Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)

I grew up watching Pokémon and I’m one of those people who has been playing PokémonGO for the past three years, so when news came out of Pokémon Detective Pikachu, saying that I was excited about the film is an understatement.

Set in a world filled with hundreds of unique creatures — Pokémon —, the story follows Tim Goodman (Justice Smith), a 21-year-old blue collar insurance worker, as he teams up with a talking Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) to investigate the death/disappearance of his father, Kanto police detective Harry Goodman.

The biggest problem with Pokémon Detective Pikachu is the plot. It is extremely simple and predictable, so much so that anyone over the age of eleven will be able to figure it out almost immediately, but it’s actually at its worst when it tries to be more complex as it feels out of place and had me waiting, kinda bored, for the next cool Pokémon thing to happen. Despite this, it still manages to deliver a surprising twist at the end and, although it’s quite silly, the story is throughout engaging and interesting to follow.

The characters are just as thin as the story. Actually, they are even worse as they are non-existent — they barely have personalities and don’t have anything resembling development. Also, the villain is tremendously bland, generic.

Thankfully, Justice Smith gives a performance that is likeable enough to make you care about Tim. Also, he delivers both laughs and some genuine emotions. It’s Ryan Reynolds, however, who completely steals the show as he yet again delivers great comedy in the role of the adorable, fluffy Pikachu. Bill Nighy is also very enjoyable. The rest of the cast, I don’t even want to talk about them. That’s how bad they are.

Warner Bros. Pictures

It’s not only Reynolds’s Pikachu who steals the scene though, as every single Pokémon making an appearance in the film stands out, from Cubone to Ditto to Mr. Mime who delivers the film’s most hilarious moments — everyone in the audience was laughing during his scenes, kids and adults alike.

Ultimately, Pokémon Detective Pikachu is not a great film — it’s not like I was expecting it to be though — but it’s overall an enjoyable and funny film, especially if you are a Pokémon fan.

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

Though the title would have never, even in a million years, convince me to watch The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as it sounds to me like some dumb movie, I've seen enough pics of Sam Rockwell rocking that wavy blonde hair and that gorgeous ginger beard to convince me to give it a chance. 

Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) is a British everyman who wakes up one day only to find his house is going to be demolished. But that's not all. His friend Ford (Mos Def) shows up, reveals that he is an alien and announces that the Earth will be destroyed in 12 minutes. And guess what, that's exactly what happens: an alien species, the Vogons, demolish the Earth to build an intergalactic motorway. Ford saves Arthur just in time, catching a ride on a spaceship, and they embark on a galactic adventure. 

I've never seen/read any of the formats Douglas Adams's series was adapted to --according to Wikipedia, there are novels, comic books, a TV series and a videogame, and it all started as a radio show-- so I don't know how faithful to the source material the film was, but it didn't make a lot of sense.

Let me explain that. The plot is non-existent, there is just a lot of stuff happening whose only thing in common is the characters, plots are just started and left unresolved, and a lot of time is wasted on a subplot --the capture and rescue of Trillian-- that has no relevance whatsoever to that the thing resembling a plot. 

In spite of the terribly lazy writing, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is interesting, engaging, entertaining and fun. It's no Rear Window (I'm mentioning this because I rewatched it a few days before watching this one), but it still keeps you glued to the screen. The sloppy writing, its leaving all the plot unfinished, is what makes the film kind of unpredictable and enjoyable. 

Buena Vista Pictures

The characters are pretty shallow and underdeveloped, and, just like the subplots, some of them are thrown in for no apparent reason. But at least they have motivations which make them more interesting. 

That and the cast, of course. Each member of the cast did an excellent job. Martin Freeman is once again the everyman but he is funny and convincing as Arthur. Zooey Deschanel is great as the funny, brilliant and adorable Trillian and the romance between her character and Freeman's works nicely. Mos Def does good as Ford and Bill Nighy gives a quite funny performance. The standout, however, is Sam Rockwell. He is clearly having a lot of fun playing the kind of hippie, self-centred, eccentric President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox, and he makes you have fun too. And that charisma!

As for the jokes, not always they make sense, like they don't feel in the right context if that makes any sense, but the lines work and made me laugh. Surely can't complain about that. At last, though they are overused, the special effects are good. 

Must Watch: New Trailer For Bryan Singer's JACK THE GIANT SLAYER

Bryan Singer's JACK THE GIANT SLAYER (Formerly JACK THE GIANT KILLER) is looking like a great time at the theater! I hoping to see the CGI cleaned up and little bit by release, but you can count on this: Picture perfect 3D as our friends at 3ality Digital are behind the rigs being used on the production.

Ewan McGregor is looking very good in his role, adding a needed touch of believability to the story based on a fairy tale.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
Jack the Giant Slayer tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend—and gets the chance to become a legend himself.

JACK THE GIANT SLAYER opens on March 1, 2013.


Hit the jump to watch the trailer...

Bill Nighy Cast In Peter Straub's SHADOWLAND? In 3D??

Yes it seems so! According to STYD, Peter Straub's novel SHADOWLAND is being summoned to feature films. And in 3D no less!!

PFG Entertainment has announced on their website that Bill Nighy (UNDERWORLD) and Natalie Dormer (THE TUDORS) are attached to star. Larry Leahy wrote the adaptation.

The storyline follows two young boys, Tom Flanagan and Del Nightingale, who spend a summer with Del's uncle Coleman, who is one of the foremost magicians in the world. As time passes, however, Tom begins to suspect that what Coleman is teaching is not a series of harmless tricks, but is in fact real sorcery. One of the boys is forced to decide whether or not to join the forces of evil to save the life of his best friend.

Canuck Erik Canuel is directing.

Definitely looking forward to this! Very good reading too if you have the inclination to pick up Straub's book.