Scooby-Doo And The Ghoul School

Fun while it lasted.

This was another of the tapes I had when I was young, I used to watch this and The Boo Brothers a lot so how was it on rewatch all these years later? Well it certainly is not one of the grandest Scooby movies but it holds appeal for any fan of this series. Still in Shaggy's red shirt phase him, Scoob, and Scrappy take up the responsibility of being coaches for the eponymous ghoul school where the daughters of famous monsters reside, now the idea of Shaggy and Scooby being teachers for monsters does indeed have potential and while it would have been more fun seeing them teach the girls potions, scare tactics, and host a PTA meeting, knowing their reputation as physical marathoners still checks out. The school has a lot of inspiration from the Addams Family and Munsters with students Sibella who is the daughter of Dracula and weirdly has one of the most sultry voices in animation (Which is a...choice.), Elsa Frankenteen which I have to admit is a cute reference to The Bride in both name and appearance, Winnie the werewolf who's easily the most tomboy of the group, Phantie the banshee giggler who I actually wish we got more of, and little Tanis the mummy who is baby girl of all babygirls and I would die for her and unleash all the ten plagues of Egypt on anyone who upset her. They're all great and have their moments to shine and I don't know what it is but the idea of all the classic monsters being single fathers just puts a smile on my face, we need more single dads in media and any respectable father would cherish their daughters like they do here. I gotta admit though the antagonists are kinda weak, both in the nauseating rival school of military boys and boy don't get me started on the concept of military school but also this odd addition of a powerful witch who wants to use the girls to eliminate their famous papa's. As much as I could care less about the boys the plot really didn't need to go that deep despite a decent climax, and indeed because of that villain introduction this is easily one of the longer Scooby-Doo movies pushing over 90 minutes when most wrap up before even the 80 minute mark. It's paced okay, the animation had a bump up in quality from the current show as this was a TV movie, it has moments of that exquisite fall atmosphere and quite good backgrounds all around, the story is enjoyable, and I got a kick out of the future student lineup you see at the end. What's wild to think about is just one single month after this another TV movie came out The Relcutant Werewolf which is extremely rare even in today's video market, I guess Scooby fans were eating good in 1988 before a severe drought hit for almost the entirety of the 90s which blows my mind to think about and I couldn't be happier I was born at the time I was and got into Scooby-Doo from 1997 or 1998. Thank God for reruns is all I'll say. Of course there's tons more movies and indeed shows I have yet to cover from this wonderful series and it's no mystery this still is my favorite cartoon even after so many greats have been made since. It was fun to briefly talk about and it did gear me up for the full Halloween season in all it's myriad forms. Finals scores I'll give this 2.5 stars, 6.5/10, and the trend will continue as I rise up from my tomb giving out multiple reviews each week of October. Finally it's my time again.

Scooby-Doo And The Loch Ness Monster

Like man this sure put me in a good mood.

I don't know if I can rightly pinpoint as to why, maybe it was returning to familiar ground with early 2000s Scooby-Doo back when I was at the peak of my fandom, maybe it was the story setting in Scotland which God willing if I get there I'd probably never leave, whatever the reason I had a grand old time watching this! I know for a fact I saw it on the Cartoon Network when it was brand spanking new and yeah a story as simple as the gang visiting Daphne's scottish relatives and getting swept up in the mystery of Nessie works really dang well! Obviously the animation style is deep rooted in the What's New Scooby-Doo era and I gotta admit I missed that animation style, but in reality I just miss the early 2000s animation regardless of show. Coming off the Halloween movie the condensed and easy plot is a godsend and firmly exemplifies what the failings were on that one, it's barely an hour and 15 minutes but uses every minute to get you involved, have some fun, and walk away pretty happy. Honestly the fact Daphne has scottish relatives just puts the biggest smile on my face, and we get to breathe in a bit of the environment of the scottish highlands, the foggy loch, the very gothic castle of the Blake family, it looks really nice! Another aspect that brings warm feelings to my heart is I got to hear Casey again, and that kinda choked me up a bit it's been far too long since I've heard his voice and it fills me with unparalleled pride I share a birthday with the incredible man himself. Just so much about this put me in very high spirits and really did take me back to being a 9 year old revelling in my cartoons and imagination. True this more likely than not is strictly a case of my own nostalgia and probably won't be felt by many others unless perhaps you were there in that time and corner of the world, but damn it I thought this was good! The animation is crisp and that weird semi-2D but really 3D effect on the Loch Ness Monster works quite well, the chase songs are something I feel is SORELY lacking in modern Scooby-Doo, the voice cast does a good job and hey the scottish accents aren't godawful buuuut then again I'm biased towards such accents especially from wee ladies with red hair, the mystery is decent and actually may come as a bit of a twist for those who haven't seen it before, hell I was even digging the Jaws tributes sprinkled throughout, it was just a very positive viewing experience. I know some feel that the golden age of Scooby movies passed after Cyber Chase but for me, I kept watching the direct to video movies for quite awhile after the fact not really slipping from the fandom until about 2007 or 2008 but it's never really gone from my life. I fell in love with Mystery Incorporated around 2011, I still caught movies like Mask Of The Blue Falcon and Frankencreepy which are still some of the absolute best in the modern era, you just never ever forget your first. I give this one 3 stars, 7.5/10, and we will go even further back in time with one of the few remaining 80s movies next.

Happy Halloween Scooby-Doo

Well I suppose this is a humble beginning for the most wonderful time of the year.

Now being a hardcore Scooby-Doo fan I can safely say I've had more good experiences than bad experiences with this series, but with Happy Halloween I couldn't feel more conflicted. Cause it's not...bad, not really at all but there were several elements that kinda threw me off and while it did certainly make me laugh and I was digging certain parts this feels like a very mixed bag, slightly slap dash plot, that ultimately results in some Scooby fluff. I love fluff, it doesn't have to be amazing to be enjoyable but this is absolutely one of those cases where you're really not gonna remember much about it in a few days. We start off at the tail end of a mystery with the gang halting The Scarecrow, yes Dr. Jonathan Crane himself from trashing a Halloween parade led by the Mistress Of The Dark herself Elvira, before something wicked this way comes in the form of radioactive pumpkins which not only is a call back to The Witch's Ghost but for you lads and lasses out there of a certain generation gave me hard flashbacks to Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy with the Jacked Up Halloween special which makes it even more surreal cause this was directed by the creator Maxwell Atoms, sending the gang on mostly the backpedal as they try to work out just how to stop these ghoulish creatures. You can kinda tell from that brief synopsis this is all over the place, I mean I can fully accept Elvira being a part of the Scooby-Doo world I mean shit if Vincent Price can be she certainly can too. I know Mystery Incorporated have indeed crossed paths with the Caped Crusaders on several occasions but does it really do a damn thing for the story? And worst of all despite my love for the man, Bill Nye the science guy is here for....absolutely no good reason, he's barely in it, barely does anything, and contributes a whopping plate of nothing with a side order of zilch to any of the proceedings. Like what was the plan here guys?? They really just went too off the tracks here and tried to do too much. Between this and Return To Zombie Island Cassandra Peterson is becoming a ill omen for Scooby-Doo and that's horseshit because she is the bomb man, she has such wit and good comedic timing, I actually really enjoyed her little storyline with Daphne they were great together and got a good few laughs from me! But it just feels off, something feels wrong with this production and I can't pinpoint why! It bugs the hell out of me cause this isn't a hard story to tell but they just commit to certain things that leaves me feeling adrift with nothing concrete to cling on. I mean the animation is solid I have zero issues with that, with good use of color, could use a bit more emphasis on Halloween but nothing deal breaking as we get some nice visuals, and they have some good sight gags in there. Voice cast just, damn dude I don't wanna say this but it did not feel like they were on their A-game, but I truly feel that's more due to the shiftless writing and direction than the actual voice actors fault. Cause all of them, even just once, have their moments! I honestly feel like it's me that's off center here because almost from the word go I wasn't feeling this too much, but it is how I feel and I can assuredly say it didn't pick up much as it continued. Is it horrible? No I wouldn't say that at all, maybe a bit scatter brained and exceedingly average but you know it's for kids, you can throw this on as a bit of background noise while they gear up for tricks or treats or just something to keep them entertained for barely over an hour. It has moments, it has a good look, it's not a waste of time but in the pantheon of Scooby-Doo movies this is maybe a mid-tier movie and I'm hoping that the week will indeed improve before the October festivities go into high gear. 2 stars, 6/10, we're going back in time to the second classic era of Scooby-Doo movies in my humble opinion.

Rebuild The Galaxy: Pieces Of The Past

Better late than never.

Lego Star Wars baby, it don't get better than this! Taking place not long after the first installment a clash between Sig and Dev has unleashed a dark force from a dimension unheard of in any Star Wars story leading our main characters to form a fragile alliance to save the very existence of a galaxy far far away, a solid enough story told once again over the course of roughly 90 minutes with still quite good characters and comedy to keep it thoroughly entertaining. It still holds the same level of detail, care, love, and even jokes from the first creating another memorable experience with even more what if madness thrown in. From Darth Revan and Cal Kestis to pirate queen Padme Amidala and evil K2-SO there's some much welcome additions to this mad mad mad mad galaxy, with as far to my knowledge all the supporting heroes and villains returning once again. The story does take the next step in making the conflict bigger yet I feel how could they top the literal erasure of the entire Star Wars universe should they wish to pursue a part three? It's not impossible but I'm a bit stumped how they would do it. Of course the voice acting across the board is still really damn good with plenty of love going to our main leads like Gaten, Bobby, and Marsai and it is pretty awesome to hear Sam, Ashley, and Mark reprise their roles even in such different circumstances! Animation is still just as good if not even a smidge better than the first, further showcasing the imagination and fun Legos can bring to any story. Though man I actually almost hate the fact the Landolorian is just real in this what if story cause man, I would watch ten seasons of Lando and little Grogu just being smoother than shimmersilk and doing bounties and shit. The fact Servo got this british yandere girlfriend of a probe droid is frigin' stellar and I'm so here for it! Plus I didn't think it was possible but Darth Rose has my heart in a force grip after this, Kelly you're a gem and I treasure you so! It was cute, it was fun, the writing still has genuine merit and not just a showcase for the lolz, it's another solid little series! With Andor wrapped up, Mando just around the corner with Maul not far behind, and Starfighter just beginning production this was a quick and lovely little stop in my favorite fandom of all. If my memory doesn't fail me I believe Visions is next and well, I'll give you three guesses how I feel about that! 3 stars, 8/10, and I got a little something for you next week before the October festivities begin.

Caught Stealing

The trailer was definitely leaning towards lighter fare.

Now admittedly, did I go see this movie purely to see Matt Smith punked out from head to toe? Yes! Was I happy with the final film notwithstanding his presence? Oh absolutely! But maaaaan, this is some heavy shit. It has moments of comedy and enjoyment but it's a serious tale with very realistic serious consequences. Set in the great year of our lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight we follow everyman Hank who upon being tasked with watching his punk neighbor's cat gets embroiled in a stolen money caper with several interested crime parties pretty much going at him non-stop to get it, leading to an array of chases, deaths, and making peace with the past in the process. Once again, Austin Butler our friggin' guy, has yet to miss! The entire movie is carried on this performance, great supporting cast though without question, but he plays it pitch perfect in my opinion! Hank is a very damaged man and you see great pain throughout and not just from the gruelling scars he accumulates, it really is gonna be one of those sleeper performances of the year in my estimation! Zoë Kravitz gets some time to shine and while admittedly I wish she got involved more in this dangerous situation she still did good work. Do I even have to talk about Matt? He's in the movie roughly as much as Zoë, but needless to say I was revelling in every minute of it and of course being the nerd I am it's funny how easily I see things like his stride or his little finger twiddling and just think yep that's Eleven, just with soooo much more swearing and aggression. He's a true punk, he's a cat person, he's a family man himself, pure 10/10! Oh yeah and we get to see a wee baybah the whole movie, ho ho ho ho he's a fluffy boy and I must pet him! You know me and cats, you don't fuck about with them in my presence unless you want to eat lead and...yeah they hurt the little one's paw so I was craving blood to the climax. Though I will admit the movie threw me for at least two loops, I caught one mere seconds before it was sprung, but yeah it's nice to be surprised at the movies from time to time considering the obelisk of media I've consumed. It's very solidly directed, the cast brings it all the way, the action though limited is more candidly shot truth be told with a wide enough angle to where you can see everything which I like, soundtrack was pretty good but I just wanted to hear more punk songs, it's got a very good pace and the time flies by, you do get invested and it keeps you invested till credits, so I can sure fire recommend this. 3 stars, 7.5/10, and that about does it for this month. What will next month entail? Who knows, not me, I make this up as I go along.

Island Of Lost Souls

Again, kinda feel like an ass for not seeing this sooner!

Originally produced by Paramount yet somehow finding it's way to the Universal Monsters Classic Collection in the 90s, Island Of Lost Souls is a damn good movie. Made slightly before the Hays code went into effect this is one of the most grotesque and disturbing horror films you can find from that era. Concerning a shipwrecked man named Edward who gets rather unceremoniously dumped on the island of Dr. Moreau and after quickly discovering the sadistic doctor's experiments on animals has to find his way out alive. But the madman has plans and aspirations of his own in a truly gross and unsettling test of his most prized experiment Lota to see if the change from beast to human can go...all the way, shall we say. I can't even express in words how easily this film can get under your skin, and the worst part is it doesn't take much provocation for your mind to start imagining such gruesome surgeries and to really peer into the mind of Dr. Moreau. Admittedly he's played to perfection by Charles Laughton who if you really pay attention to any of the actors, more specifically him and Kathleen Burke as Lota, they put so much into these roles through body language alone and it rewards your attention. He plays this sick, demented, totally unshakeable in his work scientist and to see him just study Lota with Edward in such a voyeuristic tendency, his utter dismay at the thought of his horrific experiments potentially not working, his chilling delivery of the line "Do you know what it means to feel like God?", just eeeuuugghh! He freaks me right the hell out! Fantastic performance and really an unsung great actor our Charles was. And like I said Kathleen Burke as Lota is...lord where do I even start, she's undoubtedly a tragic character who's went through I don't even know what to become the woman she is and again a lot of the performance is in her body language. I know people will get hung up on the more sexualized aspects of her feline nature and dress, but she comes off so sweet and curious and quite gentle. That scene where she views herself in a mirror and you can see the tears filling her eyes...that hits like a fucking BRICK, I will remember that for a very long time to come! And don't even get me started on Kathleen being typecasted and only ventured in the domain of filmmaking for about 6 years, she's acting her heart out here in her first movie role no less, and yeah I know the movie is gonna be 100 years old relatively soon but goddamn it I'm upset over that! They are easily the highlights of the entire picture and I can strongly recommend watching it just on the backs of them two though of course the rest of the cast does well. Richard Arlen is quite a strapping fella and conveys the horror and intelligence when dealing with such a sociopath very well. And of course like everyone else I have to shoutout Bela Lugosi in this film, even despite it being a very minimal role it's still a memorable performance and visual, my almost lifelong stance as a fan not withstanding. It's a very visually similar film to The Most Dangerous Game, an island, a dense jungle, the fortress of the main antagonist, but it still works and the set design is rich. Another interesting note is the film score is dead silent, you hear music at the very beginning and end but no musical accompaniment which admittedly heightens the horror and uneasy tone. But yeah this is a standout movie that I know is considered more a minor classic, but I can strongly urge people to watch it. High recommendation, 4 stars, 8.5/10!

That was a fun little trip, I know I'll have to find more time to write reviews in the future cause it still is an enjoyable and gratifying experience. Definite new release next week so tune in for that and as always be safe!

The Most Dangerous Game

Out of the silent era and into good ol' RKO.

From the same producers of King Kong and shot on many of the same sets comes an adaptation of a short story, concerning a shipwrecked hunter who finds himself entangled in the sick game of a russian master of hunting and sport who is tasked with surviving for one night to obtain freedom off the island or become just another attraction in a trophy room. For a movie that barely clocks in at one hour it does a surprisingly good job not only taking enough time to set up the story, the villain, and the stakes but deliver on a nonstop 20 odd minute chase scene through the jungle that must have been exhilarating in 1932. I have no qualms saying Leslie Bank, in his first motion picture role I might add, is the reason and the highlight to watch this movie. The man doesn't even have to act he just looks so sinister, and yet can potray this charming and very affable host before the facade falls and you see just how commited he is to enacting this horrid game. Joel McCrea is a fine albeit basic leading man who has the know how to lay traps and use the terrain to his advantage, and it is interesting to watch more a clash of minds in the wilderness rather than brute strength. Fay Wray, icon that she is barely has to do a damn thing and yet still remains a highlight and it's wild to think she was filming King Kong the exact same damn time as this. Boy, movies are NOT made like that anymore. The sets are very well constructed, from the Count's fortress and grisly trophy room to the dense foliage and misty swamp of the jungle, for a lower budgeted movie it still looks quite nice. Now I know the concept of using humans as prey isn't entirely new to storytelling but it's a solid story, that somehow slipped into the realm of the public domain but you can easily find a good quality version even on Youtube and it is worth a watch for film fans or even people who want to see one of the early examples of a thriller and not a horror film. I love talking old black and white movies and to bring more attention to them, so this was a no brainer to review. A quite good movie but hopefully we end on an even higher note. 3 stars, 7/10, I'll be seeing you next time.