, clever series with lots of pop culture references and video game like adventures. The author has managed to once again bring something new to the saga without changing the basic premise or any of the things that make the stories so much fun, something. The story does not feel like a remake or version of any of the previous stories while still retaining everything about them that made them so much fun. This one didn't have quite as much story or adventure as previous stories. I give this book 4 out of 5 eReaders.

   

TV Show - Titans (2018 pilot)

I've never been a fan of the Teen Titans in the comics or cartoons, but I was curious how they would adapt them in live action knowing the producers planned a diametrically opposite approach.

Titans is an 11-episode DC Universe series based on the characters appearing in DC Comics. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and blood and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Dick Greyson. I really enjoyed the character of Dick. The actor they hired and the way he was presented was interesting and the best part of the episode. He feels like the character in the comics and like he has a lot of aspects of his character and life to explore.

Mystery. This episode presents an interesting mystery that made me want to watch more episodes.

Story. The story in the pilot is fairly solid and brings the characters together in a logical, organic way.

The Bad

Pacing. This episode moved a little slow.

Raven and Starfire. So far, neither of these characters is interesting or compelling, nor do either seem anything like their comic book versions.

Dark. This episode is very dark, and not in a grim way. It's visually dark and hard to see anything, even during the middle of the day.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish there had been more action and more happen. The pacing felt deliberately slow like the film makers were trying too hard to make this feel dark and gritty and important with dramatic pauses instead of actual content.

Overall

Titans (2018 pilot) is off to a good start. It's not Marvel and Netflix's Daredevil good (which is what I think they were going for) but it is well casted, well acted, has a solid story so far, and in intriguing enough to make me want to watch the next episode. The Dick Greyson character was especially interesting and well done. I give this show 3.5 out of 5 remotes.

   

Movie Review - Venom

I'm a big comic book fan, but I'm not a Venom fan. But for some reason when I heard about this movie, something compelled me to see it, and I'm glad I did.

Venom is a 2018 horror drama superhero movie based on characters appearing in Marvel Comics. It is rated PG-13 for language, violence, and terror and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Story. This film had a solid story. It was very clear, very linear, and made sense.

Action. The action was really exciting and fun to watch. It was unique to Venom and his powers.

Romance/Caring. This movie contained a romantic subplot that was different than the usual romantic subplot that made it more enjoyable than I was expecting.

Terror. This film was shot as an R-rated horror flick and then released as PG-13. It has the drama and intensity of an R-rated flick as well as several scenes of terror and horror minus the gore. It was quite thrilling to watch.

Humor. This movie is by no means a comedy, but once Venom combines with Eddie, there are some funny moments that are expected but very clever and unique--they could only happen in this movie.

The Bad

Beginning. The beginning was a little slow and prosaic.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the line between good guys and bad guys hadn't been so clear and obvious. The film would have benefitted from rounding out the villains a little more.

Overall

Venom was a surprisingly enjoyable movie. It had a solid story, action unique to the characters, and humor that would only work in this movie. The filmmakers crated a rather terrifying horror flick with superhero elements that wasn't filled with gore or other disgusting and unnecessary elements. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.