TV Show Review - The Hardy Boys (Hulu Original)

I've been a fan of the Hardy Boys ever since I ready my first Hardy Boys novel in fourth grade. I've always wished for a really good live action adaption.

The Hardy Boys is a 2020-2022 2 season supernatural mystery drama on Hulu. It is rated TV-PG and is appropriate for most ages.

 

The Good

The Casting. For the most part this series was well cast. The contrived diversity doesn't fit the setting, but at least each of the actors is interesting enough it doesn't hurt the show like most shows.

The Story. The story is solid with several mini mysteries leading to one main mystery. It's very well told. The viewer is never lost because of the clear storytelling, nor is he bored because the story is sufficiently complex.

The Eighties. Setting this series in the 80s makes it a lot of fun and removes so many of the easy plot cheats such as tracking people with cell phones or hacking into an organization's computers to find the answers. The Hardys and their friends actually have to be detectives and do things the hard way.

The Bad

Change of Cast. Season Two sees Fenton Hardy and Biff's mother recast with poor actors. This made both characters less likable.

Aliens and Magic. I understand why they producers added aliens and magic into the mix, but it really wasn't necessary. The Hardy Boys have sufficient detective skills and a secret society that controls the town is sufficiently interesting.

 

Propaganda. For some reasons the producers threw in modern propaganda that is inconsistent with the books and inconsistent with the 80s. It was also inconsistent with the characters.

 

Overall

The Hardy Boys is a 2020-2022 2 season supernatural mystery drama on Hulu. It is rated TV-PG and is appropriate for most ages. For the most part this series was well cast. The contrived diversity doesn't fit the setting, but at least each of the actors is interesting enough it doesn't hurt the show like most shows. The story is solid with several mini mysteries leading to one main mystery. It's very well told. The viewer is never lost because of the clear storytelling, nor is he bored because the story is sufficiently complex. Setting this series in the 80s makes it a lot of fun and removes so many of the easy plot cheats such as tracking people with cell phones or hacking into an organization's computers to find the answers. The Hardys and their friends actually have to be detectives and do things the hard way. Season Two sees Fenton Hardy and Biff's mother recast with poor actors. This made both characters less likable. I understand why they producers added aliens and magic into the mix, but it really wasn't necessary. The Hardy Boys have sufficient detective skills and a secret society that controls the town is sufficiently interesting. For some reasons the producers threw in modern propaganda that is inconsistent with the books and inconsistent with the 80s. It was also inconsistent with the characters. I highly recommend this show and give it 4.5 out of 5 remotes.

    

Movie Review - Blithe Spirit (2020 film)

I'm a big fan of low budget films that rely more on script and acting than on special effects or spectacle. Most of the movies released in the last year have been this type, and I've actually enjoyed them a lot and hope they keep coming.

Blithe Spirit is a 2020 live-action, British, supernatural, romantic comedy based on the 1941 play of the same name. It is rated PG-13 for innuendo and is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

Actors. This movie is really well cast. All of the principal actors and actresses fit their roles perfectly and do a great job selling their characters.

Story and Pace. The story isn't overly complicated and is more about the interactions between characters than plot. It moves at a great pace that keeps the audiences attention but gives them time to enjoy the zaniness that is going on.

Twists. From the trailer, the story looks pretty straightforward and is up until the end when there are several great twists that took me completely by surprise but didn't feel like cheats. I was quite happy with them.

The Bad

New Wife and Secondary Characters. The new wife and secondary characters are not very likeable at the beginning and are actually kind of annoying until halfway thru the film. I understand we are supposed to root for the first wife at the beginning, but they could have made the new wife a little less obnoxious, because she becomes quite likable by the end.

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

I wish there had been just a little more content. This movie seemed a little too simple until the second half.

Overall

Blithe Spirit is a 2020 live-action, British, supernatural, romantic comedy based on the 1941 play of the same name. This movie is really well cast. All of the principal actors and actresses fit their roles perfectly and do a great job selling their characters. The story isn't overly complicated and is more about the interactions between characters than plot. It moves at a great pace that keeps the audiences attention but gives them time to enjoy the zaniness that is going on. From the trailer, the story looks pretty straightforward and is up until the end when there are several great twists that took me completely by surprise but didn't feel like cheats. I was quite happy with them. The new wife and secondary characters are not very likeable at the beginning and are actually kind of annoying until halfway thru the film. I understand we are supposed to root for the first wife at the beginning, but they could have made the new wife a little less obnoxious, because she becomes quite likable by the end. Overall, this film is very enjoyable. I give it 4 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

    

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.

    

  

 

Magazine Review - Mystery Weekly Magazine (January 2020)

I love short stories and short story anthologies. When I bought my first Kindle, I purchased a ton of short stories and read them each night with such a thrill. But it's hard to find good short stories even though there are so many out there.

Mystery Weekly Magazine (January 2020) is a monthly mystery anthology of excellent crime and mystery stories that delve into the normal, the supernatural, and the science fiction realms. It is available as an eBook and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Fast Forward. This is a science fiction story meets classic private eye story. It has a great concept, great characters, and moves at a great pace. 5 out of 5 eReaders.

The Beresford Case. This is a ghost story. While it isn't an original concept, it is very well told with nice characterization. 4 out of 5 eReaders.

When the Circus Almost Came to Town. This is a bank heist story with a slightly different twist. The characters are fairly interesting. The story is enjoyable, but nothing to write home about. 3.5 out of 5 eReaders.

Murder in the Workplace. This is a murder mystery that is mostly told in interviews. The story is enjoyable, but nothing to write home about. The solution isn't all that surprising. 3.5 out of 5 eReaders.

Murderer Bill. This is a boogeyman story meets a coming of age story. The characters are interesting. The concept is pretty original. The twist at the end was different, and I'm not sure how much I liked it. The pacing and character development were great. 4 out of 5 eReaders.

The Bad

A Siege of Herons. This is a missing person story and was hard to get thru. 1 out of 5 eReaders.

Bare Billfold. Each issue has a "you solve it" mystery where a situation is set up and you have to figure out who the guilty party is. They're usually pretty short and not all that interesting. The solution is in the next issue. This one is an office place robbery. 3 out of 5 eReaders.

    

 

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.

  

 

TV Show Review - Swamp Thing (2019 DC Universe) Episodes 1 and 2

I've never been a big fan of Swamp Thing, so when I heard he was the star of a new TV series, I was a little disappointed. But Titans and Doom Patrol were really good, so I decided to give it a chance. 

Swamp Thing is an 10-episode DC Universe series based on characters appearing in DC Comics created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. It is rated TV-MA for language, violence, and gore and is appropriate for older teens and up.

The Good

Casting. Everyone in this (minus the swamp witch) is an excellent casting choice. They fit the characters well, their acting is top notch, and they make you feel for them.

Story. The story is so tight and so strong. It grips you from the first second and doesn't let you go for a minute. Somehow the filmmakers are able to create a relationship between the two main characters so strong and so natural in less than 50 minutes that when the male lead dies (which you knew he was going to since that is the premise of the whole story) you are still shocked and horrified crying "NOOOO!!!!".

Pacing. The story is paced just right. It never drags, but there is plenty of dramatic pausing.

Art Direction. The visuals are gorgeous. I feel like I am in the swamp. Some of the cgi looks a little fake, but there are enough practical effects that the overall look holds up well.

The Bad

Ummm.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

All thirteen original episodes produced.

Overall

Swamp Thing (2019 DC Universe) Episodes 1 and 2 are pure perfection. The casting couldn't be better, the acting is top notch, the visuals are truly creepy, and the story is so tight and strong. I can't believe the filmmakers were able to create a relationship between the two main characters so strong and so natural in less than 50 minutes that when the male lead died (which you knew he was going to since that is the premise of the whole story) you were still shocked and horrified crying "NOOOO!!!!". I can't wait to see the rest of this series. I give this show 5 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.

   

Book Review - The Safe Man by Michael Connelly

I love ghost stories, and I love Michael Connelly stories, so would I love the combination of the two?

The Safe Man by Michael Connelly is a ghost story mystery NOT in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Setting. This story concerns a man whose profession is opening safes (legally) and a job that goes unexpectedly. I've experienced very few stories about legal safe openers, so this was really interesting.

Concept. This story has ghosts, time travel, and uses them in a way that hasn't been overdone. It wasn't a huge surprise at the end, but it didn't feel old either.

The Bad

Hmmm.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Hmmmm.

Overall

The Safe Man by Michael Connelly is a great story about an average man going about his job while expecting his first child. The supernatural elements were very subtle and not immediately obvious. The story is entertaining, the supernatural elements are fun, and the ending is very satisfying. I give this book 5 out of 5 eReaders.