Movie Stakeout Reviews 15/03/19-21/03/19
All the latest Movieland investigations from detectives Dick Japowski & Joey Arizona.
The Arizona Case Files
Scooby-Doo (2002)
The members of Mystery Inc. get the live-action treatment, and set out to investigate strange goings-on at the theme park resort Spooky Island.
Not well received by critics or particularly loved by audiences Scooby-Doo gets a bum-wrap, it's everything you could have wanted from a live-action movie. The CGI is a little dated, and the characterisations of Fred & Daphne are a bit off, but it feels like a Scooby adventure, there's plenty of fun for the kids and jokes only the grown-ups will get, and we all collectively acknowledge our hatred for Scrappy-doo.
Rewatch: 3 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Rick Moranis is on great form playing Seymour, a poor schlub who discovers a new exotic plant. Before long his fortune changes. Unfortunately the growing plant is getting sassier and blood thirsty..
I've always loved this musical comedy and the supporting cast, with Steve Martin especially as the sadistic dentist! The puppet work is astounding and still can't figure out how it was all done! First watch for the kids who also enjoyed this carnivorous comedy!
Rewatch: 4 Doughnuts
First watch for kids: 4 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)
The Coolsville Museum opens an exhibit honouring Mystery Inc, displaying the costumes of people they've unmaksed...but someone starts bringing the exhibits to life.
Manages to fix all the issues with the first movie, Fred & Daphne are less one dimensional bafoons, the CGI is greatly improved, and Scooby looks much more like his cartoon self. There's even a real mystery for the gang to solve, with plenty of clues and misdirection, and lots of classic Scooby ghosts for the fans.
Rewatch: 3.5 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
Isle of Dogs (2018)
When Japan banishes its dog population to an island, a young boy embarks on a rescue mission with the help of some friendly strays to save his loyal companion.
I don't know why it took so long to watch this as Wes Anderson's previous animated opus, Fantastic Mr Fox is rarely out of the blu-ray player and like that one I'm sure this will grow in appreciation over time.
A visual bone to chew on.
First watch: 4 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
A group of friends, who only seem to meet up at weddings, try to get themselves romantically entangled.
After reading an article written by actor Simon Callow about the making of the movie, the reunion short aired during Comic Relief, and his sadness he wouldn't be apart of it (spoilers: It's his funeral...come on, you've had twenty five years to watch this film) I had to revisit it, not just because It's a classic piece of British cinema, but I'm also a movie obsessive and much like the run-up to a Marvel movie I have to watch the original before the sequel.
Not that it's much of a chore, Hugh Grant and his friends are all incredibly likeable, despite them all being oblivious to the fact two of their number are lovers, and no one has ever bothered to learn Sign language to talk to Grant's brother.
Rewatch: 4 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
The Villainess (2017)
An often confusing South Korean action film with some insane set pieces about a pregnant women who's recruited into a secret government agency after her husband is killed, and trained as a sleeper agent.
First Watch: 2.5 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
Captain Marvel (2019)
A young and scrappy Kree soldier starts to have flashbacks to a possible previous life and then (literally) crashes into one of the biggest Blockbusters!
It's only fitting that the strongest character in Marvel gets a strong origin story. I didn't always follow what was going on or who was huh? But once it gets rolling its a fun powerslide through the mid nineties. A strong base on which this character will surely grow.
First watch. 3 Doughnuts
Japowski Jr: 4 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
The New Kids (1985)
A teenage brother and sister find themselves moving to Florida to live in a Santa themed amusement park. Sounds like the dream right? Wrong! As James Spader and his gang of thugs take bullying to the next level!
A good example of a misleading movie poster. Here trying to sell it as a new slasher from the Friday the 13th director. Its not that, but it is a fine teen revenge thriller.
Fun fact. This was written by Stephen Gyllenhaal, dad of Jake and Maggie.
First watch: 3 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
Sherlock Gnomes (2018)
The united gnomes are relocated to London, and largely kidnapped by a nefarious gnome-napper. Luckily the city's number one detective is on the case.
What made Gnomeo & Juliet work was that despite how it looked it was still fundamentally Shakespeare's play, just played out with garden ornaments instead of people. Sherlock Gnomes on the other hand borrows a few elements of classic Sherlock tales and a weaves the other characters into the narrative. If this had been another movie in the same universe as opposed to a sequel it might have worked a lot better.
First watch: 2 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Two aspiring musicians who are destined to write the music that unites the world are about to flunk history, luckily an agent of the future gifts them a time travelling phonebooth to facilitate the ultimate cram session.
While watching Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure for possible the millionth time (only a partial exaggeration) two things occurred to me...
1. Do Bill and Ted only become architects of the future through the interference of the future? If Rufus didn't come back in time and start them on a journey through time, and in the sequel all aspects of the afterlife, giving them a unique perspective would they ever have written the music that unites the world.
2. How are Bill and Ted only flunking History?
Rewatch: 5 Doughnuts
Have you witnessed any of the movies we've investigated? What's the verdict? Guilty or innocent? Let us know in the comments below.