Pokemon the First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back

***SPOILER ALERT***

Back in 1999, Kid's WB brought 'Pokemon' to the big screen for the first time with "Pokemon the First Movie."  The movie brought a lot to the table for the then ravenous crown of kids who loved Pokemon.  This movie featured Mewtwo.  In 1999 Mewtwo was the king of all Pokemon.  Everyone wanted to get their hands on one this ultra rare Pokemon.  Therefore there was no better option to base a film.

The movie starts with Mewtwo being created by scientists in a laboratory.  As he gains consciousness, Mewtwo begins to question his purpose.  Thus beginning a reign of terror on New Island and the world that would bring the greatest Pokemon trainers to battle it out to stop Mewtwo before it was too late.

Although thoroughly predictable, "Mewtwo Strikes Back" was an incredible story for a children's anime series.  The film brought Pokemon to the screen that made even teenagers salivate.  The elusive Mew, still as rare today as it was back then, brought a shroud of mystery to the film.

I can't compare "Mewtwo Strikes Back" to most films released to today's standard because it has a very specific fan base.  When stacked up to the other films in it's franchise "Mewtwo Strikes Back" is really awesome although not the best the franchise has delivered.

Competitive Moment

Mewtwo is a Pokemon that was in a league of it's own when generation one was at it's peak.  However that was short lived as generation two brought dark-type Pokemon into the mix.  Not only is Mewtwo frail but it needs to be pretty fast to be the special sweeper that it needs to be.

Mew is another story.  He has one thing major going for him, he can learn any move.  Although he isn't invincible he can definitely hold his own in competitive play, the problem would be trying to get your hands on one.  Nintendo doesn't spend a lot of time offering this rare gem on the table. 

Pokemon Movies

In anticipation for the release of Pokemon Black and White 2, I am going to be rating all fifteen Pokemon movies between now and October.  I am going to be using a slightly different format for these movies.  Because none of them are what I call blockbuster films and are very much niche films, I am going to rate them on the following scale.  Terrible, Bad, Alright, Good and Awesome.  When I choose where it's going to rate it's going to be in comparison to other films in the series.  I am also going to take a moment at the end of each review, which I will call the "competitive moment" where I will go through some of the Pokemon in the film and how they fare in competitive play and, for the older films, how they have held up through the generations.  The films that are included are the following:

1. Pokemon the First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back (featuring Mew and Mewtwo)
2. Pokemon the Movie 2000 - The Power of One (featuring Lugia, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres)
3. Pokemon 3: The Movie - Spell of the Unown (featuring Unown and Entei)
4. Pokemon 4Ever - Celebi: Voice of the Forest (Featuring Suicune and Celebi)
5. Pokemon Heroes (Featuring Latias and Latios)
6. Pokemon - Jirachi: Wish Maker (Featuring Jirachi and Groudon)
7. Pokemon - Destiny Deoxys (Featuring Deoxys and Rayquaza)
8. Pokemon - Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (featuring Lucario, Mew, Regice, Registeel and Regirock)
9. Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (Featuring Manaphy and Kyogre)
10. Pokemon - The Rise of Darkrai (Featuring Darkrai, Dialga and Palkia)
11. Pokemon - Giratina and the Sky Warrior (Featuring Giratina, Dialga, Regigigas and Shaymin)
12. Pokemon - Arceus and the Jewel of Life (Featuring Arceus, Heatran, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina)
13. Pokemon - Zoroark: Master of Illusions (Featuring Zoroark, Celebi, Entei, Suicune and Raikou)
14. Pokemon the Movie Black - Victini and Reshiram (Featuring Victini, Reshiram and Zekrom)
15. Pokemon the Movie White - Victini and Zekrom (Featuring Victini, Zekrom and Reshiram)

Spider-Man 3

***SPOILER ALERT***

"Spider-Man 3" gets a lot of negative criticism from fans of the series.  However, every time I watch it I gain a higher appreciation for it.  Even though no films have succeeded this one besides a reboot, I don't think it was half the train wreck people make it out to be.

The only thing I would change about this film is Venom.  I would have kept the whole black Spider-Man idea and played it out just as it was.  I would have even introduce Eddie Brock.  The gothic feel of the black Spider-Man was the strongest attribute of this film in my mind.

I would have ended the film with the conclusion of Harry Osborn's story as well as the defeat of Sandman.  However, I would have the last scene in the film being Venom latching onto Eddie Brock.  I grew up loving the character and I think he would've been a great villain for a fourth "Spider-Man" film.  Of course it's not going to happen that way.

I still didn't like Mary Jane in this film but I do like how her personal conflicts were opposing Peter's.  I think the character development was far superior than the other two films.  My only issue is Peter's friendship with Harry.  Harry had become vindictive and deceptive, and although he did receive redemption, there's no way I would have allowed my friendship with him to continue if he tried to kill me.

Eddie Brock was a character I felt that did this film a great justice.  It gave Peter Parker a nemesis.  We have seen Spider-Man have nemeses, but not Peter.  The competition for the staff position at the Daily Bugle was probably the most I felt for Peter in the three films.  I believe he was right in exposing Eddie, even though he was "possessed" by Venom at that point.

After watching this film again I need to retract saying that "Spider-Man 2" was the best in the series.  I now believe this film is the superior one and I proudly induct it into the Essential Collection.  Although something tells me I'm going to get a lot of flack for it.  You should watch it and make your own opinion, but I loved it.  Very much so.

Beetlejuice

***SPOILER ALERT***

Tim Burton is known for cranking out movies that are bizarre.  "Beetlejuice" is no exception.  In matter of fact, I found myself questioning what kind of drugs Burton was on when he created this film.  It was macabre, strange, weird and not even an ounce funny.

"Beetlejuice" follows the story of a young couple that dies on a bridge.  Their house is inhabited by a family of humans that they want to see leave.  Therefore they hire the help of bio-exorcist Betelgeuse to help get rid of the humans.

Even though the film aimed at humor, I didn't see it.  Most of the sets looked fake and unbelievable.  I think this story could have really benefited from a darker storyline that wasn't based around humor.  In ways it felt like it was supposed to be a family film, but there's no way I would let my kids watch this if I had any.

Winona Ryder's character, Lydia, was a really awkward character for me.  For some reason she could see the ghosts.  I get the whole "goth child who wants to die" thing.  I just see it all as a form of attention seeking and teen angst.  I didn't care for her character and wish they could have utilized her story to explain why she could see the ghosts.

I didn't realize how old this film was.  It used stop-motion instead of CGI so my guess is that it was made right around the beginning of the 1990s.  I only wonder if the special effects weren't supposed to be corny.  In ways it felt like Burton was going for a cornier feel.

Tim Burton has made a lot of films that I believe are great ones.  I can't help but feel that "Beetlejuice" isn't one of them.  I can't even figure out why the film spells Beetlejuice and Beetle Juice as the title, but in the film spells his name as Betelgeuse.  My advice, skip it.

Corpse Bride

***SPOILER ALERT***

Whenever I put a Tim Burton film into my player I know to expect something a little different.  Such is the case with "Corpse Bride."  Made as a spiritual sequel to "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Corpse Bride" uses a lot of the same themes and plot devices.  The film may be inferior to "Nightmare," but I still found it to be a good film, albeit incredibly short running a shy hour and seventeen minutes including end credits.

The film takes place in an incredibly subdued Victorian London.  We first see Victor Van Dort on his way to a rehearsal for an arranged marriage with a woman named Victoria.  The rehearsal doesn't go well and Victor stumbles over his vows.  The priest tells him  to practice his vows and he leaves the church going through them in his head.  Thus, he accidentally marries the corpse bride.  The film then goes to the much livelier underworld where this corpse bride lives as the two struggle with their marriage and it's many complications.

My favorite part of the movie is the way Burton illustrated the two worlds.  The world of the living is very drab, dark and, in a way, dead.  Whereas the world of the dead is exciting, colorful and lively.  It's an interesting oxymoron that really brought a lot of thought in this film for me.  Having gone through death, the dead are no longer held down to fear.

I didn't really like that rich guy that married Victoria toward the end of the film.  I didn't feel like he fit into the plot too much.  He did have an interesting death scene though and he did further the corpse bride's story.  I just didn't feel like he fit at the beginning half of the film and I think the writer's could have done something to make him seem more foreboding and giving him a nature that would make us think that he was the one responsible for the corpse bride's death.

"Corpse Bride" is a very casual movie that works well for the casual viewer.  When compared to Tim Burton's other films, it falls in the middle somewhere.  I recommend you rent it.

Spider-Man 2

***SPOILER ALERT***

After the success of the first film, a sequel to "Spider-Man" was in very high demand.  The internet was buzzing on plot details and all.  The villain of choice, Doctor Octopus, one of Spider-Man's biggest adversaries, created an even bigger anticipation and raised expectation high, but not high enough as audiences all across the country watched and were amazed at what is now described as a 'perfect comic book movie.'  I both agree and disagree with that title.

'Spider-Man 2' finds Peter Parker two years after the events of the first film, his life is in ruins.  He's failing classes, missing rent payments and even getting fired from his job.  All the while, Oscorp and Dr. Otto Octavius are creating a fusion reactor that would eventually turn Otto into Dr. Octopus.

I found this film to be incredibly deep and it created a new emotional demand for movies of it's genre.  Popcorn action wasn't enough anymore.  Going through the struggle with Peter as he tried to straighten his life out really got me involved in his welfare and I cared about him and wanted him to get his life back on track.

The strongest element of this film, in my opinion, are Doctor Octopus's arms.  The writer's crafted the arms as their own entity.  They thought on their own accord and, at a certain point, began controlling Otto.

With all the praise  'Spider-Man 2' received I had two major issues with it.  The first was the cameo appearances.  The cameos were too many and they were all corny.  All those cameo appearances also greatly affected my second issue which was the humor.  It all fell flat on me.  There was a lengthy talk between Spider-Man and Hal Sparks in an elevator that just seemed overkill.  The only character that I felt needed to be eccentric was J. Jonah Jameson.  All the other cameos even interrupted the flow for me.

If you're in the mood to see a movie that revolutionized it's genre and help make comic book movies what they are today, "Spider-Man 2" is a must see.  For me, the humor distracted me so much that I'm on the border with my recommendation.  But I will say own it even though I want to give it a lesser recommendation.  After all, it is better than the first.

The Importance of Character Development, "One Tree Hill"

***SPOILER ALERT***

 

Beginning with this column, I'm going to be starting a bi-weekly essay entitled "The Importance Of Character Development" The idea of this column is to focus on television and the importance of creating loveable characters.  My first essay is going to be about the importance of character development in the CW's "One Tree Hill."

I've always felt that the most important aspect of a television series is it's character development.  Earlier today, I laid in my room and was thinking about the characters in different shows and how they affected how I felt about those shows.  Those close to me know that I hold "One Tree Hill" near and dear to my heart.  The main contributing reason is the characters.

For those unfamiliar, "One Tree Hill" ran for nine seasons beginning on the WB network in 2003.  After the WB and UPN merged to form the CW, beginning with the series' fourth season, it ran for an additional six seasons airing it's series finale in 2012.

The story of "One Tree Hill" starts with two brothers, Lucas and Nathan Scott, living two very different lives.  Lucas lives with his mother, Karen, while Nathan lives with their father, Dan, and his mother.  The two clash in many different ways living two completely opposite lives.  Of course that changes through the course of the series.

The characters that the two brothers interact with in their hometown of Tree Hill, North Carolina send the plot soaring from the first moment until the last second.  Whenever I really involve myself in a show the most important question I ask myself is, "What relationship do I consider to be the heart and soul of this show?"  Most commonly it's a romantic relationship, as is the case in "One Tree Hill."

From the very first season Nathan Scott and Haley James began an unorthodox relationship.  Haley was a bookworm as well as close friends with Nathan's arch nemesis, Lucas.  Nathan began going after Haley as a way of tormenting Lucas but the feelings grew to be real.  As the series progressed, Nathan and Haley developed a relationship that withstood many tests.  The two of them never cheated on each other and through better or worse, always believed in the other.  Their relationship grew into a teenage marriage which, over the years, grew into a family when they welcomed their children Jamie Lucas and Lydia Bob into the family.

Jamie became a character beginning in the show's fifth season.  He was approximately 5 years old at that point and was developing his own childhood being guided by his parents.  Jamie was never really a character I grew to appreciate but saw his importance as a staple holding Nathan and Haley together.  There were times when the two argued to a point where I didn't know they would make it, but they stuck it out for their love of Jamie.

Another relationship that grew from the beginning was the relationship between Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer.  Although Lucas had been in a love triangle with Brooke Davis, his feelings for Peyton won out and the two eventually got married.

Peyton was the show's 'troubled teen.' She lived in a parentless house in her infamous red bedroom.  She had an extreme interest in music.  She would often turn to her favorite bands when she was having emotional times.  In season five she grew to own her own her own music label, Red Bedroom Records.  The label's office was located right behind Tric, the club Peyton grew very fond of and invested a lot of herself into.  After having daughter Sawyer in season six, Peyton and Lucas left the show.

Enter Clay Evans and Quinn James.  Quinn was Haley's sister, reunited when their mother, Lydia, passed away in the show's seventh season.  Quinn was very fond of photography, a hobby that united her with Clay.  Clay was Nathan's agent when he was in the NBA.  Clay had a rather unique story for a teen drama.  He had come from a previous marriage that ended in his wife's death.  His wife had died a few years earlier of a brain aneurism.  He became traumatized over the events and created a wall in his mind that caused him to forget a lot of the events that happened in his previous marriage.  With Quinn at his side he began to unlock what had happened in his marriage and even led him back to his child.

Perhaps one of the shows most energetic characters is Brooke Davis.  During the high school years, Brooke really got around with the guys of Tree Hill.  Even going so hard as to enter Clean Teens, a group where teens pledge abstinence, to get a guy she wanted to be with.  Her part in the love triangle with Lucas created a lot of friction in another one of my favorite Tree Hill relationships, the friendship between Brooke and Peyton.  The two went through so many trials and tribulations together, most of which ended up with Peyton getting the guy and Brooke ending up alone.  I found Brooke's quest for both love and children to be the most endearing story lines for her character.  At first, Brooke always dreamed of her wedding day.  With every failed date, that day seemed to be further and further off.  Enter Julian Baker, filmmaker from Los Angeles.  At first he came into the show as Peyton's ex-boyfriend but soon fell head over heels for Brooke.  He often said in the series that the moment he fell in love with Brooke was when he walked in on her dancing to "Don't You Forget About Me" in her clothing store "Clothes Over Bros."

One of the stronger elements to "One Tree Hill" was it's resident villain, Dan Scott.  A character who was so well developed in the series that you felt emotions going from cringing every time he came on screen to wishing him dead to rolling your eyes at his redemption attempts to actually believing those redemption attempts to wanting to see him redeemed to crying at his death after he gets his redemption.  To see a character go from being hated so much to being an unsung hero is the most poignant storytelling device in "One Tree Hill," in my opinion.  If you were to ask who I believe was the greatest fictitious villain of all-time, I would answer with Dan Scott.  Boy, was he a good villain.  In the end, he was a really good hero too.  From the moment he killed his brother in cold blood to the moment he breathed his last breath after taking a bullet for his son, Nathan, Dan was a character that made "One Tree Hill" the show it was.

Along with an ensemble cast that each had their own storyline, "One Tree Hill" was a show that grew into it's own and was steered by it's characters.  Love them or hate them one thing remains true, there is only one Tree Hill.