Honey, I Shrunk the Kids - Series Retrospective

I’ve done quite a lot of Disney-themed retrospectives over the years. It all started, of course, with the big series of retrospectives that I did on Disney Animation’s vast library of feature films back in 2016 (and, technically, 2013). There’s also the one that I did last year for the classic Disney franchise that is Herbie the Love Bug. Thus, with the impending debut of Disney’s new streaming service Disney+ in November, which promises to host practically every Disney film ever made, I figured that it’d be fun to continue doing retrospectives on other classic Disney franchises. This brings us to today’s subject, which is a franchise that was quite arguably a staple of the 90’s that starred Rick Moranis as a bumbling yet good-natured inventor whose latest invention causes all sorts of problems for his family. This franchise’s first installment also happens to be celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year and is currently being set up for a reboot starring Josh Gad that will debut on Disney+. Yes, we’re talking about the franchise known as the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series, which provided Moranis one of his most famous roles as Wayne Szalinski and consisted of two feature films and one direct-to-video release. However, it would also notably spawn a TV series that aired in the late ’90s (even though Moranis wasn’t involved with it) and a few notable attractions at Disney’s theme parks. Disney’s Hollywood Studios used to have a playground themed after the original film and a 4-D show titled Honey, I Shrunk the Audience ran for several years at Epcot, Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. However, for the purpose of today’s retrospective, we’ll only be discussing the films. Thus, without further ado, be careful not to step directly in front of the shrinking machine as we look at the three feature films that make up Disney’s Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise.

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989)

The original Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, released in 1989, served as the official directorial debut of Joe Johnston, who of course would later go on to direct films like Captain America: The First Avenger, Jumanji, and The Rocketeer. But before all that, Johnston officially got his start in the industry as a visual effects artist for ILM, meaning that he had a considerable hand in developing several of the effects for the original Star Wars trilogy and Raiders of the Lost Ark. As such, it’s safe to say that he was a solid choice to direct this effects-heavy film about an inventor whose shrinking machine accidentally shrinks both his kids and his grumpy neighbor’s kids. While there are a few effects here and there that have dated a bit, Johnston and his team deserve quite a lot of credit for all the creative ways that they manage to put their characters in literal larger-than-life situations, from oversized sets to the use of stop-motion animation. All this and a generally breezy pace make up for the film’s more generic familial drama (e.g. a misunderstood son, marital problems between the inventor and his wife, etc.). That said, the film does feature a solid ensemble cast. Rick Moranis headlines the project excellently as Wayne Szalinski as does Marcia Strassman as his wife Diane and Matt Frewer and Kristine Sutherland as their neighbors, the Thompsons. Meanwhile, Amy O’Neill, Robert Oliveri, Jared Rushton, and Thomas Wilson Brown impressively manage to hold their own as the Szalinski and Thompson children, respectively, especially considering that the whole film revolves around them. Because of this, it’s easy to see why Honey, I Shrunk the Kids continues to be a fondly remembered live-action outing from Disney to the point where, upon its release, it was even the highest-grossing Disney film of all-time at that point (probably due in part to a Roger Rabbit short that ran alongside it).

Rating: 4/5

HONEY, I BLEW UP THE KID (1992)

To answer your first question… yes, Disney managed to get away with having a title like that in 1992. To answer your second question… no, this is not about kids literally getting blown up. Instead, it’s just the opposite of what happened in the first film, as Wayne accidentally exposes his youngest son Adam to his shrink ray’s growth setting, causing Adam to grow to over 100 feet tall. Just like the previous film, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (directed this time by Randal Kleiser, who directed the classic musical Grease and would later do the film segments of Honey, I Shrunk the Audience) features some fun visual-effects work to juxtapose the ever-growing Adam with the various locales that he goes through. It all culminates in a solidly entertaining finale where he ‘rampages’ (a term used loosely since he’s just a baby) through the Las Vegas strip. And sure, it could be argued that the visual effects work isn’t exactly as impressive as it was in the previous film since it simply revolves more around an infant going around shrunken sets. Still, a lot of the visual effects in this film do manage to hold up just as well as those from the first film. Plus, if there’s one advantage that this film has over its predecessor, it’s that everything has a better emotional hook to it given the necessity of the family keeping Adam safe (although it could’ve given the older sister Amy more to do since this was technically spawned from a different screenplay, which meant having to write Amy O’Neill out entirely save for a cameo). Also, dare I say that the humor is a little more consistent in this one? In short, the usual consensus towards Honey, I Blew Up the Kid is that it’s a generally inferior follow-up to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. And yet, I’d argue that, at the very least, it’s ‘just as good’ as the original.

Rating: 4/5

HONEY, WE SHRUNK OURSELVES (1997)

Our last film for today is the third and final film in this little franchise, Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves. As the title suggests, this one follows the route of the first film by having Wayne, Diane, Wayne’s brother Gordon, and his wife Patti be the ones who get shrunk, thus forcing them to try and get their kids’ attention, especially after the kids decide to throw a party in their parents’ ‘absence’. The film notably served as the directorial debut (and admittedly only directorial effort to date) of veteran cinematographer Dean Cundey, who’s been responsible for the camerawork of classics like Halloween and Jurassic Park. Originally, the film was intended to be a theatrical release before it was downgraded to a direct-to-video release, meaning that its budget was cut from $40 million to $7 million. As such, it’s easy to see that the visual effects in this film aren’t as impressive as those from the first two films. Most of the shots where the parents are shrunk are just them in front of a green screen while other visual effects are the very definition of ‘90s dated’ (see the 1997 remake of The Love Bug for further proof of that). For what it’s worth, though, the film does still offer a lot of fun sizing gags even if it basically just rehashes most of the key moments from the original, whether it’s characters having to fend off a bug or them trying to avoid getting eaten. It’s also worth noting that, perhaps due to the various behind-the-scenes changes that were going on, Marcia Strassman did not return to reprise her role as Diane while Amy and older brother Nick were written out entirely save for passing mentions. Because of this, Adam (who’s also recast since he’s older in this film) is the only one of Wayne and Diane’s kids featured here and is thus paired with Gordon and Patti’s two kids Jenny and Mitch instead. And while it would’ve been nice if they had kept the original cast so that some sort of continuity could be maintained, Eve Gordon is a solid enough replacement for Strassman while Stuart Pankin and Robin Bartlett provide solid support as Gordon and Patti.  

But perhaps the most interesting aspect of this film (from my perspective, at least) was that, technically speaking, this was the film that served as my official introduction to this franchise. Yes, the first Honey, I Shrunk the Kids film that I ever watched wasn’t the original or Honey, I Blew Up the Kid; instead, it was Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, which was mainly due to it airing a lot on Disney Channel back in the day. After that, my further experiences with this franchise mainly stemmed from two things. The first was watching a few episodes of the short-lived TV series (which I won’t be covering here but will note that some episodes of it can be found on YouTube) that starred Tom Hanks’ Bosom Buddies co-star Peter Scolari as Wayne. There were also the various times that I went to see the Honey, I Shrunk the Audience 4-D show at both Epcot in Walt Disney World and Disneyland up until its closure in 2010. It wasn’t until sometime in the early 2000s when I watched Honey, I Blew Up the Kid for the first time, meaning that it too was one that I had more experience with than the original and could also partially explain why I feel that it isn’t the ‘inferior follow-up’ that it’s often viewed as. So how long did it take me to watch the original Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, you ask? Well, aside from catching the tail-end of the film on Cartoon Network one night around the early 2010s or so, I didn’t fully watch the film until recently when I was preparing to do this retrospective. Luckily, this didn’t end up impacting my thoughts on the film in any way since, just like the Herbie films, this is another Disney franchise that was generally consistent throughout its run. And while Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves is the weakest of the bunch due in part to it being downgraded to a direct-to-video release, it’s still a pleasantly nostalgic affair for those who grew up with it.

Rating: 3.5/5

And that concludes this little retrospective on Disney’s Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise. Thanks for following along and be sure to sound off in the comments below with your own personal history with this franchise. And like I said in the intro, thanks to the coming advent of Disney+, this is only the beginning when it comes to me doing more Disney-based retrospectives on this site. Stay tuned…

Favorite Films of Summer 2019 - As Voted By You!

While this isn’t the fifth installment of Rhode Island Movie Corner’s annual End of Summer Fan Poll, it has officially been five years since I started doing this event back in 2014. Aside from it being a unique little project to do for this site, one of the main reasons why I do this every year is because it provides a positive outlook on the various films that came out during the summer, which isn’t always easy to come by online. Now with that said, I’m well aware that this summer was a rather rough one from a financial perspective for several films, especially if they weren’t a superhero film or Disney release. Ultimately, though, this poll is intended to combat the increasingly negative attitudes of modern film fandom (which, believe me, are only getting worse…) by showing love to any film that gets a vote in it regardless of its overall quality. And I must say… this was one hell of a year for this little Fan Poll of ours. Thanks to your contributions, we managed to set a record when it comes to responses with 89 (!) votes going to 17 different films, a tally that far surpasses the previous record of 60 votes that was set by the 2017 edition of this poll. Thus, as always, I want to express nothing but thanks to everyone who voted and those who helped spread the poll around. And now, with all that out of the way, it’s time to delve into this year’s big winners. Without further ado, these are the most popular films from the Summer of 2019 as voted by you lovely folks, the readers…

THE FOLLOWING 4 FILMS EARNED ONE VOTE APIECE

POKEMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU

After years and years of disastrous adaptations that have left many fans disappointed, the genre of live-action films based on video games finally experienced its first genuine success story this year with Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. And as I’ve said plenty of times before, it managed to do so by simply being a solidly faithful adaptation of its source material, which isn’t always something that films from this genre tend to do. Now, of course, just like the various animated Pokémon films that have come out over the years, this film is still primarily geared towards fans of the franchise thanks in large part to the numerous references that it makes to practically every facet of the Pokémon universe. However, those who aren’t as familiar with the series will still find this to a very enjoyable film since it maintains a strong emotional hook throughout via main protagonist Tim Goodman’s quest to discover what happened to his missing father. It also helps that the film is headlined by the excellent lead duo of Justice Smith in the role of Tim and Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the titular ‘Detective Pikachu’, as their excellent camaraderie manages to make up for the generally predictable nature of the film’s mystery plot. And because of this, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu is well-worth the distinction of being the first truly great live-action film based on a video game. Plus, if the other live-action Pokémon films that are currently in development end up being just as solid as Detective Pikachu (including an adaptation of Pokémon Red/Blue and a Mewtwo film), then a promising new film franchise has been born.       

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2

In 2016, Illumination released the first installment of their next big attempt at a major IP after Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets. Upon its release, the film was a massive hit at the box-office as it grossed over $875 million worldwide, effectively paving the way for a sequel in 2019. Like the first film, Secret Life of Pets 2 follows a bunch of pets and the various escapades that they get into when their owners aren’t around, primarily focusing on a Jack Russell Terrier named Max as he attempts to adjust to the newest addition to his owner Katie’s family, her infant son Liam. Most of the main cast from the first film returned to reprise their respective roles save for Max, with Patton Oswalt taking over the role from Louis C.K. for… obvious reasons. Meanwhile, newcomers to the cast included Tiffany Haddish as a Shih Tzu named Daisy and Harrison Ford as a sheepdog named Rooster. But despite these new additions and the same generally decent reviews as its predecessor, Secret Life of Pets 2 surprisingly underperformed at the box-office, only grossing over $425 million worldwide. Granted, it wasn’t necessarily a flop since it had a modest budget of $80 million, but it was still less than half of what the first film managed to pull off. One could say that this was simply a case of diminishing returns, especially for a series that isn’t exactly as popular as other animated franchises including Illumination’s own Despicable Me franchise. Still, for what it’s worth, based on what I’ve witnessed since I started working at the Universal Orlando Resort (where we regularly sell Secret Life of Pets merchandise), it does seem like younger audiences are still very enthusiastic about these films.

YESTERDAY

Amidst all this summer’s superhero epics and animated flicks, one little romantic comedy managed to pull off a genuinely solid run at the box-office. The film in question is Yesterday, the latest film from director Danny Boyle that was written by Richard Curtis, who directed the 2003 holiday cult classic Love Actually, and based around the iconic music of the most legendary band of all-time, the Beatles. In the film, newcomer Himesh Patel plays a struggling musician named Jack who finds himself in a peculiar situation after he ends up in a bicycle accident during a mysterious worldwide blackout. When Jack recovers from his injuries, he quickly discovers that he is the only one on Earth who knows who the Beatles are. Thus, he starts to take credit for their songs, effectively allowing him to get signed to a lucrative record deal; at the same time, though, he quickly finds himself having to deal with the pressures of stardom, which begin to take a toll on his relationship with his childhood friend/love interest Ellie (Lily James). Upon its release, Yesterday did generally well with critics, who found the film to be very charming but lamented the fact that it didn’t quite live up to the full potential of its premise. Nevertheless, the film did quite well for itself financially as it maintained a consistent spot in the domestic Top 10 for several weeks on its way to grossing over $134 million worldwide. In other words, audiences found this film to be a highly enjoyable crowd-pleaser that effectively utilized the iconic works of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison.   

GOOD BOYS

In 2007, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg had their big breakout hit as a writing duo with the coming-of-age comedy Superbad, effectively paving the way for them becoming two of the most prominent writers/producers of R-rated comedies in recent years. And while they only produced their latest endeavor, Good Boys, it still very much feels like the kind of films that they’re known for. Good Boys serves as the directorial debut of Gene Stupnitsky, who spent several years writing multiple episodes of The Office with his writing partner Lee Eisenberg. In the film, Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams and Brady Noon star as a trio of best friends in the sixth grade who are hoping to learn how to kiss in time for their first middle-school party. Their efforts to do so end up leading them on a wild journey that sees them getting into all sorts of hi-jinx, including trying to recover a valuable drone from their neighbors and accidentally coming into possession of drugs, among other things. After making its debut at this year’s SXSW Film Festival back in March, Good Boys officially hit theaters in the middle of August to generally solid reviews. Critics felt that the film was a solid comedic romp that, while perhaps a bit too raunchy at times, still managed to have a good heart to it. The film has also done quite well at the box-office having currently grossed over $91 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. In fact, its $21 million opening weekend proved to be quite a big deal as it became the first R-rated comedy since The Boss back in 2016 to open at #1 domestically, thus making it another big win for producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and their production company Point Grey Pictures.

5 FILMS EARNED TWO VOTES

THE INTRUDER

One interesting thing to note about The Intruder is that it originally wasn’t meant to be a summer release as it was initially set to come out on April 26^th. However, since a certain blockbuster ended up following the same route as its immediate predecessor from the year before by coming out a week earlier than its initial release date (and yes, like last year, that doesn’t disqualify it from this poll), that presented a bit of a complication. After all, it’s practically common knowledge at this point that you don’t try to compete against films from that franchise during their opening weekends. Thus, The Intruder was moved a week back to take the now open May 3^rd slot, and while that other blockbuster ultimately retained its spot at #1 that weekend, it managed to place second with an $11 million opening weekend on route to a respectable $36.5 million worldwide gross, which was quite good for a film whose budget was under $10 million. However, the film itself, which follows a couple played by Michael Ealy and Meagan Good who find themselves terrorized by the previous owner of their new house, didn’t fare as well with critics. Simply put, most found the plot to be mediocre and, at worst, laughably absurd. If anything, though, many agreed that the best part of the film was Dennis Quaid’s delightfully over-the-top performance as the crazy ex-homeowner. Thus, while critics may have found The Intruder to be one of the prime examples of a forgettable summer release, the fact that it got two votes here means that some people out there found it to be a decent little popcorn flick. 

   

A DOG’S JOURNEY

(Huh, look at that, two Dennis Quaid films in a row…)

Back in January 2017, a film adaptation of author W. Bruce Cameron’s 2010 novel A Dog’s Purpose was released in theaters. Like the book, the film focused on a dog named Bailey (voiced by Josh Gad) who embarked on a fascinating journey where he kept being reincarnated as other dogs while still maintaining the memories of his past lives and his former owners. While the film did about as well as you’d expect from a January release when it came to critics, it did manage to gross over $205 million worldwide despite nearly getting derailed by an animal abuse controversy that, thankfully for the sake of the animals, was ultimately proven to be fabricated. This, of course, then led to the development of a sequel based on Cameron’s 2012 follow-up, A Dog’s Journey. Once again, Josh Gad stars as the voice of Bailey as he continues his adventures across various lives while also focusing on his efforts to look after his original owner’s granddaughter. Dennis Quaid also returns as Bailey’s original owner Ethan, though there was a notable change in director. Instead of veteran filmmaker Lasse Hallstrom, directorial duties went to Gail Mancuso, a long-time TV director who’s worked on the likes of Friends, 30 Rock, and Modern Family. Upon its release, A Dog’s Journey fared a little better with critics this time around with several agreeing that, at the very least, it was a touching little pet drama despite being overly sentimental. And while it didn’t do as well at the box-office compared to its predecessor (although it did do well in China, who’s been touted as the key reason behind the first film’s international success), it still did around $64 million. It was also the second of three major films this year that were based around dogs in which audiences could listen to their inner thoughts. The first was an adaptation of a different W. Bruce Cameron novel, A Dog’s Way Home, which came out in January. The second was a different book-to-film adaptation, The Art of Racing in the Rain, which came out a few months after A Dog’s Journey in August.

BOOKSMART

Currently being touted as one of the best films of the year, Booksmart served as the directorial debut of actress Olivia Wilde and is clearly on its way to becoming the latest coming-of-age comedy classic. The film stars Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein as best friends Amy and Molly, who are about to graduate from high school. However, when they realize that they probably spent way too much time being Grade-A students instead of having fun like the rest of their classmates, the two decide to finally partake in one night of unabashed partying. As noted earlier, this film proved to be quite a big deal after it debuted at SXSW. Critics deemed it as an absolute comedic riot with excellent performances from Dever and Feldstein in the lead roles and a break-out turn by Billie Lourd as Amy and Molly’s unpredictable classmate Gigi. However, upon its theatrical release in May, the conversation then began to shift into how it wasn’t exactly a hit at the box-office. To be clear, it genuinely did okay for itself on a modest $6 million budget, ultimately grossing around $26 million. However, many industry experts felt that the film was considerably undermined by the fact that it didn’t opt for a limited release before it expanded into a wide release a la 2017’s Best Picture nominee Lady Bird. Instead, it went straight for the wide release during a time of multiple big-name blockbusters, including two that ended up doing at least $1 billion. And yet, for what it’s worth, Booksmart is still one of the best-reviewed films of 2019 and will most likely get some major attention during this year’s awards season.  

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

So… our boy Spidey has been in quite a major pickle recently, hasn’t he? I won’t get into specifics here, but in case you haven’t heard, the deal between Marvel Studios and Sony that allowed Spider-Man to join the MCU has officially stalled. This means that, until further notice, all future Spider-Man films will be made solely by Sony and, unfortunately, everyone’s favorite web-slinger will not be appearing in a future MCU film anytime soon. However, like I said before, that’s the most that I’ll say about this predicament, for now, other than the fact that I’m just hoping Disney and Sony will eventually work something out. If anything, Spider-Man: Far From Home isn’t a bad one to end on when it comes to Spider-Man’s tenure in the MCU (though, hopefully not in a permanent sense) since it’s easily one of the best Spider-Man films to date. As the first MCU film to come out after Avengers: Endgame, it perfectly serves its purpose as an epilogue to the Infinity Saga’s grand finale by showing how Peter must now overcome the trauma and guilt that he feels after Tony Stark’s death. What follows is yet another case of a superior MCU sequel with greater action sequences and a tighter script (yes, I’ve seen all the jokes about how Tony Stark trusted his top-of-the-line A.I. system to a high-school student… it isn’t that big of an issue, internet…). It also boasts one of the MCU’s best villains to date in Jake Gyllenhaal’s Quentin Beck AKA Mysterio. Sure, anyone who knows Mysterio’s role in the comics saw this coming a mile away, but the film manages to work around this by giving him a solid new backstory as a disgruntled former Stark Industries employee. It also helps that Jake Gyllenhaal proves to be one of the most pitch-perfect casting choices in the history of the superhero film genre as the slightly disturbed illusionist, and because of all this, Spider-Man: Far From Home has legitimately become one of my Top 5 favorite MCU films to date.

HOBBS AND SHAW

Many agree that the introduction of Dwayne Johnson as the hard-boiled Diplomatic Security Service agent Luke Hobbs in 2011’s Fast Five was a key factor behind the Fast and Furious franchise’s unexpected resurgence. And now, eight years after his debut, Hobbs has taken on the honor of headlining the franchise’s first big spin-off alongside Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw, who also became a breakout character for the franchise after starting out as its then-newest villain before rather controversially transitioning into being more of an anti-hero. Together and under the direction of veteran stuntman turned filmmaker David Leitch, Hobbs and Shaw prove to be the best mismatched duo since the days of Martin Riggs and Roger Murtagh from the Lethal Weapon series. Sure, just like the other recent Fast and Furious films, Hobbs and Shaw isn’t afraid to bask in the franchise’s increasingly ludicrous plots to the point where it’s practically a superhero film at this point given that the main antagonist is a genetically enhanced super-soldier. But for fans of the franchise, this film does continue to maintain everything that they love about it from the solid action sequences to the incredibly cheesy but still entertaining comedic banter. And as to be expected, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham headline the project excellently while being backed by an equally terrific female lead in Vanessa Kirby’s Hattie Shaw AKA Deckard’s sister. In short, while it’s unclear at the moment how Johnson and Statham’s commitment to this spin-off will affect next year’s Fast and Furious 9 (especially after the scandalous feud between Johnson and Vin Diesel during the production of Fate of the Furious), Hobbs and Shaw is another highly entertaining installment from this all-out beast of a franchise.

THESE NEXT 2 FILMS EARNED FOUR VOTES

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum was notably the first installment from the John Wick franchise to see a summer release since the first John Wick came out in the fall of 2014 while 2017’s John Wick: Chapter 2 hit theaters in February of that year. As such, it’s easy to see why it did so well in this year’s poll given how John Wick is easily one of the best action franchises around. Every installment of the series is a finely tuned action-thriller with phenomenal direction from Chad Stahelski (who, like his uncredited co-director on the first John Wick, David Leitch, is also a veteran stuntman turned filmmaker) and an outstanding turn from everyone’s favorite ‘breathtaking’ action star Keanu Reeves in the title role. And while a lot of action films these days tend to rely on shaky-cam and quick cuts, the John Wick films instead opt for well-shot and excellently choreographed action sequences that are made even better by the fact that Reeves and his co-stars do almost all their own stunts. As for Chapter 3 – Parabellum, it’s yet another excellent installment of a franchise that has impressively managed to craft a seamless narrative throughout its films where each subsequent installment is directly instigated by the events of its immediate predecessor. And while this one is perhaps a bit too overlong for what is arguably one of the franchise’s simpler plotlines, it’s still an absolute blast to watch and, as you might have guessed, ends on a note that perfectly sets up a fourth film that’s slated for a May 2021 release. Thus, I think it’s safe to assume that if Chapter 4 ends up being just as excellent as the first three films, it’s going to fare quite nicely in the 2021 iteration of our annual poll.  

LATE NIGHT

Late Night serves as the feature-length screenwriting debut of Mindy Kaling, who has already amassed a sizable resume as a screenwriter having written several episodes of The Office (which she, of course, also starred in as Kelly Kapoor) and creating her hit show The Mindy Project. In Late Night, she stars as Molly, the newest addition to the writing staff of longtime talk show host Katherine Newbury (played by Emma Thompson). When Katherine learns that she’s potentially getting replaced due to her show’s declining ratings, she starts relying more on Molly’s input (especially since she’s her only female writer) to figure out a way to appeal to a wider audience. When Late Night premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, it quickly became one of the most talked-about releases from this year’s festival slate. It also made Sundance history from a financial standpoint when its U.S. distribution rights were acquired by Amazon Studios for a record-setting $13 million. It ultimately saw a wide release in June, where it did about the same as Booksmart at the box-office with a worldwide gross of around $19.9 million. Just like Booksmart, it wasn’t necessarily a bad outcome for a film with a low budget that was under $10 million, but some did consider its overall performance to be underwhelming given how much money Amazon put up for its distribution rights. Critically, though, the film was very well-received, with many touting it for its sharply written script and an excellent cast. All this certainly helped it become the best performing film in this year’s poll that wasn’t a blockbuster.

In the past, I’ve mentioned that my original hope for this annual poll was to have a ranked list of the most popular films. Ultimately, though, I realized that this would be a rather difficult thing to come by since multiple films can end up having the same number of votes. I did manage to have a Top 5 in 2017, however, and lo and behold, the same situation happened again this year. Thus, without further ado, here are your Top 5 Favorite Films from the Summer of 2019…

TIED FOR FIFTH PLACE WITH SEVEN VOTES EACH

ALADDIN

To reiterate what I said a few months back in my annual Midyear Recap, I do consider it a genuinely impressive feat that the live-action remake of Aladdin managed to gross over $1 billion worldwide. Obviously, it was going to do well at the box-office regardless given how well Disney’s other live-action remakes have done these past few years, but at the same time, this was quite arguably the most scrutinized of the bunch to date, especially after the first reveal of Will Smith in Genie’s traditional blue form. And while critics were ultimately mixed on the film when it came out, it clearly did well enough with audiences to prove that, at the very least, it managed to win over some of its biggest critics. It’s also worth noting that the film’s impressively consistent run at the box-office was partially due to some of the various critical/commercial underperformers that came out the first few weeks after its release. Ultimately, though, the key thing to take from this film is that it’s just another example of why these live-action Disney remakes aren’t as big of a deal as some people are making them out to be online. Instead of trying to ‘replace’ the films that they’re based on, they simply serve as enjoyable companion pieces to their classic animated counterparts, and that is very much the case with Aladdin. Obviously, its biggest hurdle was trying to respectfully follow in the footsteps of Robin Williams’ iconic turn as the Genie from the original film, which it manages to pull off thanks to an excellent turn from Will Smith in the role, who’s then backed by equally charismatic performances by Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott as Aladdin and Jasmine. Scott, especially, is a major standout thanks to the great new characterization for Jasmine that allows her to have a far more proactive role in the story. Because of all this, Aladdin was a very fun time to be had at the cinema and a solid new take on Disney’s 1992 animated classic. However, as we’ll soon find out, a different Disney remake basically ended up stealing its thunder.

TOY STORY 4

Like Aladdin, there was quite a bit of skepticism surrounding Toy Story 4, although in this case, it was more to do with people feeling that the series had already reached its appropriate conclusion with Toy Story 3 back in 2010. However, Pixar ultimately managed to prove why Toy Story continues to be their studio’s premier franchise as Toy Story 4 is yet another one of their masterpieces. Just like the previous 3 films, Toy Story 4 boasts an excellent script with strong themes that, in this instance, primarily focus on coming to terms with one’s purpose in life. In doing so, the film continues to maintain the franchise’s strong emotional poignancy (right down to an ending that will surely hit hard for Toy Story fans) while still providing them with another fun adventure with its lovable cast of characters. Admittedly, it probably could’ve given the long-time supporting characters of the franchise more to do (which I presume was partially due to the passing of Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head) in 2017), but great new characters like Tony Hale’s Forky and Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom do make up for this, for the most part. Plus, you also have the very welcome return of Bo Peep after she was absent from the third film in what is easily her most substantial role to date in these films. In short, Toy Story 4 is certainly another example of how the internet tends to scrutinize Pixar sequels a lot more than their other films to the point where Pixar even had to announce that this will be their last sequel for a while. And yet, if there’s anything else that this film proves, it’s that they’ve never once faltered when it comes to Toy Story, which is quite arguably the best animated franchise around.

IN FOURTH PLACE, WITH 8 VOTES

ROCKETMAN

To go off something that I mentioned in my review for this film, it’s rather funny to note all the similarities between Rocketman and last year’s Best Picture nominee Bohemian Rhapsody. Both are musical biopics about legendary British musicians who are also gay men, both were directed by Dexter Fletcher in some capacity (partially for Bohemian Rhapsody, fully for Rocketman), and both feature John Reid as a character as portrayed by a Game of Thrones star. Things start to differ, however, in terms of their overall reception. While Bohemian Rhapsody wasn’t necessarily panned by critics, it did get a lot of flak over its portrayal of Freddie Mercury, although that didn’t stop it from surprisingly managing to gross over $900 million worldwide. By comparison, Rocketman didn’t reach those same financial heights (only amassing $193 million worldwide) but was far better received, and even as someone who did like Bohemian Rhapsody, it’s easy to see why. While it does occasionally abide by the typical tropes of the musical biopic genre, Fletcher imbues the musical numbers with a fantastical visual style that very much captures the spirit of Elton John’s music. And it’s all headlined by a phenomenal lead performance by Taron Egerton in the title role as he perfectly personifies John’s eccentric persona while also effectively conveying the emotional struggles that he goes through when it comes to the relationships that he has with his friends and family. Thus, whereas other musical biopics tend to get dinged for feeling more like the CliffNotes version of their subjects’ lives, Rocketman avoids all that to become one of the genre’s most openly honest outings.

WITH 11 VOTES, THIRD PLACE GOES TO…

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

As I hinted at in my intro post for this year’s poll, I figured that Quentin Tarantino’s latest film would do quite well here. Simply put, Tarantino films are practically guaranteed to be a hit with both critics and audiences, and sure enough, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has been touted as one of this year’s biggest Oscar candidates… which effectively makes this all awkward for me since I’m one of the rare people who found it to be quite underwhelming. Like I said in my review for this film, its biggest issue is that it’s incredibly unfocused in terms of its story. The main plot of an aging TV star hoping to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry does, at least, feel like a Tarantino-type plot and perfectly conveys his intent of celebrating the Golden Age of Hollywood. However, it’s the inclusion of Charles Manson and his infamous cult that ends up making it all problematic since their role in the story feels like an afterthought. It also doesn’t help that the film barely gives any screen-time to the Manson family’s most well-known victim Sharon Tate despite an incredibly dedicated performance by Margot Robbie in the role. And because of this, the film’s big ending that’s set on the night of Tate’s murder but ends up pulling the same trick as Inglourious Basterds by changing history and having the main characters kill the Manson subordinates who partook in that night’s murders ultimately feels cheap. It’s sad, really, because the film still has all the hallmarks of a classic Tarantino film while featuring a solid ensemble cast headlined by the great duo of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. Ultimately, though, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood simply lacks the bite of other Tarantino films.  

THIS YEAR’S RUNNER-UP, WITH 15 VOTES

THE LION KING

I have the feeling that this particular result will be heavily controversial for various reasons ranging from the fact that this is another Disney remake we’re talking about to how it managed to outdo an original film like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood when it comes to votes. In other words, Jon Favreau’s photorealistic remake of The Lion King has easily proven to be one of the most controversial Disney remakes yet due to how it ultimately ‘remakes’ its source material. For the most part, the biggest changes that this version makes stem from the shift from traditional animation to CGI as the story is almost entirely the same as the original animated film save for some minor cosmetic changes. As such, this inevitably brings up the usual argument that critics of Disney’s live-action remakes (even though this one technically isn’t live-action save for the opening shot) have in that they never capture the same spirit of their animated predecessors. Still, for what it’s worth, it could be argued that this new Lion King does deserves some credit for not attempting to make any radical changes to the story while still managing to hit all its big emotional moments in an effective manner. Plus, it genuinely is one of the best-looking films of the year thanks to the same top-quality visual effects that headlined Favreau’s remake of The Jungle Book while also boasting a fun cast highlighted by the scene-stealing duo of Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa. In short, I recognize that I may be heavily biased in this situation since the original Lion King is my favorite Disney animated film of all-time, but I quite enjoyed this new take on it simply because I knew that it wasn’t going to replace the original.

AND FINALLY, THIS YEAR’S CHAMPION INSTANTLY BROKE LAST YEAR’S RECORD SET BY BLACKKKLANSMAN WITH 19 VOTES OVERALL. IT WAS ALSO THE CLEAR FRONT-RUNNER THIS YEAR, EFFECTIVELY GIVING ITS FRANCHISE ITS FIRST UNDISPUTED CHAMPION IN OUR ANNUAL POLL. YES, FOLKS, I’M SURE YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT FILM THIS IS…

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

I mean, was there ever any doubt? Not only is Avengers: Endgame easily the biggest MCU film to date, but it also ended up making history when it dethroned James Cameron’s Avatar to officially become the highest-grossing film of all-time, and if you ask me, it was well-deserving of this honor. I know that I say this all the time when it comes to MCU films, but it goes without saying that Endgame is yet another example of how this franchise has managed to achieve a perfect blend of amazing action sequences, sharp humor, and powerful character moments steeped in emotional poignancy. And as the finale to what Marvel Studios has now designated as ‘the Infinity Saga’, Endgame brilliantly sets the stage for future MCU films while also effectively tying up many of the franchise’s longest-running plotlines and providing cathartic finales for many of the characters that started it all. In other words, Avengers: Endgame is literally the very definition of everything that has made Marvel Studios the undisputed champion of the superhero film genre, and because of this, it more than deserves some attention at the Oscars this year including, hopefully, a Best Picture nomination. Yeah, I know that it probably won’t win since, apparently, some Academy members don’t respect ‘money-grabs’, but if Black Panther can win a couple Oscars at last year’s ceremony, why not Endgame? And while there may be a bizarre collection of fans out there who act like it isn’t that great (I’ll elaborate on these ‘stans’ some other time), Endgame truly is a landmark entry in the superhero genre.

This concludes the 2019 edition of Rhode Island Movie Corner’s annual End of Summer Fan Poll. Once again, a very special thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s event, and for those who didn’t get the chance to partake in it, feel free to sound off in the comments below with your favorite films from this past Summer.

It: Chapter Two (2019) review

Of the many novels that Stephen King has published during his career, one of his most popular has been his 1986 novel It, which followed a group of outcasted best friends from the town of Derry, Maine known as the Losers’ Club as they band together to fight a terrifying creature that usually inhabits the form of an evil clown named Pennywise. In 1990, the novel was adapted into a two-part miniseries that aired on ABC, and while several parts of the miniseries have dated considerably, it’s still fondly remembered by many of those who grew up with it thanks in large part to Tim Curry’s scene-stealing turn as Pennywise. But then, 27 years later (a fitting time-gap given that, in-universe, Pennywise is unleashed every 27 years), director Andy Muschietti was brought in to direct a new film adaptation of the novel. And instead of just cramming the 1,138-page novel into a single film, it was decided to split the story in half with the first of what would ultimately be two films focusing on the Losers’ Club when they’re kids. Upon its release, 2017’s It: Chapter One was a massive critical and commercial hit. Critics and audiences considered it to be one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work to date and it grossed over $700 million worldwide, effectively making it the highest-grossing horror film of all-time. But now the time has come to finish the story of the Losers’ Club’s encounters with Pennywise with It: Chapter Two. This time, the focus shifts onto the adult incarnations of our favorite Losers as they return to Derry to finish what they started, and despite facing the pressure of having to follow in the footsteps of one of the biggest horror films of recent years, It: Chapter Two is a highly satisfying and emotionally cathartic finale to its endearing tale of love, friendship… and a killer clown.  

It has been 27 years since the Losers’ Club managed to ward off the monstrous creature known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgård) during the Summer of 1989. However, knowing that Pennywise probably wasn’t destroyed for good, they then proceed to make a blood oath where they promise to return to their hometown of Derry and confront him again if he ever came back. Sure enough, 27 years later in 2016, a new series of murders begin to occur all over Derry. Recognizing that this is all clearly Pennywise’s doing, Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa as an adult, Chosen Jacobs as a kid), the only member of the Losers’ Club to stay in Derry, gets back in touch with his old friends; Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy as an adult, Jaeden Martell (formerly Lieberher) as a kid), Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain as an adult, Sophia Lillis as a kid), Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan as an adult, Jeremy Ray Taylor as a kid), Richie Tozier (Bill Hader as an adult, Finn Wolfhard as a kid),  Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone as an adult, Jack Dylan Grazer as a kid), and Stanley Uris (Andy Bean as an adult, Wyatt Oleff as a kid). And although many of them are hesitant to return home and deal with the most traumatizing part of their childhoods, the Losers’ Club eventually finds itself reunited after all these years. Once they’re back in Derry, the group quickly learns that it will take a lot more effort to defeat Pennywise this time, which includes them reflecting on pivotal moments from that fateful summer that they had somehow forgotten about after they had grown up and left Derry.

A lot has been said about It: Chapter Two’s runtime, which is fair considering that this film is nearly three hours long. Yes, they pack a lot into the second half of It, but this has proven to be the most polarizing aspect of the film amongst critics, and in some cases, I can see why. While the film doesn’t really drag at any point, there are a few instances here and there where they probably could’ve trimmed down certain parts that are potentially extraneous. Plus, the middle section of the film does tend to abide by a very specific formula. Namely, it keeps shifting around to almost every member of the Losers’ Club as they reflect upon a moment from their childhood when they were attacked by Pennywise before returning to the present where they experience yet another encounter with the Dancing Clown. Ultimately, though, these aren’t really that big of an issue since it all still revolves around a well-written and lovable collection of main characters in a film that dutifully retains the same great atmosphere of its predecessor. Unlike the 1990 miniseries, which had to cut certain bits out to appease network censors, the It films aren’t limited in any way when it comes to showcasing some of the most brutal and intense moments from the novel. Granted, it can be debated how truly effective these It films are when it comes to scares, but director Andy Muschietti does succeed in creating some truly suspenseful sequences whenever Pennywise attacks the Losers’ Club. Muschietti also deserves a lot of credit for his great comedic sensibilities as, just like its predecessor, It: Chapter Two boasts a great mix of lighthearted humor that helps to lighten up the mood and hilariously morbid dark comedy via Pennywise (e.g. a brilliant use of the Juice Newton cover of ‘Angel of the Morning’)   

And yet, perhaps the most important aspect of this film is its cast. For many people, one of the biggest shortcomings of the 1990 miniseries was its second half that followed the grown-up versions of the Losers’ Club. Despite having folks like John Ritter and Tim Reid in the ensemble, the adults never even came close to having the same solid camaraderie that their younger counterparts (played by the likes of Seth Green and Jonathan Brandis) had from the first half. Thus, you’ll be pleased to hear that this isn’t the case with It: Chapter Two. Right from the moment where they finally reunite, the adult members of the Losers’ Club achieve the same great camaraderie as their younger counterparts. And while it could be argued that, just like the first film, some get focused on more than others (namely, James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain as Bill and Beverly), it can also be argued that this film balances their roles in the plot a little better than last time. This time around, the two biggest standouts would have to be Bill Hader as Richie who, as to be expected, is the primary source of the film’s humor, and James Ransone as Eddie, who’s quite arguably the most pitch-perfect bit of casting when compared to his younger counterpart in what is already a flawlessly casted group of leads. But fear not, folks, as you still get plenty of scenes with the first film’s phenomenal group of young leads thanks to the many flashbacks that are in this half of the story. And, of course, there’s still Bill Skarsgård as these films’ delightfully unhinged version of Pennywise that provides a far more serious but still darkly comic take on the character compared to Tim Curry’s Pennywise from the miniseries.

   

If you’ve been following this site for a while, you’ll know that I’ve never been a big fan of horror films. However, at the very least, these past few years have given me some excellent horror films to help me become more accustomed to the genre, and it all started with It: Chapter One, which notably became the first horror film to grace my annual Top 12 Favorite Films of the Year list. Overall, I still stand by what I’ve said about it and how it is not only a great horror film but a great film in general thanks to its phenomenal emotional poignancy, excellent direction, and strong performances from its cast, and sure enough, that is also the case with It: Chapter Two. Now with that said, I will admit that I do understand why some feel that this isn’t exactly ‘as good’ as its predecessor. Namely, there are times where you do feel the weight of its hefty three-hour runtime and the occasional uniformity of its narrative. And yet, at the same time, the film still maintains all the great emotional beats that made its predecessor so fantastic. As I’ve said plenty of times these past few years, I’m at a point now with horror films where I’m more interested in their characters than the frightening situations that they end up in. And unlike the 90’s miniseries, this adaptation of It doesn’t underwhelm in the slightest when it comes to the adult incarnations of the Losers’ Club as they’re the same lovable bunch that they were when they were kids in the first film. Because of all this, the saga that is Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of It is now, collectively, my new favorite horror film of all-time. For those of you like me who aren’t too big on the horror genre, I’d say that these two films are a perfect place to start if you’re eager to get into horror films as they’re proof of how great films of this genre can truly be.  

Rating: 5/5!

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) review

This is one of those films that some of you might look at and think, “Is he seriously reviewing this one?”. Well, to that, I’d say “Yes, yes I am!” and the reason why I went to go see this one is quite simple, really; like many kids of my generation, the franchise that this film is a part of was a big part of my childhood. I’m, of course, referring to the highly successful children’s TV series Dora the Explorer. Ever since it first debuted on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. programming block in 2000, Dora the Explorer has gone on to become one of the network’s most popular shows geared towards younger children. It even stands as the longest-running Nick Jr. series of all-time with around 178 episodes produced over eight seasons. In other words, the adventures of a young Latina girl named Dora and her best friend, a talking monkey named Boots, have clearly made a considerable impact on the generations of kids who have grown up with them while also helping them learn some rudimentary Spanish along the way. And now, nearly two decades after her initial debut, Nick Jr.’s most famous heroine makes her live-action debut (not counting that fake trailer produced by CollegeHumor) in Dora and the Lost City of Gold. However, instead of just being a direct adaptation of the TV series, this film jumps ahead in time to when Dora is a teenager, with Isabela Moner taking on the title role. Meanwhile, directorial duties go to James Bobin while the script was co-written by Nicholas Stoller, who had previously collaborated with Bobin on Disney’s recent Muppets films. And while this is very much one of those films whose very existence has been utterly derided by most of the film fan community, it surprisingly manages to be a genuinely earnest and heartfelt adaptation of its source material.

For practically her whole life, Dora (Isabela Moner) has lived in the jungle with her explorer parents Cole (Michael Pena) and Elena (Eva Longoria), where she goes on all sorts of adventures with her best friend Boots the Monkey (voiced by Danny Trejo) while her parents search for the mythical Inca city of Parapata. They eventually manage to pinpoint the city’s location, but while Dora fully expects to join them on their adventure, they ultimately end up sending her to school in America so that she can start interacting with other kids her age. But while her trip to America does allow her to reunite with her cousin Diego (Jeff Wahlberg), Dora quickly discovers that high school is a much different world compared to the jungle. However, during a field trip to a local museum, Dora ends up getting cornered by a group of mercenaries, who proceed to kidnap her, Diego, geek Randy (Nicholas Coombe), and know-it-all Sammy (Madeleine Madden) and fly them all to Peru. Once there, Dora and company end up getting rescued by a man named Alejandro (Eugenio Derbez), who tells them that he’s a friend of Dora’s parents and that they went missing several weeks ago, with the mercenaries now on the hunt for them so that they can reach Parapata and steal its treasures. And so, Dora rallies Diego and their new friends to join her on her quest to find her parents and, in turn, the city of Parapata before the mercenaries do.

One of the most surprising aspects of Dora and the Lost City of Gold is how it manages to be very faithful to its source material. While the film doesn’t maintain the more fantastical atmosphere of the original series since it’s immediately established that the adventures Dora used to go on as a kid were the result of her imagination, it’s still full of various nods and Easter Eggs ranging from notable cameos to an intro that recreates the show’s opening title sequence. However, there are a few times where the film is rather inconsistent when it comes to adapting certain elements of the series, namely via its handling of Dora’s notorious nemesis Swiper the Fox (voiced by Benicio Del Toro). Unlike the other animal characters from the series (even Boots, who only speaks in one scene that’s fully implied to be another case where Dora’s imagining things), Swiper is portrayed as being real and working with the mercenaries, with only one major instance where other characters comment on this weird phenomenon of a talking fox. Ultimately, though, these occasional logic gaps are a minimal issue at best, because while the film does have a generally straight-forward adventure plot, it also boasts a pleasantly light-hearted atmosphere. While there are several instances where the film satirizes some of the more eccentric aspects of the show (namely, Dora’s tendency to talk directly to the camera whenever she’s talking to viewers), it never does so in a mean-spirited manner. Plus, as one might probably expect from a film that’s based on a series from Nick Jr., it also promotes some nice messages for kids, including the value of teamwork and confidently embracing one’s unique quirks.

But when it comes to the biggest highlight of the film, that honor goes to its lead actress, Isabela Moner. Simply put, Dora is one of those roles where whoever’s cast in it must truly commit to a character who talks directly to the camera, hangs out with animals more than she does with humans, and consistently maintains an unabashedly chipper persona no matter the situation. Sure enough, that is exactly what Moner does, perfectly maintaining Dora’s innately endearing persona that’s very much the heart of the film. As for Dora’s friends who get dragged along on her adventure, their character arcs are a lot simpler by comparison, from know-it-all Sammy gradually shedding her uptight persona to Diego rekindling his relationship with his cousin, who he hasn’t seen in years. Still, for what it’s worth, the film impressively manages to balance their roles in the plot incredibly well. Obviously, Dora’s still the main protagonist at the end of the day, but there’s never a point where any of the others feel like extraneous characters and the camaraderie amongst them is genuinely solid. After that, there’s plenty of reliable support from their adult co-stars, namely Eugenio Derbez as their quirky ally Alejandro and Michael Pena and Eva Longoria as Dora’s parents, whose roles in the film have been expanded upon considerably compared to the show. But if there’s one anomaly in this cast it’s, ironically, Swiper. Despite being one of the most prominent characters from the series, Swiper’s role in the film is quite limited, which then makes you wonder why they even brought in Benicio Del Toro for what ends up being a generally thankless role instead of Swiper’s usual voice actor Marc Weiner.

It goes without saying that this was one of those films that attracted tons of skepticism before its release. For most people, it seemed like an odd idea to take something like Dora the Explorer and do a live-action version of it where the character is now a teenager, especially after the trailers came out and gave off the impression that Dora would be turned into the next Lara Croft. I mean, to put this all into perspective, it was long-rumored that none other than Michael Bay was going to produce this before he confirmed that the initial report of his involvement wasn’t true. Ultimately, though, Dora and the Lost City of Gold turns out to be a solid family film. Now don’t get me wrong, even someone like me knows that this is the kind of film that really shouldn’t work at all, and yet, the film manages to avoid such a fate thanks to its uncynical tone and its surprisingly faithful adherence to the original TV series. As such, it’s very much a ‘win-win’ scenario for all involved. For director James Bobin, it’s a nice little bit of career resurgence for him after his last film, 2016’s Alice Through the Looking Glass, was both a critical and commercial disappointment. For co-writer Nicholas Stoller, this film serves as further proof that while he’s primarily known for directing raunchy R-rated comedies, he’s also managed to amass a respectable resume when it comes to writing family films thanks to the likes of this, Bobin’s Muppets films, and Captain Underpants. And for star Isabela Moner, this is easily the breakout performance of her career thanks to her pitch-perfect portrayal of the title character. Because of all this, the live-action Dora the Explorer film defies all expectations to deliver a good-natured family flick that effectively appeals to not only its target audience of young kids but also the generation that helped make Dora the pop-cultural phenomenon that she still is today.

Rating: 4/5