SCOOB!: A Story About Boys And Their Dogs

     After many years of solving mysteries from childhood into adulthood, Shaggy (Will Forte), Scooby Doo (Frank Welker), Fred (Zac Effron), Velma (Gina Rodriguez) and Daphne (Amanda Seyfried) are looking to expand Mystery Inc. into a business and when their backer (Simon Cowell playing Simon Cowell) tells Shaggy and Scooby that they bring nothing to the table, the duo are then swept up in a globe-spanning plot by Dick Dastardly (Jason Issacs) to kidnap Scooby. Their only help comes in the form of Shaggy and Scooby's longtime hero The Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg) and his long-suffering teammates Dynomutt (Ken Jeong) and Dee Dee (Kiersey Clemons). As Scooby and Shaggy progress in their journey, their friendship is pushed to the absolute limit.

     Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scoob!, originally slated for theatrical release on May 15th, has been released via Video On Demand. I watched it on Early Access late Thursday because I had been looking forward to this movie for a while. Even though I had reservations about some of the casting, the story itself looked like it could be at least somewhat interesting. As a kid, I used to watch Hanna Barbera cartoons as frequently as I would Looney Tunes, Disney or any of their contemporaries.

    There is plenty to enjoy in this movie. The animation by Reel FX Animation Studios is fluid, cartoonish, and bright. The design of Scooby and Shaggy are spot on, Blue Falcon and Dynomutt are well designed, Dick Dastardly looks both nefarious and goofy as he should. The action was well done and there's a genuine mystery that differs from the typical Scooby Doo formula of greedy real estate developers or thieves in gaudy costumes. Scooby and Shaggy's friendship is shown faithfully and it's always nice to see The Mystery Machine in action. There are many callbacks and easter eggs to other Hanna Barbera properties like Magilla Gorilla, Atom Ant, Grape Ape, as well as characters referencing the original Scooby Doo cast like Casey Kasem, Nicole Jaffe and Don Messick.

    That being said, this isn't entirely a Scooby Doo movie. Scooby is the titular main character, Shaggy is right there with him and he is important to the story. But there are a LOT of moving parts and a lot of characters for the audience to get acquainted with and get to know. For someone like myself, it's not too difficult to get a feel for the characters because I grew up knowing these personas and their respective shows. In this instance, however, there are some variations, in particular a dynamic duo's, for lack of a better term, dynamic is inverted to a surprisingly effective degree. The problem is that many kids these days (said the old man, sucking on a werther's original) don't know or are not necessarily familiar with Hanna Barbera's more esoteric properties.

     A running theme with this movie is basically the typical story about a boy and his dog. In this case, Scooby and Shaggy, Blue Falcon and Dynomutt and Dick Dastardly and his criminal canine companion Muttley. The relationships displayed with each shows their commitment, as well as their occasional exasperation with one another, as can happen sometimes when things change wildly out of anyone's control. Dynomutt bemoans Blue Falcon's apparent apathy and fear towards superheroism.  Shaggy struggles to find himself useful not just to Mystery Inc but to Scooby. Dick Dastardly goes to any lengths to be reunited with his partner. All of these relationships have one thing in common: devotion to their friend no matter what and it's a beautiful thing to have in one's life.

     Earlier I had said that this isn't entirely a Scooby Doo movie and, for the most part, it's true because the Blue Falcon/Dynomutt subplot takes up a bulk of the movie. Scooby and Shaggy kind of just tag along while others are being much more active in unearthing Dastardly's plans. The same goes for the rest of Mystery Inc. Fred, Daphne and Velma spend a majority of the film either captured or away from the plot until it swoops back around and realize, "Oh shit, they're supposed to be in this, too!" It's a shame that they spend so much time away from Shaggy and Scooby, especially since they are supposed to be the pair's best friends. But sadly, for this supposed Scooby Doo movie, the main characters feel like they're riding along in someone else's story. Their inclusion in the Blue Falcon/Dick Dastardly plot feels incidental. Fred, Velma and Daphne are given very little to do aside from catching up to where the superheroes are in terms of the plot and providing exposition.

     While I'm on the subject of Mystery Inc, I think I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up their voice actors. Gina Rodriguez and Amanda Seyfried for as little as they have to do in the movie are decently cast as Velma and Daphne, respectively. Whenever they have a chance to shine, they can pull off the characters well. Jason Issacs sounds like he's having a blast as Dick Dastardly, providing the appropriate levels of ham a story like this needs. Mark Wahlberg gives an easy, dudebro approach to Blue Falcon to mix with Ken Jeong's straight-dog Dynomutt. Kiersey Clemons's Dee Dee is a nice addition to the Blue Falcon team but she seems just as underused as Daphne, Velma and Fred, speaking of which...hoo boy.

     Fred Jones over the decades has had some changes in his personality and his role in Mystery Inc. In the beginning he was as much of a sleuth as Velma but was more of a planner and a leader of the rag-tag group of misfits. This, to many, somehow translated to him being boring or without a personality. Some incarnations have Fred being a well-meaning, if a bit dorky engineering prodigy with a bit of a sleuth in him, while some have decided to just have him be a complete idiot in love with the Mystery Machine. As for Zac Effron, I didn't really feel he had a chance to put in any sort of personality into Fred aside from how he's written here, a lovable, if somewhat vanilla, doofus.

     And then there's Will Forte as Shaggy. Hearing that Matthew Lillard wouldn't be reprising the role he's now famous for was a bit disheartening. The others not reprising their roles and being effectively replaced with "name" actors was enough of a misstep despite the good work from Amanda Seyfried and Gina Rodriguez. Forte's Shaggy feels more like an impression than a performance. It's not an especially bad impression, and Forte, from what I've seen, can be funny. But he doesn't hold a candle to Lillard or Kasem, in my opinion. It just didn't work for me, personally.

     I really wanted this movie to be more than just "pretty good" and hoped for more expansion of the Hanna Barbera properties into, perhaps their own movies somewhere down the line. I would hope we get movies like Hong Kong Phooey or a full-on Blue Falcon/Dynomutt film that explores the possible mythology of the mantle passing from generation to generation. I certainly wouldn't turn down a Frankenstein Jr or Space Ghost movie. Maybe even a Captain Caveman movie without Tracy Morgan playing him as just Tracy Morgan.

Onward: Heartfelt Family Film About Moving On

     Brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt) live with their mother Laurel (Julia Louie-Dreyfuss) after the father and husband respectively Wilden passed away from illness many years ago. Upon his sixteenth birthday, Ian is given a present from his later father: a wizard staff along with the rare Phoenix gem and a spell to bring Wilden back to life for twenty four hours. A mishap in performing the spell results in the gem shattering. leaving only half of their father being reconstituted. Ian and Barley set off on a quest to find another Phoenix gem, leading the brothers down paths of peril, life lessons, and being reminded of what you have and how much you miss it when it's gone.

     The newest outing by Pixar, Onward gives us another heartfelt tale of family that doesn't shy away from the notion that, even when we love them, sometimes family can be the biggest pain in the ass. But the latter doesn't always disqualify the former. It's especially tough when you've lost a family member to disease or circumstances far beyond anyone's control. Losing a family member or someone you loved enough to spend the rest of your life with is like losing a part of yourself. Time may heal the wound, but you never really forget. Even when the weight of the loss slowly lifts with each passing day, it feels like you'll carry it, in some part, with you forever. But life goes on, the world moves ever forward.

     Fantasy creatures inhabiting modern times is hardly unbroken ground (see Bright, The Dresden Files, Supernatural, Buffy The Vampire Slayer etc;), Onward seems to take a different approach. In most contemporary fantasy, the fantastic and the modern are more or less folded into each other, like a deck of playing cards. The world of this film seems to have a different history, or at least more of an alternate version. I suppose if one were to take a fine-toothed comb, one could pick apart how technology shouldn't exist so similarly to our own, but the movie doesn't really bring it up and frankly, it isn't important to the bulk of the story. It's not about the world itself, though it is worth exploring on its own. But it rightly focuses on Ian and Barley's journey, brotherhood and respective relationships with their father.

     Chris Pratt and Tom Holland are perfectly cast as Barley and Ian Lightfoot respectively. Tom portrays Ian's nerdy, nebbish awkwardness and desire to be more confident with little to no effort. Barley seems like a role made for Pratt, who first charmed audiences as Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation. Though, in all honesty, ten years ago, Jack Black and Michael Cera would've turned in terrific portrayals of Barley and Ian respectively, as well.

     The premise to this movie spoke to me in a very personal way. In late 2003, my father died of cancer and, to be honest, it still affects me to this day. Not a day goes by that I don't miss him, even after sixteen years. Eventually you do move on, you do live your life. Losing a family member to disease is the kind of pain that changes forever those who have been left behind. Parents remarry, families are altered, but the love for those we lose never goes away. The family dynamic in Onward is heavily relatable in that way. It does go into something of a cliche, especially when it comes to the boys's relationship with Colt Bronco, who is dating Barley and Ian's mother Laurel (played by Julia Louis Dreyfuss).

     Speaking of cliches, the structure and pacing of this film does feel somewhat recycled from just about every road trip/buddy movie you've seen before. Our heroes get sidetracked for a gas run and encounter a biker gang (of pixies). Circumstances force a rift between the brothers, particularly Barley's perception as a screw-up and manchild. It's another coming of age story for a boy learning to become a young man. It is effectively told and enjoyable, but as far as Pixar films go, it's not anything revolutionary or new.

     Special mention should be given to Octavia Spencer's Manticore Corey. Her character arc in the story can serve as something of a microcosm of what the audience should take away from this film. She starts out going through the motions as the owner of a kids-themed tavern based on her exploits. Modern life and responsibilities had taken their toll on her fighting spirit. Through a brief encounter with the young elf men, she realizes what she has become. Corey and Laurel have a fun but brief adventure together on the road trying to help Barley and Ian from the disastrous consequences of their quest. While Corey experiences what some may call a mid-life crisis and possibly isn't as strong as she used to be, she still manages to rekindle the fire and passion for life that drove her in ages gone by.

     In the end Onward is about how we progress in life, but never forgetting the magic that's within us and others. Life goes on, but we can't let that get us down. We can't let an ever-changing world snuff out the heart's fire that burns within us. While we can't ignore the responsibilities and trappings of modern living, they also aren't what we're meant to live for. We as people are meant to do wondrous things and if we can just harness the spark and speak from our hearts, maybe we can make magic live on in some form of our lives.

Sonic: The Hedgehog: A Fun Fantasy Film For Fans of Family-Friendly Fare

     Stranded on Earth after losing his protector and mother figure, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), an anthropomorphic hedgehog raises himself in the forests of Green Hills, Montana. He spends the next few years scavenging for food and stalking local sheriff Tom (James Marsden) and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter). His loneliness and isolation cause him to lash out, causing a power surge that draws the attention of the U.S. Government, in particular the brilliant but demented mind of Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). While trying to use one of his magic rings to escape Earth, Sonic is shot with a tranquilizer dart by Tom, accidentally causing the rings to land on a skyscraper in San Francisco. With Tom's reluctant help, Sonic has to find a way to evade the mad scientist and retrieve his one-way ticket to safety.

     It all started last year with the release of a trailer and the misguided executive decision to show the public a version of Sonic The Hedgehog that looked nightmarish, somewhat realistic and not all that great. While my reaction wasn't as over-the-top as others was, it was universally agreed upon that it could have been better. After months of redesigning, the new look for Sonic was a marked improvement and the artists behind it deserve all the credit in the world.

     With everything being said about the redesign, it was clear that any changes would be cosmetic. The film, as a whole, would be largely left alone. In which case, everything else we saw from the trailers was what we would get. The premise of "normal live-action human interacts with cartoon/CG animal for wacky hijinks/road trip" movies is not exactly breaking new ground in terms of subgenres. See Yogi Bear, the Alvin and The Chipmunks movies, Hop (which also stars James Marsden) and The Smurfs for the more notable examples. However, even if something appears to be yet another in a long line of formulaic, plot-by-numbers movies, sometimes a film can surprise you by being better than you thought. Not spectacular by any means, but not having you leave the theater wanting to punch actual hedgehogs.

     It's all been done before, and it's certainly true here. Road trip movies are a dime a dozen, Live-action/animated mashups are plentiful and family friendly stories about what makes a friend or family or finding a true home. The key to a quality movie-going experience, at least in my opinion, is in how the movie engages with you, if it does at all. While movies like Woody Woodpecker, Yogi Bear, and Alvin and The Chipmunks didn't really do it for me, there's a charm to Sonic the Hedgehog that makes it at least an enjoyable romp for me. Even if they borrow scenes from X-Men when Sonic seemingly slows down time to pull pranks or save Tom from either a bar fight or Robotnik's onslaught.

     Ben Schwartz nails the childlike energy and immature nature of Sonic. He's practically raised himself on Flash comic books, pop culture osmosis, and hiding in the shadows. It's not unlike an introvert wanting to be part of a crowd or community, but always feeling like an outsider. It's different in Sonic's case, as he was instructed by his mother figure to always remain hidden. While he does like to play the occasional prank, Sonic enjoys the spotlight and is naturally outgoing, leading to his mounting frustration.

     Jim Carrey's Dr. Robotnik is also full of fun, entertaining manic energy. When I saw Carrey's antics, it made me feel young again while he was playing The Mask or Ace Ventura. He fully commits to the insanity of the character, especially at the end. In contrast to Sonic, he is someone who likes to be alone with his machines and finds people annoying, stupid and tedious. Seeing his efforts stymied by those he deems inferior to himself enrages Robotnik. Even when James Marsden's Tom gives us a cliched, "Sonic is more human than you" type speech about friendship, it simply doesn't register to the rabid robot creator. He cannot grasp the need or desire for companionship.

      James Marsden's Sheriff Tom spends the movie dreaming of being a San Francisco cop and being a hero. He dreams of leaving behind Green Hills and getting calls to do seemingly menial work for its townspeople. With Sonic being thrust in his life, he learns the typical lesson one does in these situations about where one's home truly lies. A more cynical mind will think that the message of the film is "have no ambitions beyond your stations" but honestly, the character suffers mainly from being bored with his career and thinking he needs a change. And, as in life, change comes from an unexpected source.

     Sonic The Hedgehog is a fun, entertaining way to kill ninety minutes, especially if you happen to have kids or are a fan of the character. While it's true, the story is ground that has been tread before many, many times, it still can be an enjoyable ride, a lot like when you go through Green Hills Zone's first level. It feels familiar, but it's still a good time from beginning to end.
    

Birds Of Prey And The Groin-Kicking Of The Patriarchy

     After a horrible break-up with the Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is on her own. After blowing up Ace Chemicals as a symbolic middle finger to her former puddin', the Gotham underworld are now after her head to pay her back for past grievances. One of those is the sadistic crime boss Roman "Black Mask" Sionis (Ewan MacGregor). Caught in the middle are Detective Rene Montoya (Rosie Perez), a lounge-singer/martial arts badass Dinah Lance/Black Canary (Jurnee Smollet-Bell, assassin Helena Bertinelli/Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and pickpocket Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). As all these paths converge, wacky hijinks, brutal bone-snapping battles and more outrageous splashes of color than a crayon box in a wood chipper ensue.

     I didn't like Suicide Squad. It looked like try-hard, disjointed, horribly edited, "look-at-us-we're-so-punk-but-in-a-safe-marketable-way" garbage. Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jay Hernandez are three of the only good parts about it, but it still didn't do it for me. This time around, however, I'm glad to see a movie that is a good kind of crazy, wild, and in-your-face with its themes and aesthetic. It felt like the movie that Suicide Squad tried to be but couldn't quite nail down because it was so busy trying to cram ten different origins into one movie. While one could make the argument that the pacing of events may appear jumbled, but actually does its job of fleshing out the characters and makes sense given that the point-of-view of the overall narration is provided by Harley Quinn.

     Birds Of Prey is something of a punk feminist manifesto without being either subtle or explicit about it, and I don't say that as a bad thing. These are awesome, strong, capable women who have ambition, drive and tenacity. Such traits are evident, even to the male figures in this film. But it's shown, again and again, they only accept a woman's strength so long as it benefits their goals. There's a very pointed scene with Jurnee Smollet-Bell singing "This Is A Man's World" in a slow minor-key number while Harley stews in her post-break-up depression and Roman parades around like the cock of the walk. The power dynamics between men and women are at the heart of this story.

      Each main character deals with breaking the stifling and, in most cases, abusive control that men or male dominated fields exert over them. Renee Montoya tries getting Roman/Black Mask off the streets despite male cops stymieing her progress not just with the case, but her entire career. Helena Bertinelli/Huntress seeks bloody vengeance on the mobsters that murdered her family. Dinah Lance wants to be out from under the murderous controlling thumb of Black Mask, all the while keeping her head down but never really breaking from her good-hearted nature. Cassandra Cain hopes to escape abusive foster parents through pick-pocketing. Harley begins the struggle of being more than just "Joker's girl" and realizing she doesn't need him anymore.

     The fight choreography is fantastic, giving each character their own distinct style. Montoya brawls, Harley incorporates gymnastics and blunt objects, Canary and Huntress are martial arts masters though Huntress tends to also shoot and stab with crossbow bolts just as often. Their chemistry as a combative unit is, sadly, only given one scene to truly shine, but the climactic final battle is exciting, fun and worth the price of admission by itself. What also shines is the fact that they can push through pain, both mental, emotional, and physical. Getting thrown around and punched in the face doesn't slow them down in the slightest. They get right back up and start snapping (a LOT of) legs and kicking ass.

     While I can certainly understand the notion that this is, first and foremost, a Harley Quinn movie, it's not to say that none of the other characters aren't developed or have arcs to go through. Their chemistry as characters becomes apparent much too late in the film, but there's smatterings of it here and there when two characters would interact on occasion. I wish there could have been more with the entire team, but hopefully with a sequel (box office pending) that can be explored a bit further.

     I really dug the art direction and tone of this film. The color schemes were just right without being gaudy or over-the-top, but still dynamic enough that I wasn't watching a grey, drab, miserable mess.The editing knows when to be frenetic and when to slow down and let the action play out. The cinematography is excellent, one of the highlights being a slow, almost fetishistic look at the making of a breakfast sandwich.

     Finally, there's a villain you love to hate in Ewan MacGregor, who was having the time of his life as Black Mask. He chews the scenery with aplomb and gusto. While there were reports that the character of Roman Sionis was portrayed as gay, it isn't made explicit in the film. There are some intimate touching here and there with his right hand man Victor Zsasz, played by Chris Messina, which is about as close as it gets. It isn't a complaint so much as an observation, really. I also liked that they kept the fact that Renee Montoya is a lesbian by confirming her past relationship with a female District Attorney, as well as Harley's bisexuality in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it animation of college flames. One, in particular, bore a striking resemblance to one Pamela Isley a.k.a. Poison Ivy.

     I cannot recommend Birds Of Prey enough, it's fast paced, action-packed, with great characters to get attached to and root for. It's the kind of girl power film that isn't insincere, cheesy or hokey about it. It's a fun time to be had that'll put a fantabulous smile on your face. 

Dolemite Is My Name And Perseverance Is My Game

     Rudy Ray Moore is a down-on-his-luck entertainer in Los Angeles in the 1970's. Record store clerk by day and club MC by night, Rudy tries everything he can to get into the entertainment business. Until one day he hears the lyrical, almost poetic musings of hobos and bums nearby. Of particular interest are limericks involving the name "Dolemite." He decides to create a character by the same name and immerses himself in a flamboyant, jive-talking, superstar on the rise. After making successful comedy records, Rudy decides to make his own movie featuring his popular creation as he chases his dreams of success and entertaining the people in a way that only he can.

     Getting into show business is a hellacious struggle. Even trying to be moderately successful in any entertainment field is like trying to climb a rainy mountainside with a two-ton boulder tied to your waist on a bungee cord. That's why seeing someone who could be pigeon-holed as "down and out" finally make good or make something of themselves can be inspiring to others in similar situations. Here you have Rudy, who's stuck working at what he himself calls a "temporary day job," struggling for a way to make people laugh and have a good time and become successful in the process.

     Eddie Murphy, with this one role, has come back to peak form not just as a comedian, but as an actor as well. His (in my staunch opinion) Oscar-worthy performance carries the movie on its shoulders almost effortlessly. If anyone else had been in the role, I would dare to say it might not have had as much impact and resonance. As some may know, Murphy himself was going through a tough time in Hollywood, with failed movie after failed movie and his stock plummeting. But like with Rudy Ray Moore, sometimes you just need that one shot to really get things going and working in your favor.

      Dolemite Is My Name shows the highs and lows of perseverance. With every success Rudy faces, he's hit with a setback. He tries to work a longer set for his MC position but the club manager sternly refuses. He then finds a way to bring the house down with the creation of Dolemite. Rudy decides to make a movie but finds that he is woefully out of his depth as a filmmaker and financier. He then hustles to get the money to pay the cast and crew. One by one, distributors refuse to play his movie, until he takes a chance at playing Dolemite at a theater owned by a relative of a radio host who wanted to know if the movie was ever coming out. While Rudy does feel the frustration almost to the point of giving up, something or someone prompts him back on point so he can complete his goals.


      While watching the film, I couldn't help but think of an early creative inspiration of mine, Adaptation, with Nic Cage as a struggling screenwriter trying to make a compelling story of a reporter's investigation of a particularly rare orchid. It showcased the internal battle to make a story about what amounted to little more than a book report engaging to an audience. Self-loathing and self-doubt crept in at every opportunity, but despite all of it, Cage's character still pushed through, even when his life was on the line. It shows the complete war of imaginative attrition that creative people can and often do go through when making art, especially for a living.

     It's a rocky and tumultuous road to make a living doing something you love. Even achieving moderate success can seem herculean in time and effort put in. The saying goes, "Do what you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life." But we all know that isn't true. Doing what we love takes work because love takes work. If it's a passion project, or in a relationship, or even getting through the day. It takes work and effort. Some might reply, "But they mean it won't feel like work." But the thing is, they're wrong there, too. Sometimes the things you love will exhaust you, frustrate you, grate on you, irritate you, maybe even drive you mad. But none of that truly diminishes that love. We keep going because we believe the reward will be worth it. And sometimes it is, and sometimes, it falters and ultimately fails. But without the will to try and push forward, we will never really, truly know what we're capable of.