POKMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (Dir: Rob Letterman, 2019).

POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU (Dir: Rob Letterman, 2019).

Part of the phenomenally successful Pokémon franchise, Detective Pikachu is the first movie in the series to combine live-action with CGI Pokémon. The somewhat convoluted plot finds insurance salesman and former Pokémon trainer wannabe Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) teaming up with Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) to investigating the mysterious death of Tim’s detective father. Tim is the only human who can understand the amnesia suffering Pikachu who has some previous link with the detective.

Visually Detective Pikachu is a highly satisfying film, narratively it is less so. The CGI Pokémon are beautifully realised creatures that integrate believably with the humans and real life surrounds; thankfully there are a wealth of these fabulous beings on display. Main man Pikachu has the requisite level of cuteness while Mr Mime makes a very effective and amusing cameo as a police informant; an encounter with oversized Torterra is visually stunning, as is the climatic battle with it Avengers-level of structural decimation! The film noir-like cityscapes that form the story’s backdrop are also highly impressive.

Where the movie falters is in its narrative which somehow manages to be both predictable and confusing. With a tidier and tighter script Detective Pikachu might have been a modern day Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Robert Zemeckis, 1988); a family friendly infusion of 40’s film noir detective thriller and 2019 high-tech blockbuster. Dedicated Pokémon fans will probably be more forgiving of Detective Pikachu’s short comings. For casual fans and those less familiar with the franchise, it should prove to be a bewildering yet entertaining 105 minutes. For its amazing eye candy alone Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is well worth catching.

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DUMBO (Dir: Tim Burton, 2019).

Being of the opinion that Walt Disney’s Dumbo (Ben Sharpsteen, 1941) is one of the greatest movies ever made, I was not entirely thrilled at the prospect of a remake, in spite of my admiration for director Tim Burton. But, ever the open-minded film enthusiast, I watched it anyways!

Dumbo is, of course, the story of the circus elephant born with oversized ears who silences his naysayers when his ears provide him with the ability of flight.

The first half of Burton’s movie roughly follows the original, while the second half continues Dumbo’s story after the events of the first movie, chronicling his tenure as the star attraction of an early amusement park and a daring rescue attempt of his imprisoned mother.

Predictably it is the first half which suffers most in comparison with the original. While the original movie runs little more than an hour, its basic story is retold here in about 40 minutes. The result of which is the narrative beats all fall a little off the mark. For example, Dumbo’s ability to fly is established within the first 20 minutes of the movie, rather than at the climax. The introduction of an antagonist who is swiftly dispensed with roughly halfway through is also slightly jarring.

Absent are the crows and Timothy Mouse, replaced by elephant wrangler Colin Farrell and his children Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins. The relationship between Dumbo and his only friend Timothy is sorely missed and as a result the emotional core of the movie seems sadly lacking. The tragic-comic original contains both moments of great joy and great sadness, while this Dumbo is content to coast along without reaching such emotional depths.

That said, being a Burton production it looks fabulous and has an appealing cast including a neat turn from Danny DeVito as the circus ringmaster. The Climactic rescue attempt does have some genuine moments of excitement.

By all means watch and enjoy Tim Burton’s Dumbo, especially it’s superior second half. Just don’t expect it to soar to the same thrilling heights as Walt Disney’s masterful original.

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RIP Cameron Boyce.

DINOSAUR (Dir: Ralph Zondag & Eric Leighton, 2000).

Travel back 65 million years in Walt Disney Pictures' visually stunning Dinosaur.

Iguanodon Aladar, separated from his mother while still an egg, is adopted by a family of lemurs and raised in the lush tropical surrounds of Lemur Island. When a devastating meteor shower hits, the ensuing deadly dust cloud forces the family to leave their now barren home. Joining a herd of dinos heading for the Nesting Ground, Aladar clashes with group leader Kron whilst catching the eye of his sister Neera. A dino romance ensues, but drought, rockslides and a pair of hungry Carnotaurus threatens the perilous mission at every turn.

With its real life filmed backdrops and detailed CGI dinosaurs, the movie looks beautiful. Yet, this groundbreaking approach to filming is undermined by a pretty pedestrian screenplay which is marred by some unfortunate glib, facile dialogue.

It is perhaps best not to dwell on the story and screenplay elements of Dinosaur, after all its writers didn't. Anyone above the age of 7 is clearly here for the spectacular visuals. This was the first time Disney had utilised CGI on such an elaborate scale in one of its own non-Pixar movies. While computer graphics have undoubtedly been refined in the two decades since its release, the visuals are still mightily impressive. Its most spectacular set-pieces include the meteor storm, the Carnotaurus attack and an opening, following the journey of Aladar's egg from nest to Lemur island, which the studio used as the film's trailer, such was their belief in the strength of the animation.

Dinosaur was a hit with cinema audiences, but not on the scale the studio had hoped. A better script would have undoubtedly elevated it above the status of matinee popcorn fodder; its visuals belonging to an epic on a much grander scale than dialogue and plot suggest. None the less, Dinosaur is a highly entertaining movie, both for dino obsessed kids and grown-ups who are willing to overlook its shortcomings to enjoy the awesome visuals.

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DR NO (Terance Young, 1962).

NOTE: The following is an edited version of a review available in full on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME. Check it out! Link below.

The film that launched the longest running franchise in movie history. Sean Connery stars as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in this adaptation of the sixth novel in the series.

Investigating the disappearance of fellow MI6 operatives, Bond heads to Jamaica and is soon on the trail of the titular Dr No, an underground dwelling, Nemo-esq scientific genius with plans to wreck the US space programme. Fist fights, shoot-outs and car chases ensue!

In many respects, Dr No is Bond in its purest form. Before the over reliance on gadgets, before the campy, double entendre laden humour, before the over the top action set pieces. Connery is perfect in the role: suave yet cool, a lover and a fighter. He is surrounded by a classy supporting cast. As Island girl Honey Ryder, Ursula Andress set the standard for Bond girls, emerging like Venus from the ocean in a two-piece swimsuit and creating one of the most iconic images of the entire series. Jack Lord and John Kitzmiller make appealing allies for Bond, while Bernard Lee and Lois Maxwell make their first appearances as Bond’s MI6 boss M and his flirtatious secretary Miss Moneypenny, respectively.

Director Terance Young never lets the pace flag. Dr No is one of the shorter Bonds but Young never wastes a second as he delivers a gripping, intelligent thriller.

Rewatching the movie almost 60 years after release it is fascinating to see how much of what we associate with the series is already present. Refinements were made to the formula over the coming films but I don’t think this series opener was ever bettered. Equalled maybe, but it has a certain economic, raw, unpolished appeal that box office success and bloated budgets would not allow for in the future. Six decades on this is still a fantastic piece of popular cinema. Intelligent in a way action movies rarely are today, shot through with streak of sardonic humour. If you are only familiar with later entries than this original classic should really be next on your Bond viewing list!

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Dr No (1962)

Dr No (Terance Young, 1962) The film that launched the longest running franchise in movie history and made a star of Sean Connery