DANGER CLOSE: THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN (2019)

In August 1966, in a Vietnamese rubber plantation called Long Tan, 108 young and inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers are fighting for their lives against 2500 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers.

A lot of schools tend to focus on Europe and the US when it comes to history. Apart from Gallipoli, there isn't much taught about New Zealand or Australian history in New Zealand schools. As a visual learner, a lot of my history and pop culture is learned through television and movies. Even in this medium, New Zealand and Australia are under-represented, so it's quite exciting to have a film that focuses solely on an ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) story. 

Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan is a retelling of the first major battle that ANZAC forces underwent against the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Of course, while action films are great, war films are a double-edged sword these days; the audience like to honour those that gave their lives, but as a society, we are increasingly aware of how war leads to unnecessary deaths. To that end, as an audience, we can appreciate that Danger Close does not glorify war (the same cannot be said about Mel Gibson's 2002 Vietnam film, We Were Soldiers); we do not leave the theatre with a huge swell of patriotic pride that has us wanting to serve our country, but we do gain a greater understanding of what our veterans have gone through. 

Admittedly, the film does not have the strongest of starts. They waste no time getting the plot going, and our introduction to our team of characters is awkward and feels out-of-place. It comes across far less disciplined than one would expect a military base to be, but that could be because the vast majority of the soldiers were conscripted young adults aged 20-21. There is a casual attitude that feels off, despite being under attack. It does allow for some dialogue to emphasise that these are ANZAC soldiers (specifically, cans of VB are drunk and the phrase "we're not here to f*** spiders" is uttered within the first few minutes).

The acting is a mixed bag. There is some great acting, alongside some average acting, and some pretty bad acting too, but the quality drastically improves once the action really gets started. There are some recognisable faces in the cast list, with Travis Fimmel in the lead role (you may remember him as Ragnar from the TV series Vikings), supported by Daniel Webber, who looks very much like a young Steve Irwin (Webber portrayed Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil in the 2019 film, The Dirt). 

Where the film excels is in its visual elements. Danger Close is filmed in Australia (which doesn't have any rubber plantations) so a lot of green screen and CGI is used to replicate a Vietnam-like environment--and if I hadn't seen a behind-the-scenes video explaining that--I wouldn't have had any clue that so much was computer-generated; the visual effects are seamless. From the yellow grasses to the lush green forestry, to the more barren plantation areas, the environments are immersive. The artillery effects and gunshots look real, and there is some absolutely exceptional cinematography on display. 

The story actually has some similarities to Zack Snyder's 300, and while it has no "This is Sparta" moment, there are some amazing uses of slow-motion, which slows the chaotic battle scene into something  easier to follow, allowing the audience a chance to breathe, while also toning down some of the more violent moments in the film; you may not be so horrified at seeing a Viet Cong soldier being hit by artillery explosions when he is moving so slowly and gracefully that it looks like a form of dance. As well as slow-motion, frequent pauses are used before the action restarts to create an incredibly immersive jump scare. That fading away of the audio combined with the intense close-ups of the soldiers fills you with suspense and tension thanks to that sense of foreboding.

The film has a few soldiers that they focus on, and the actors carry the name of the real soldiers that were in the battle but there is no big hero. Danger Close doesn't just follow this company, we get to see the communications officers in the base, the armoured personnel carriers (APCs), the senior officers, artillery personnel, and helicopter pilots, who all worked together in this battle. It focuses a lot on the procedural elements, and it really boosts the enjoyment and authenticity of the film. 

Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan is a brilliant film. Once you get past those first few awkward scenes, you end up on the edge of your seat, as this company of ANZAC soldiers are pummelled by wave after wave of attacks. A visual spectacle. This does not glorify war, but it is nevertheless a fascinating watch. 

Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan is in cinemas September 5, 2019

Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr8401

AMAZING GRACE (2018)

Singer Aretha Franklin performs gospel songs at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles in 1972.

This year is the year for found footage documentaries. For Apollo 11, they managed to use modern technology to read and convert never-before-seen footage from 70mm reels to digital. The reels were filmed for a film feature to be released in the early 1970s but were eventually archived and never used before now due to oversaturation of Apollo 11-related media (and later an inability to view them without 1960s projectors). A similar story occurred here. Aretha Franklin recorded her gospel album, Amazing Grace, live in front of an audience over two nights, and the studio sent a plethora of cameramen and videographers to capture the performances so as to release a documentary at a later date. Unfortunately, the audio and video did not sync up correctly, and it was shelved until recently when modern technology was able to overcome that issue.

That is what the main appeal is to these documentaries. This is not so much a look back, with an often biased narrative and interviews with people that were present that are still alive. Apart from using modern technology to sync up the audio and video, there is nothing that didn't come from 1972. No narration. No interviews. No politics. Simply a performance from Aretha Franklin in her peak. That is the appeal. We aren't watching a superfans impression of Aretha Franklin. Amazing Grace allows the audience to experience the performance firsthand as it happened.

Now, Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul for a reason. She managed to release 38 studio albums with 131 singles (88 of which ranked on the Billboard charts). An incredibly prolific singer, but while she may be remembered more for songs like Respect and I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), that is not what Amazing Grace is about. Amazing Grace is a gospel album, effectively making it a live covers album of religious hymns. 

So you can expect the likes of Give Yourself to Jesus, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, God Will Take Care Of You, Wholy Holy, and Precious Lord, Take My Hand. For the many that are unaware of the more religious songs, Amazing Grace will have less of a hold on you, because for many that have the faith, and have the belief, this performance is vindication, and it speaks to their inner self and represents the foundations of their lives.

That isn't to say that the concert performance is only to be enjoyed by those of faith. Aretha Franklin puts on an incredibly dynamic performance. Her voice is so spectacular and she sings with such ferocity and passion, that you cannot help but understand why the audience was absolutely enamoured with the show. Amazing Grace brings combines the 1972 audio with 1972 footage (along with some really peculiar cinematography), and while it lacks the high definition aesthetics or the seamless faultless production quality that modern audiences have come to expect, it provides a look at Aretha Franklin's unequivocal passion for her craft.

When I say the cinematography is peculiar, I am not kidding. the number of cameraman present is staggering, and they frequently end up getting caught in each other's shots, as they shoot from every possible direction. Some shooting so low that you would think they were trying for an upskirt (and at one point it even seems to anger members of the audience). The odd multitude of angles do help to convey the energy of the room; as while Aretha Franklin may be static in her performance, her backing choir is anything but static.

This is gospel, but this is also Aretha -adapted gospel. Which means it is fiery and heartfelt, but also slow-building. To that end, Amazing Grace will no doubt appeal to the fans of Aretha Franklin. However, as this covers gospel music, and not her original works (which would have popped up in one form or another in modern media as pop culture references) the documentary is unlikely to create a new wave of Aretha Franklin fans.

It's fevered and frenzied, but ultimately your knowledge of Franklin prior to viewing Amazing Grace will determine whether you end up in tears, or apathetic.

Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr

SUPERPOWER DOGS (2019)

Follow six dogs and their human partners as they brave earthquakes and avalanches, protect endangered species and help people with special needs.

A big thanks to Paw Justice for providing me with a double pass to the premiere of this documentary. I'll start with a little promo. Superpower Dogs is one of eleven documentaries that you can see on the largest screen in the country at Auckland's Queen Street Event Cinemas IMAX theatre (eight of the documentaries are available in 3D too). This is all part of the IMAX Doco Film Festival, which runs for a week from August 29 (that's today!) until September 4th. Tickets start from $13 for adults and $10 for children and you can find/book sessions here.

But let's get back to the feature. Superhero Dogs is a short 47-minute long documentary narrated by our very own superhero, Chris Evans (a.k.a. Captain America). It's a match made in heaven when you watch a piece that follows five types of rescue dogs, and hear Evans waxing lyrical about the love and dedication that these hardworking dogs bring to their occupation.

The primary story is that of Halo, a dog that we get to watch grow up from the runt of a litter of 10 pups, as she works towards getting certified as an urban search and rescue dog. We follow her from her energetic puppy stage, through various steps of training, until her final assessment. The story is split up into sections with other established rescue dogs getting their time in the spotlight. We meet Henry, the alpine rescue dog that loves to run alongside skis and on his partners back (when not rescuing people trapped in avalanches, of course). Then there is Reef the Newfoundland, whose webbed toes and double fur make him the perfect water rescue dog. Bloodhounds, Tipper and Tony, go on the offensive spending days at a time tracking down poachers from as little as a bootprint, while Ricochet helps those suffering from PTSD and special needs (and can catch a gnarly wave too).

From a visual perspective, the documentary is quite inconsistent. Aspect ratios, scale, and resolution vary widely from scene to scene, which can take a while to get used to (especially when you consider certain scenes are taking full advantage of the 27.3m wide and 19.92m high screen with incredibly high-quality resolution. Scenes can be absolutely stunning, but it makes it all the more obvious which scenes are lower quality.

That is of little significance though, because the feature is clearly aimed at the younger audience. The 47-minute runtime is incredibly short (but great for those youthful, short attention spans), and the content doesn't really go too deep into anything. It gives fun little facts that keep your interest, like how dogs keep their core dry in the water, how much weight they can tow, or how rescue dogs are trained for emergency scenarios but the film doesn't have the scope nor time to go any further than that.

None of it really means anything though. The only important aspect is how you feel when you watch it, and honestly, I had to fight quite hard to stop myself from tearing up throughout the entire film. I don't know whether it hit me more because I used to have a dog, but watching these animals displaying unconditional love and limitless commitment to their work, was simply an absolute pleasure. We've all seen puppy dog eyes, and it's impossible to not get overwhelmed by their cuteness, but imagine if they were over 15 metres tall, with some incredibly dramatic orchestral music. It really gets the emotions flowing. 

Superhero Dogs is a very easy watch. I could have watched two hours of this without an issue. It had me hooked from the opening scene, and kept me engaged throughout. It didn't need to be deep; all it needed were it's six lovable main characters. Do we deserve dogs? I couldn't tell you, but they deserve their time on the big screen, and I highly implore you to check it out while you have the chance.

APOLLO 11 (2019)

Never-before-seen footage and audio recordings take you straight into the heart of NASA's most celebrated mission as astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins embark on a historic trip to the moon.

Apollo 11's journey to land on the moon is a mission that led to countless documentaries, dramatisations, and fictitious spin-offs since that illustrious period in July of 1969. It has gotten to the point that I personally wondered if there was really any point in making any more; is there anything further that these films and documentaries could add, that would bring back that sense of wonder. Never one to let any preconceived notions stop me from checking out the film, I went to Madman's media screening and was shocked to be greeted by a completely full theatre. The front row was full, there were no gaps in the middle. The story of Apollo 11 was clearly a topic that still had a lot of weight to it.

Where Apollo 11 differs from other documentaries is its linear style. Thanks to the discovery of a wealth of never-before-seen, high-quality footage from the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA), director Todd Douglas Miller was able to digitize this film and compose a retelling of events without the need for anything after the fact. All of the footage comes from the time it occurred; no later interviews of people looking back, no dramatizations or recreations. Everything occurs as it happens, and it creates an exceptionally unbiased and immersive experience. 

The scope and resolution of the footage are absolutely fascinating. It fills in so many of the missing pieces that we didn't always get to see; the crawler moving Saturn V to the launchpad, withdrawals of the gangways, contractors fixing hydrogen leaks, the strength of the crowds that came to witness the spectacle. All brilliantly clear and focused quality. 

Apollo 11 does its best to explain everything as much as possible and is very transparent in its visuals, frequently posting relevant stats such as speed, elevation, time travelled, even heart rates. It creates an incredibly cohesive story despite not having any form of overlying narration. All information comes from audio recorded at the time. 

While Apollo 11 provides some gorgeous new, wide-shot footage, the majority of the high-quality content is from on land (obviously Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were rather limited in the equipment they had access to in space), and what this really does is shine more light on the other people behind the scenes. It sheds light on the CAPCOM (the capsule communicator, who is the only person that communicated directly with the flight crew on Apollo 11, as well as the Green, White, and Black teams that looked after the launch, lunar landing and lunar launch respectively. 

There is a wealth of new information and details to be found, and being able to see it in such high definition is a delight. Apollo 11 follows the mission prior to take-off, all the way to their return to Earth, and still manages to create suspense and tension despite everyone knowing the end result beforehand. The pacing and footage choice was very well selected. 

The only aspect of the documentary that isn't archival content is the score by Matt Morton. Even then, Morton makes use of pre-1969 equipment to generate his pulsating electronic soundtrack, and masterfully builds tension when the stakes are high, and an airy ambience during the downtime.   

Apollo 11 has a remarkable opulence to it. Immersive in how everything is brought together making it feel like you are witnessing it as it happens. It feels like you are experiencing this momentous occasion first-hand, and Apollo 11 should definitely be experienced on the biggest screen you can find. 

Originally posted to:http://djin.nz/Kr8363

THE KITCHEN (2019)

Between 8th Ave. and the Hudson River, the Irish mafia runs 20 blocks of a tough New York City neighbourhood known as Hell's Kitchen. But for mob wives Kathy, Ruby and Claire, things are about to take a dramatic and radical turn. When the FBI sends their husbands to prison, the three women take business into their own hands by running the rackets and taking out the competition.

In a world dominated by Marvel films, it's easy to forget that some aspects are grounded in reality. Such as locations. Hell's Kitchen, for example, is not a fictional apart of New York City that Daredevil patrols. It is a real place and is the setting of this crime-drama, based on a DC graphic novel. If you have read the graphic novel (also simply called The Kitchen), I would recommend treating the film like a completely separate entity. If you haven't read it yet, I implore you to read it after seeing the film. I make this recommendation, as--while the film follows the broad strokes of the graphic novel's plot--there are a lot of changes and divergences (not dissimilar to comparing the Game of Thrones television series to the books).

The majority of the movie-going audience would not have read The Kitchen (authored by Ollie Masters, illustrated by Ming Doyle), so I'll try to limit any comparisons.

If you keep up with my reviews, you will know that I absolutely love when comedic personalities take on dramatic roles. Seth Rogen in Steve Jobs, Bill Murray in Lost in Translation, Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love, or Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, they all manage to put on a truly brilliant performance, becoming an engaging and genuine character once they tone down (or turn off entirely) the slapstick humour that they may be known for. The Kitchen brings two comedians--Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish--into a dramatic role, and for once, McCarthy isn't making me cringe (much).

The film focuses on three main protagonists; the verbally abused and belittled wife (Tiffany Haddish), the physically abused wife (Elisabeth Moss), and the token wife and mother of two children (Melissa McCarthy). Each character begins the film with their own form of handicap, which leaves them unemployable and in dire straits after their husbands are jailed, pushing them towards a life of crime. The premise allows a lot of room for character development arcs, and while the 103-minute runtime does restrict a lot of that potential development, there are still some really engaging moments. As a member of the audience, we want to see Moss' character overcome her fears and fight back against the men that have physically and mentally scarred her for much of her life. We want McCarthy's character to be able to earn enough to feed her children.

Where it is lacking is in the motivations of the wives. With very little time spent at the start of the film developing the characters, once the initial goal is complete, there is little that directs the narrative of the film. The audience does not know why the women continue on their quest for power, and it loses the sympathy and empathy we hold for the characters.

The Kitchen is, by all means, a slow burn. There are exciting moments and events, but they are frequently skimmed over through the frequent use of montages and a dominating (though admittedly enjoyable) soundtrack. The film ends up providing reveals that don't feel organic and don't feel earned. What is meant to be an "Oh my gosh! I can't believe it!", instead, gets an "Oh.". There are the odd scenes that drag for far too long, and despite a really well-done hair, costume and set design, the lighting makes things come across as flat and bland.

There is still a lot to like about the film. Like 2018's Widows we get to see a traditionally male story conveyed from the female perspective. A lot of effort is made to try and come up with scenarios and methods that oppose how crime dramas have formulaically been done before. There is also a lot of gratuitous violence. The gore is more often implied, with most aspects of gore occurring off-screen leaving only some blood in the frame. The more subtle approach means The Kitchen can gain a wider appeal with an R16 rating instead of an R18. 

What is missing (at least what would make the film great, in my opinion), is the concept of difficulty; complications and struggles. Outside of the opening scenes, or protagonists are not challenged. Every obstacle is overcome with ease, and it makes a great story subpar. It is the aspect that the graphic novel does really well; instilling that fear and concern over the struggles of the protagonists. When things are too easy, we stop caring. In that respect, the little bits of comedy that find their way into the film--while not out of place--lift the tone of the film, releasing any tension, and losing that sense of suspense.

The premise is good, and it's refreshing to get a female perspective to a story we have seen many times before, but it lacked that dark and powerful presence that one would expect from a mafia-inspired story. The Kitchen is a competent film but it feels like the plain cracker you use to cleanse your palate; structurally fine, but lacking flavour. Still, it's a step in the right direction and is great to see manga and graphic novels being more commonly adapted into films.

The Kitchen is in cinemas August 29th, 2019

Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr8403

WEATHERING WITH YOU (2019)

A boy runs away to Tokyo and befriends a girl who appears to be able to manipulate the weather.

Here it is, Makoto Shinkai's latest release, Weathering With You. After the incredibly popular Your Name was released in 2017, there was a lot of hype about his latest work, in which Shinkai was again the writer, producer, and director. In all honesty, it's impossible to speak about this film without comparing it to Shinkai's prior release. Not only due to similarities, but also because the film confirms that both stories happen in the same film thanks to cameo appearances from both Taki and Mitsuha (the main protagonists of Your Name). Perhaps this is the start of a Shinkai Cinematic Universe?

As is expected of a modern Shinkai project, the animation in Weathering With You is top-notch. The visual style is very similar to Your Name though there is less variation in environment types due to the story content, with the whole film taking place in the city of Tokyo. While being set solely in a city landscape does place limitations on scene variations, there is still a great number of design details keep the scenes visually interesting. There has also been a transition from a focus on artistic camera angles, towards more dynamic tracking and sweeping aerial shots to keep the pace of the film moving along. 

The narrative and story are where Weathering With You starts to deviate more from its predecessor. While in Your Name the body-swapping premise was an integral part of the romantic arc, Weathering With You takes a much more traditional approach and, therefore, has a much stronger love story (even if simply because our two main characters actually spend a lot of time together). While the love story has better strength, the narrative is much more straight forward and simplified (which may actually help the film reach a more mainstream audience). The simplicity does create a problem, however, where it becomes rather predictable once all of the elements have been introduced. This predictability means, as a member of the audience, you are waiting for the predicted events to transpire rather than being fully engaged by the emotional story that comes along with the plot. 

There is also a curiously darker tone to the film. With a city among constant poor weather patterns, the overall aesthetic is oftentimes much gloomier, but thematically speaking, the content is much more mature. The premise itself puts the protagonists in the awkward positions where they must come across more mature than they are to survive. Without IDs, parental guidance, and thanks to a compulsory schooling rule, our main characters are instantly thrown into a morally and ethically grey area that pushes them further from "good" behaviour. Guns, gangs, love hotels, and adult entertainment are all a part of living in Tokyo.

This is no Your Name. If you go into this film expecting another story that catches you off-guard, you will leave the theatre disappointed, so manage your expectations. Weathering With You is a much more straightforward story. While the general look of the animation is similar, the tone is more mature, and there is a greater focus on the emotional development of the characters and their relationships. There is great chemistry between our core duo, Hina and Hodaka, and the supporting characters of Kei, Natsumi, and Nagi each bring surprisingly well-rounded personalities (with good backstory) to the table. 

Every element of the anime is great, but not exemplary. It's as if there was more effort into replicating the success of Your Name than trying to make Weathering With You stand on its own two feet. The soundtrack is fine but isn't as evocative or specific. The story is easy to follow, but predictable. There is elements of the story that are revealed as the story progresses, but nothing that is as jarring and unexpected as what you got in Your Name. The love story is stronger but is less emotionally engaging.

By all means, Weathering With You is a satisfactory story that is visually gorgeous. There are, unfortunately, no elements that make the story memorable. While you will certainly enjoy it, it is not something that has the layers needed to keep it satisfying after several viewings.

YOUR NAME. (2016)

Two teenagers share a profound, magical connection upon discovering they are swapping bodies. But things become even more complicated when the boy and girl decide to meet in person.

As a child, I had very little exposure to anime. Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z, and Avatar: The Last Airbender were the extent of my anime knowledge (I had heard of Naruto and One Piece but had never actually watched them). It was only after watching One Punch Man (Season 1) and I won a copy of Season 1 of Mob Psycho 100 that I started to understand the appeal of anime, with much greater depth and variety in storytelling compared to western media (in general, not just in animation).

Coming off the back of binge-watching the Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia series, I figured what better time to start looking into anime movies. With Weathering With You just being released in New Zealand cinemas, it seemed a good time to check out Makoto Shinkai's previous film your name.. Your Name is the fifth feature-length anime that Shinkai has written, produced, and directed. 

The story itself revolves around a teenage girl and boy from Japan. It comes with the twist that they don't actually know each other but on several occasions find themselves switching bodies for the day, gradually learning about (and affecting) the life of the person they are inhabiting. It's a unique premise for a romance, where one actually grows an attachment through experiencing the life of this opposite person without that person ever being present. 

The whole body-swap (and subsequent swap-back) process provides a wealth of humour while allowing the development of side characters, along with an organic source of exposition. The first act is fun and light-hearted in an inexorably charming manner. While Your Name provides a new perspective, it still feels familiar; that is to say, it still has a lot of the trappings of a Hollywood romantic comedy (for the first act at least).

Without going into spoiler territory, there is a shift in tone towards something more serious as the film progresses, and the transition is done quite well. It is inevitably jarring, but still feels earned and justified in its choice in direction. Narratively, it is quite cohesive. There is the odd moment that does seem to foreshadow a moment far too early, but in general, the pacing and energy of the story are perfect.

From a visual perspective, the animation is absolutely spectacular. This is hand-drawn cell animation, and the colours, rendering, and cinematography are spell-binding. The level of detail is impressive, and the choices of framing in the scenes keep things engaging. 

Thematically, Your Name is all about the concept of dualism (yin and yang, if you must), and nearly every facet of our two protagonists are opposing, but also interconnected and complementary; boy vs girl, urban city vs rural country, traditional culture vs. progressive modernism. 

Your Name brings an interesting perspective, but at its heart, still feels like the familiar formulaic love story. There is however something much deeper embedded in this story, and it's all to do with that comet that connects them. Shinkai answers many of the questions that the premise generates, but only if they drive the narrative. 

The journey of these characters becomes so engaging that you will completely forget about any unanswered questions as you are drawn deeper and deeper into the story. Your Name does well to balance the tone of the film between its various sections, and I am really looking forward to the follow-up, Weathering With You.

INVADER ZIM: ENTER THE FLORPUS (2019)

Zim discovers his almighty leaders never had any intention of coming to Earth and he loses confidence in himself for the first time in his life, which is the big break his human nemesis, Dib has been waiting for.

Invader Zim is another show that has turned 18! Originally airing between 2001 and 2002, Invader Zim is a dark sci-fi/fantasy comedy that received a cult following after it's cancellation despite only having a run of 27 episodes; to the point that it has won an Annie, an Emmy, and has spawned its own fan convention, and official comic series.

The original series was inspired by the idea of an alien from an incredibly advanced race with access to powerful and advanced technology that could easily take over or destroy the Earth, but instead, stays in school all day, never even thinking to sneak out. A combination of robots, monsters, horror and science fiction films, and aliens, with an art technique that is stylized with sharp edges, thick black outlines, big heads, small or elongated bodies, and big eyes for the characters.

It is an art and animation style that has been carried over to this new special, though not without a few changes. The feature keeps the colour palette of pinks and purples that the original series was known for, but it has significantly lightened the scenes, removing much of the dark and grimy feel that fans have come to expect. Events that go on in this world are still extremely random, and the character designs still follow the awkward, dystopian dimensions. The animation is also much smoother in Enter The Florpus (clearly an advantage of animating with improved technology so many years later).

The voice cast return to reprise their roles and surprisingly the humour is still the same and hasn't become tiresome. This was a welcome surprise not only because peoples humour does tend to evolve and change over time, but because the original tone of comedy was so random. It came from yelling random unconnected words, singing nonsensical songs, unexpected explosions, and potty humour. It's a form of comedy that is rather low-brow but difficult to balance properly, and yet here it has been balanced well.

I don't want to give anything away when it comes to the plot, so I'll simply say that the story is in a familiar vein, but with more emotional depth to it, the longer runtime allowing a side-arc and some character development to finally happen to our main characters. We get to see the results of Zim's narcissism turn on him, and we see more of Gaz and Dib's father Dr. Membrane. Similarly to Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, the pacing is a little off (though here it is to a much lesser degree) with the first two acts taking time to build and develop the story. The pacing in the final act is spot-on, however, and has some great animation and action, that blends various art styles rather well. 

While the story is somewhat familiar, that is exactly what the series is. To deviate from that would be to remove what has made it a cult classic. Invader Zim: Enter The Florpus puts together a feature-length story with the great animation (albeit brighter) and voice talent we had hoped to see returning. Does this invite further episodes? To be honest, Enter The Florpus is the perfect way to end it all.

ROCKO'S MODERN LIFE: STATIC CLING (2019)

After being in space for many years, Rocko and his friends attempt to adjust to an even more modern life.

Nickelodeon seems to be on a roll with getting their older IPs revitalized, with Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie and now in 2019 we have new animated specials for Rocko's Modern Life and Invader Zim. The series originally ran for four seasons, totalling 52 episodes between 1993 and 1996, ending with Filburt’s grown-up children crashing a rocket ship through Rocko’s house in the final episode, sending them to space.

You could say the special Static Cling starts right where the series left us, with the trio flying through space for 20 years, before finding their way home to a world that is definitely no longer the 90s. Now Rocko's Modern Life was a popular show partially because of the content that the writers chose to cover.; specifically in its use of satirical social commentary, though the parents would also get the added bonuses of the adult humor, double entendres, and innuendo (Rocko did work as a phone sex operator in one episode, a detail that my younger self did not notice). 

Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling manages to bring back that same style of humour and social commentary, commenting on the "new" modern world of constant phone model updates, online social network addiction, the anti-cultural appropriation culture, and acceptance of transgendered people, etc. Sometimes the jokes do fall flat, trying to poke fun at a topic that has been mocked multiple times already, but for the most part, the tone between this special and the original series remains consistent.

What also remains consistent is the animation style and voice cast. While there have definitely been some technological improvements in the last 20+ year which give Rocko and co. a much higher definition and clarity, the general style of the characters and the environments are exactly what we remember. Carlos Alazraqui, Tom Kenny, and Mr. Lawrence return as our main trio of Rocko, Heffer, and Filburt, and do their usual great eccentric voice work.

Interestingly, the story is actually based more around Bighead family than our usual trio, but has a great meta-story arc that takes a jab at the fans that keep demanding old television series to return. Thematically the special looks at the concept of accepting change and discovering new things instead of chasing nostalgia: as ironic and satirical as this special can get. 

There are definitely some characters, and jokes that will have a better result if the viewer has watched the whole series, but it still works well enough as a standalone. Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling does a great job bringing back that nostalgic 90s show, with the same tone, but in a 2010s context. The pacing is a little off, feeling slow at the start, and rushing through the end, but it's a great watch, that still leaves you wanting more.

ANGEL HAS FALLEN (2019)

Authorities take Secret Service agent Mike Banning into custody for the failed assassination attempt of U.S. President Allan Trumbull. After escaping from his captors, Banning must evade the FBI and his own agency to find the real threat to the president. Desperate to uncover the truth, he soon turns to unlikely allies to help clear his name and save the country from imminent danger.

How old is Gerard Butler these days? He has always held a special place since I was a teen revelling in the comic-bookish gore and blood in Zack Snyder's 300. He was the epitome of masculinity with his buff stubbornness. It's only been 12 years since 300 but he looks like he has aged considerably more than that. Perhaps it is all make-up and hair colouring that makes it look that way (in service of the film's content) but my gosh, when it comes to portraying an ageing character that is struggling to perform as well as he did in his younger days, Butler is the best choice.

That's not to say that there was ever any question as to who would be the protagonist in this film. Angel Has Fallen, is the third film in the Has Fallen trilogy (Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen being the predecessors to this latest flick). It's a really surprising choice to turn these films into a franchise because there are such limited places that you can really take the premise of "protecting the president from terrorists" before it starts to get stale.

Regardless, Angel Has Fallen is a serviceable third film in the franchise. While Olympus Has Fallen looks at an attack on the US president on US soil, and the sequel having an attack on the US president on UK soil (London Has Fallen), Angel Has Fallen makes the brilliant choice to try and remove from the equation the one thing that prevented the two earlier attacks from succeeding; Mike Banning.

Director Ric Roman Waugh puts on his best Michael Bay impersonation when it comes to the action set pieces, combining a lot of military personnel and tactics, with close-ups and quick edits that prevent the audience from being able to properly have environmental awareness. The speed and aggressive maneuvres are conveyed to the audience--the frantic energy--but what isn't so easy to know where the characters are in relation to each other, which makes it a bit more difficult to follow. One must shut off the brain, and simply enjoy the emotion and exuberance of the light show and chases. There are a few nice action set pieces that visually provide something different from what we usually see in these films, incorporating good use of modern technologies and the interconnected nature of devices. 

Story-wise, while the direction the film went was good (better than doing one about a terrorist attack on Air Force One) and many plot points ended up being predictable, the writers have made a good effort to try and subvert expectations, actively trying to misdirect the audience. Thematically, Angel Has Fallen looks at the place of family & trust, addiction & substance abuse, as well as the effects of the disappearing role of the American hero with modern societies aversion to war. It gives the film a much more grounded and gritty atmosphere, something that is mirrored by the cinematography and colour grading (that isn't actually a good thing, everything comes across grey, dull, and flat).

Butler puts on a great performance, Morgan Freeman does well with what he has (he has the best character development arc in the franchise; from the speaker of the house to vice-president to the president) but he is largely out of play; this does allow more room for Danny Huston and Nick Nolte to shine. Huston puts on his usual military personality (you'll remember him as William Stryker in the much maligned X-Men Origins: Wolverine), but Nolte is the standout of the two bringing back his look from his performance in the pre-MCU Hulk.

There is enough story in Angel Has Fallen to keep the viewers engaged from start to finish (including a frankly hilarious end-credits scene). While the action is hard to follow, it has enough energy to create sufficient tension. A perfectly serviceable action flick, and a higher calibre than the overly equitable Hobbs & Shaw.

Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr8402