Happy Happy Joy Joy: the Ren and Stimpy story

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Happy Happy Joy Joy: the Ren and Stimpy story!

Original image located here. Accessed 26th November 2021

Oh this takes me back: Ren and Stimpy was a show I watched a lot of in the mid-nineties. Indeed, it was a show that was perfect for an impressionable mind entering their early teens. Say what you like about it now, but what drew me in was that really challenged to notion of what could be accomplished in a cartoon, it aggravated a lot of conservative types, it was random and bizarre, and had plenty of gross humor.
That and it was the funniest thing I had ever seen.
So upon learning that a documentary had been made about this cartoon, how could I resist?

First up you can't say this documentary wasn't informative: We follow the story of Ren and Stimpy, starting from John Kricfalusi's passion for animation before following onto his determination to make a show that pushed the envelope as to what animation could accomplish, the success, the obsessive attention to detail to the animation, the subsequent missed deadlines, the firing of Kricfalusi, and the influence Ren and Stimpy has on successive cartoon series.
I have to admit that whilst i was enjoying the show, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes chaos that was happening. So to be made aware of this has been eye-opening to say the least. I did not know about the insane process of getting the show made and I certainly did not know about Kricfalusi's... dodgy acts (and that's putting it lightly) in the years since. Still, for a documentary the information is comprehensive and it certainly makes a case that the odd adventures of a jerk and an idiot did change the face of animation and brought focus onto creator-driven shows.
Who would've guessed that such a strange cartoon would have such a compelling story behind it?
Personally, my teen years have long since passed so it is kind hard to watch Ren and Stimpy now. Still it is interesting to see the impact it had and to see fans talk about it with enthusiasm. So I will give it that much.
Plus, nearly three decades on and I still love that opening theme

Casino Royale

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Casino Royale!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th November 2021

After a slight deviation, my yearlong mission to watch more James Bond movies continues.
And now we enter the Daniel Craig era. This does mean we are bypassing the Brosnan era simply because I have seen them all. But in away, going from Dalton directly to Craig does indeed seem like a more natural progression as both actors are drawing heavily from the source material. Furthermore, i will admit I didn't give the Craig era much of a chance (I saw Quantum of Solace when it was originally released in the cinema and I do recall it boring me) so it would be interesting to see it Craig strut his stuff with fresh eyes.

And does he ever.
Clearly doing a reboot was the right call to make given that this series has a terrible reputation for formula. And drawing heavily, like never before, from the source material was also the right move. As a result this a Bond updated, repeating the same trick Goldeneye pulled off years earlier (no surprise that both have the same director).
As always, the action scenes are well choreographed and the drama is well handled. And, as this is an origin story, it is interesting to see Bond's progression into the agent we know. I am well aware some people don't like Craig for his dour/humorless take on the character but give him credit: At least he is taking a tried-and-tested role and taking into unfamiliar territory.
I guess being older and wiser gives me more patience for Craig so it would be interesting to see where we go from here...

The Social Dilemma

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

Original image located here. Accessed 12th November 2021

Anyone heard of this? It's a Netflix documentary addressing the dangers of social media.
This documentary is presented as a combination of information against the use of social media and a dramatization presenting a narrative of a protagonist who gets involved with social and is sent on a downward spiral.

Whilst the 'dramatization' parts are both intrusive and cringy, the real meat in this documentary is, of course, the information presented. It is revealed just how much the likes of Facebook (pun unintended) and Google are building themselves around the interests on the individual. We are shown the lengths these social media platforms will go just to grab one's interest and be keep them permanently hooked. We are informed the psychological methods these developers are utilizing to grab the attention of the mentally vulnerable and making them worse.
Of course, none of this will be new to those who are well versed in IT but it is presented in a way that is understandable and easily digested. But it begs the question: Why on earth did the makers go with the 'dramatization' parts? As mentioned above they are indeed intrusive and do lessen the punch this movie delivers. But boy, when this movie hits, it hits like a truck.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings!

Original image located here. Accessed 5th November 2021

The MCU tries it's hand at making a Kung-Fu movie. Well, why not? It's tried a whole lot of other genres so in a way this was inevitable.
Okay seriously though, there's nothing wrong with that its just that I've seen many a kung-fu movie in my time and when Marvel do it, i want only for them not to do shoddy job.

Thankfully Marvel don't do a shoddy job: The action sequences are very well done and are, at times, jaw dropping. Indeed there is a sense that this a kung-fu movie being made with a larger budget - when compared to some Hong Kong flicks I have seen in my time - and they are going to milk it for all that it's worth.
Simu Liu is great, Michelle Yeoh is always fantastic, Benedict Wong is having fun, but personally, the real MVP is Awkwafina who is a delight to watch and steals every scene she's in. So if this film was made for more Asian representation on the silver screen, then all I can say is: More please!
Funny thing however: One gets the sense that with this film, as well as the upcoming Eternals movie (if the trailer is anything to go by), is bringing the MCU to a more grandiose direction than ever before. It may seem a strange movie - considering that Phase one was a very grounded one - but when Endgame makes so much money one can do whatever they want.