Aladdin (2019) – One Jump Ahead Is Right!

Would you be upset if I told you I liked this one more than the original?

Seeing the previews for Aladdin had me fretful, to say the least. The original Aladdin was amazing, but I honestly can’t say that it’s one of my favorites. However, it’s a classic all the same. My faith in live-action Disney movies had me second-guessing this one though. I’ve seen about three so far – The Jungle Book (which I loved), Beauty and the Beast (fell asleep on that one), and The Lion King (you all already know how I feel about that one). I wasn’t interested at all, especially when they showed a still image of Will Smith’s version of The Genie. Then they showed a clip of the song “Friend Like Me” and that’s what got me excited. I had to check it out, so I did just that and I’m ready to give my review.

Going into this after watching The Lion King, I knew there would be differences between this version and the animated version. Here’s where things change. The differences for the live-action version of Aladdin worked for the story. There were a few things I wasn’t happy with, but that’s to be expected. Jafar doesn’t trick Aladdin by disguising himself as an old man nor does he turn into a snake at the end during the final battle, but everything else is great. I like how One Jump Ahead is included with him on the run with Jasmine. Genie having a love interest was something that I felt was a great addition to the story, though it does make you wonder a few things. Jasmine wanting to be the Sultan instead of just wanting to have certain rights was also something I can see happening in “modern” times and the result was satisfying for sure. I didn’t mind any of the additions to the film, and the things taken away, though disappointing, didn’t take away from the quality of the movie for me.

Best song of the movie, by far

You know what they did wonderfully in this film? The songs. Every song in this movie was great, and I may be in the minority, but I like some of the songs better than the animated versions. One Jump Ahead, as I mentioned before, I liked that Jasmine was along for the run and that’s how she got introduced to Aladdin. Friend Like Me, slaps to the max! My favorite song of the movie by far, and for those who haven’t seen the movie, you’ll love the reprise of it at the end. Prince Ali, another great song in the movie. It was good to see Will Smith doing his thing as the Genie and not have to get creeped out by the effects team adding breasts to Genie when he dressed as a woman as they did in the animated version. A Whole New World – it was good, but to me, it sounded like they were just lip-syncing to the original song, they didn’t sound like they did in any of the other songs, but that’s just me. Jasmine’s new song, Speechless – good, great, awesome, outstanding, and amazing! It worked perfectly for the movie. It wasn’t just in there to be in there and that’s why I enjoyed it. It progressed the story how it needed to. I guess I just feel this film’s version of the songs are so much more lively and that’s why I have such high opinions of them.

A majority of the cast did a wonderful job. Mena Massoud was outstanding as Aladdin. I saw everybody and their mama complaining about Aladdin being played by a white actor…which he’s clearly not. Naomi Scott did a wonderful job as Jasmine. She embodied the princess’s personality and attitude amazingly and I have no complaints. Plus she has some pipes on her! Will Smith was just…wow. He killed the role of the Genie in my eyes. I was skeptical as can be when they first announced it, but I’m so glad they went with that casting choice. He had some big shoes to fill, and he filled them the best way he could. I don’t feel as if I can say he’s better than Robin Williams’s Genie because they’re not the same character. While Williams’s Genie was more for comedic fulfillment, Smith’s Genie was more serious than comedic and down to Earth, and once again, it worked perfectly for the movie. Will Smith is also the main reason why I love this version of Friend Like Me so much, he destroyed that part of the film. Marwan Kenzari did the best that he could with Jafar in the film. Unfortunately, Jafar wasn’t written very well in this version, and it shows. He’s a very one-dimensional villain, and although they attempted to dive into his backstory, you never get a true sense of why he’s the way he is. Nasim Pedrad was a new character named Dalia, Genie’s love interest, and she was great! She flowed with the movie and didn’t make you wonder why they decided to add her.

Will Smith absolutely destroyed in this movie

I honestly don’t have many complaints about the film. It’s not perfect, sure, but it’s a solid film with an amazing soundtrack to boot. It does end the same way as the original, and I do wonder how they’re going to do the sequel – talks are being had about it. I mean with Genie supposedly being human now, what’s going to happen in the second movie? I guess that would be explained, but that’s something I wasn’t too happy with. It ends as if a sequel isn’t needed. If they end up doing the sequel, I pray it’s on this same level and doesn’t ruin the quality like the animated sequel did. Aside from the blandness of Jafar and the unfortunate decision not to have him turn into a giant snake during the final battle, I was quite happy.

Aladdin (2019)

Story
Characters/Cast
Soundtrack

Summary

The original Aladdin will always be considered a timeless classic, however, this new take on it has done a great job of crafting its own identity. While some of the characters could’ve been written a bit better, the strong story and phenomenal soundtrack help to bring another classic to live-action.

4

Disney, Reviews

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Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling – Modern Is An Understatement

The 90s are back!

90s Kids rejoice! Rocko’s Modern Life is back! You all remember this show right? If you don’t, you will as you watch the special. I’ve always loved this show. It was amazing and had me entertained through the entirety of its 52-episode run in the late 90s. So, when they announced that a reboot was coming in the form of a movie, you already knew I was here for it. As the posters and trailers were released I became so much more excited for this. My childhood was being reborn! I had no qualms with the synopsis of the movie either.

After 20 years in space, Rocko struggles to adjust to life in 21st century O-Town and makes it his mission to get his favorite show back on the air.

Rock’s Modern Life: Static Cling (2019)

With the original cast and creators coming back, I knew this would be an amazing gift to the fans, and that it was. Just so everyone knows as well, although they branded it as a movie, it’s only 45 minutes long, which is pretty good for Rocko’s Modern Life since each episode was only 11 minutes long.

The special started perfectly. With Heffer’s iconic line, “That was a hoot!” I exclaimed for joy as I watched with my girlfriend and she just smiled knowing that I was reliving my childhood. Even the theme song was brought back, although in a more modern form to blend in with the theme of the movie. There were so many Easter eggs and throwbacks to the original series. This was pandering to the fans and I loved it. They even showed CCH, Captain Compost Heap, from my all-time favorite episode, Zanzibar. That part alone made the special worth it for me. Seeing Conglom-O still running everything was a great throwback. All of the iconic characters that used to interact with everyone was just wonderful. The only thing that confused me was the fact that Rocko interacted with everyone and their mama on the show, but it seemed as if some of them didn’t remember him. I mean, Mr. Dupette was Rocko’s boss at one point, and Rocko even did a huge presentation so that O-Town could be cleaned up and Mr. Dupette was the one he presented to. It didn’t ruin the special for me, just had me questioning a few things.

Captain Compost Heap was crushed by Rocko’s home and confirmed dead in a news report. RIP to that guy

The voice cast – I know they had an amazing time getting back into their roles for this! Everyone did an outstanding job. The only one that sounded different to me was Mrs. Bighead, but it’s most likely because it’s been 20 years since the original voice actor did the work. Tom Kenny is just a voice-acting god at this point. He nailed every original role like it was nothing. If anything, the fact that literally every original actor came back for this special, is enough to make it the absolute best reboot to hit so far. Every character had the same personality and it still worked as far as entertainment goes. Really Really Big Man, the Chameleons, Heffer’s grandpa, and so many others made it all worth it.

Now as far as the story goes, it was solid. It was essentially a special based on the special – allow me to explain. Rocko’s Modern Life has been off the air for 20 years, they’ve been in space for 20 years. Most fans of Rocko’s Modern Life would’ve loved to see a special after so long, Rocko knew that a special would bring in the views and money needed to save the town from going to the pits. So many things have changed realistically in the past 20 years that they translated that to the show, albeit in an outrageously exaggerated way. The story was truly all about things changing faster than you know it. You can’t get stuck in the past just because it’s what you’re used to. Sometimes change is good and needed, and it can do way more good than harm. You’ve just got to be willing to accept it. Believe me, I know, change can be hard and it can take some time to accept it, but once you do, you see that it was a huge benefit. I loved the story simply because of my view on change and moving away from the past. My all-time favorite quote is about that, so a 45-minute special of one of my favorite shows from when I was a child all about the subject? I’m here for it.

You wanna know who was laughing the whole way through? Mr. Not A Movie Buff himself. The jokes were 100% gold the entire time. The over-the-top slapstick comedy that the 90s series was known for still works to this very day. Some new fans might not get the jokes, but we OG fans definitely will. Some lines make you flashback to sitting in front of the TV watching the show as a child. Even seeing Conglom-O’s tagline change due to certain events that happen is something that will make you chuckle as you remember that happening in the original show. Add the fact that nobody knows that Rocko is a wallaby and he keeps trying to correct them – go ahead and keep that running gag going! I loved it. Oh, and Rocko’s dog, Spunky’s love for mops? My girlfriend and I were cracking up when they showed Spunky looking at a mop porn site. Like what? Mops Gone Wild is just outta there!

Spunky has a problem that Rocko is ill-equipped to handle…

The creators have always been bold in what they intended for the show and that continues in this special. I tell you what, I did not expect Ralph to change to Rachel, but it worked for the story and the fact that more characters were accepting of it was a nice thing to see in a cartoon still meant for mostly younger viewers. Parents, for sure, will be able to relate to that specific point as it’s something that goes on at this very time. But the one line that everyone will attest to be true is one that Rocko makes early on.

The 21st century is a very dangerous century.

Rocko Rama – Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling (2019)

I’ll let you all decide why that statement is true to this day.

All in all, this special is where it’s at. The entertainment was solid, the characters were great, and the story was amazing and worked wondrously. I enjoyed it the whole way through and it honestly makes me wish for more episodes, but the special was enough. It spoke to the audience and got its message across in the way that it was intended. There was really nothing that I didn’t like. The special flowed and I’ll most likely be going back to take a look at it soon. This is how a reboot is done and I hope Nickelodeon keeps on this trend. The Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie special that they did was great, this kicked it up to a whole new level, and I know they have a special planned for Invader Zim (I never did get into that show though). There have also been rumblings of the Rugrats making a return so we’ll see about that. But I’m content with this and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling

Story
Cast
Nostalgia

Summary

While most reboots don’t know how to balance nostalgia, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling handles it perfectly. With a wonderfully crafted story and the returning cast immediately transporting you back to your childhood, this is the absolute perfect special and will be sure to keep you entertained the whole way through.

5

Nickelodeon, Reviews

Batman: Hush – Nah Batman, Make Some Noise!

It may not be the best animated Batman movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad one at all

Calling all Batman fans! A new movie has just been released. Not a live-action one though, even better – animated. When it comes to DC they have multiple universes, but 2 different movie universes. The DCEU, DC Extended Universe, and the DCAMU – DC Animated Movie Universe. The DCEU is for live-action movies, and as I’m sure you can guess, the DCAMU is for animated movies. The biggest difference between the two is that the DCAMU has amazing content almost the whole way through. So when word gets out that there’s a new animated movie coming out, it’s best to get excited. So when Batman: Hush was announced, the fans definitely made some noise of excitement, and when it was released I hopped right on it. One thing to note going into the movie is that while this is based on the Batman: Hush arc of comic books, it’s a slightly loose adaptation so not everything will be the same. I was okay with that as I’ve never even read the arc. But I’m here to review the movie, not the comic book.

So, the first thing that’s done differently than the previous Batman movies, and that I actually prefer, is the fact that we start the film off with Bruce Wayne instead of Batman. I know, they’re the same person, but every Batman movie in the DCAMU thus far has started with some sort of action scene and Batman fighting an iconic villain. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy that, but to not see it is a welcome change of pace. That’s not to say that the action the rest of the way through isn’t good and entertaining. It’s amazing! Almost every action scene/fight scene in the movie is top-notch. Looking back at the film, I think there was only one scene that I didn’t fully enjoy. My favorite was, of course, the last fight scene with Batman and Catwoman vs. Hush (his true identity was revealed which will be spoken about more in detail as I go on). The way that Batman and Catwoman were fighting in sync was too beast! It was like they could read each other’s minds. They knew where to connect after the other had landed a hit to continuously keep the upper hand. It was truly magnificent.

Now if you’ve read the comic book arc of Batman: Hush, then you wouldn’t be surprised to see Batman and Catwoman coming together as they do in this movie. It’s a concept that’s been explored many times in the comics and it was good to see it come to the DCAMU. Not only do they come together to fight crime, they come together romantically. I knew that was something just by reading articles here and there. It seemed like everyone close to Batman wanted him to pursue things with Catwoman – Alfred, Robin, and even Damian – in his own way. The DCAMU decides to take things a step further by exploring this relationship and having Catwoman move in with Batman. Now it seems the real reason that the movie is called Batman: Hush is because Catwoman is always silencing Batman with a kiss. Of course, those two aren’t the only ones sharing a kiss. Poison Ivy seems to be able to control others with a kiss, which she uses to control Bane, Catwoman, and Superman himself. She got Superman good if you asked me. Another fun and welcome change to see the almighty savior show he’s just as capable of being taken control of and succumbing to weakness.

Although it was great to see some human error on Superman’s side, the Batman vs Superman trope is getting old

With Superman showing up, the movie of course ties into the DCAMU by bringing up past events in previous movies, most notably the fact that Lex Luthor is an honorary member of the Justice League thanks to his actions in Reign of the Supermen. Another callback is Damian Wayne aka Robin. The last time we saw him, he was hanging out with the DCAMU Teen Titans and establishing his place on the team. That was 2 years ago. When we see Damian in this movie, he’s grown a bit, which is great. It shows that time is progressing instead of just staying where it’s at like most animated projects. Although Damian has grown, his personality is still the same, self-important and brooding, using lingo that kids his age just don’t use. It’s a funny part of the movie and sure to have most entertained by his cameo.

The comic book arc of Batman: Hush is notable for the appearance of a good amount of rogues from Batman’s gallery and the movie seems to be on the same spectrum. You know that Joker has to show up in some form, and when he does, it keeps your attention. He gets beat down by Batman and almost choked to death due to it being made to look like Joker shot Batman’s close childhood friend. This was something else that I enjoyed seeing. We’re so used to seeing Batman as calm and collected in these movies, so to see him lose control and almost murder Joker was something that’s appreciated. Now where there’s Joker, Harley Quinn is sure to be following closely behind. And she follows in a big way. Her fight scene with Catwoman was exciting, to say the least, and definitely let me know that she can have the upper hand when she wants to. Clayface shows up in Arkham Asylum, which I’m sure every Batman fan is familiar with, and he does a good job of overpowering Batman. Joker’s bit while Batman is fighting Clayface is comedic gold – the writers knew exactly what they were doing with his character. Scarecrow shows up, but doesn’t end up fighting Batman. His scuffle is with Catwoman and Nightwing, and it’s a rather mundane fight in my eyes. He gets the jump on Nightwing, but Catwoman easily puts him out of commission. But Riddler? He shows up in a big way in this movie.

I guess Hush means business

So on to the real reason that the movie is called Batman: Hush. It’s because the main villain’s name is Hush. He’s an imposing villain who seems to be obsessed with ruining Batman/Bruce Wayne’s life from afar. He’s also new to Gotham. Cue Bruce’s close childhood friend, Thomas Elliot. As mentioned before, I didn’t read Batman: Hush, but I do know that Thomas Elliot had a big role in this comic. So here I am thinking that Elliot was Hush, and there’s a scene in the movie that truly makes you think so. There’s even the fact that Elliot shows up in town around the same time as Hush. I couldn’t have been more wrong though. Once again, he was killed, but not by Joker – by Hush. But just who is Hush? Batman figures it out and I was shocked to find out that it was Riddler. He’d turned into a big-time villain! If he had actually succeeded then he most likely would have been Batman’s new arch-enemy in place of Joker. He almost got the best of Batman, too, until Catwoman came to his aid. Not to sound like a broken record, but it was a nice change of pace as we’re usually subject to someone like Bane or Joker as the big bad with Batman.

The only issue that I have with this movie is the way it ended. Needless to say, Batman and Catwoman don’t work out – who didn’t see that coming? But it was the way they broke up. Catwoman isn’t happy with Batman’s moral code. Batman doesn’t kill. But since he’s not willing to do whatever it takes, she can’t accept it and breaks things off. It’s implied that they’ll pause things presently, but who knows what could happen in the future? As Catwoman walks off, Gotham is shown once again, part of it on fire, then the credits roll. It’s not a bad ending, don’t get me wrong, but the way the dialogue was set up – it wasn’t captivating or easy to follow.

I really have no actual qualms about the movie, besides how it ended and the boring fight scene with Scarecrow vs Nightwing and Catwoman. It was, otherwise, another amazing entry into the DCAMU that had a captivating storyline and stayed mostly true to the source material while building upon the continually growing universe that it’s set in.

Batman: Hush

Story
Connectivity to the DCAMU
Action/Choreography

Summary

Another solo Batman film amongst the many that have come before it, Batman: Hush is another solid entry in the DCAMU. The action really shines for the most part, however the melancholy ending really could’ve used some work. A great Batman film, nonetheless.

4

DC, DCAMU, Reviews

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