The Predator

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....The Predator!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th September 2018

As a franchise I love a love/hate relationship with the Predator. On one hand, we have a fantastic creation with the titular character and a series of movies that tries something new with each iteration. But in the other hand, the execution of said movies can be patchy at times. So how does this new one fare?

As stated above, I like the Predator as a creation with it's abilities and mythology built up. Thus, there are plenty of directions you can take it. And clearly the makers of The Predator felt the same as there is a lot going on here. But at the same time it does come across as incoherent. Furthermore, I'm not really buying this idea that the Predators, as a race, are into evolution - or at least trying to advance it. And I'm especially not sold on the Predators thinking an autistic child is the next step in evolution.
Still, the actions great, the quips are entertaining, there a call-backs to the original and I like the idea of the Predator facing a bunch of PTSD-inflicted soldiers. But is this the reboot the series needed? Probably not but, much like Predators, it does leave the door open for some new ground to be covered.

Panda go Panda

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Panda go Panda!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th September 2018

This feature is a pair of anime half-hour shorts. Its not well known outside some circles but it is notable for being an early collaboration between Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata before they founded the legendary Studio Ghibli. With these shorts, Takahata directs and Miyazaki provides the script, design, layouts and animation.

So what we have here is clearly Studio Ghibli in it's Mesozoic era. The artwork is indeed a far cry from what would come in the future (this was made in the early seventies) but all the familiar trademarks are already in place: An eye for detail, expressive animation, humor, charm for both adults and children alike, an interesting heroine and, in Papa Panda, a progenitor of Totoro.
It may not be on par with Ghibli's finest but that doesn't mean it's without it's charms.

They Found a Cave

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....They Found a Cave!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th September 2018

For the uninitiated, this is a movie based on a 1948 children's novel by Tasmanian author Nan Chauncy. The film was released in 1962 and is noteworthy for utilizing a Tasmanian cast and crew. This movie is of particular interest to me as I'm currently involved with a stage production of They Found a Cave.

Obviously this movie is a product of it's time and very much of a low budget quality but as a kid's movie it works well. The child actors are good and the cinematography is superb. Whilst the shots on a studio set are obvious the shots on location otherwise look great.

Ultimately this is throwing down of the gauntlet: it's something for myself and my theatrical cohorts to rise up to...