Movie Review: Monster High: Boo York, Boo York

Monster High: Boo York, Boo York a.k.a Boo York, Boo York: A Monsterrific Musical
Mattel Playground Productions, DHX. Media, USA, 2015.

Famous pop star Catty Noir suffers from artist's block. She put her career on hold and began studying at Monster High. Cleo de Nile's father mummy Ramses is taking his family to fancy gala Night of the Comet in Boo York City. The comet appears once in 1300 years. Although Cleo's boyfriend Deuce Gorgon is every one's pal and a cool dude, his laid back style does not impress Ramses (he didn't like Deuce in "Ghouls Rule" either). 

Deuce and Cleo

But Ramses has more in mind than just a party and star gazing. Ramses and Cleo's sister Nefera want a piece of the comet so they could rule the world. They plan to build a dynasty and fix a marriage between Cleo and masked Seth Ptolemy who comes from another wealthy mummy-family. Seth loves poetry but her mother doesn't (oh those youngsters and their hippity-hop music). And neither Cleo has patience for sappy poems.

De Nile family

Ghoul friends Draculaura, Cleo, Clawdeen, Frankie and Operetta go shopping and meet Boo Yorkians robot DJ Elle Eedee, socialite Mousecedes King and superstar wannabe Luna Mothews. Goth moth Luna looks a bit like Nina Hagen or Liza Minnelli. Naughty Toralei teams up with with Nefera. They are up to no good.

Luna Mothews

Mousecedes King

Toralei and Nefera

The scheming of Ramses and Nefera causes Deuce and Cleo to break up. Oh noes, is this the end of the romance of the Millennium? Gloom. Despite being heart-broken, Cleo has to show a happy face at the gala as a real ruler would do.

Boo York

Elle Eedee

Meanwhile Catty meets a parkourer rapper Pharaoh who shares her musical passion (who might it be, WHO MIGHT IT BE! MH-movies have never been skilled in keeping the secret identities secret). Ghoulia and Abbey find out that a comet is about to hit the city. But is it a comet or a space ship? Anyways they must find a way to stop the scaremageddon. It was nice that funny yeti Abbey who had been sidelined for three previous films got some more screen time here.

Catty & Pharaoh

Abbey and Ghoulia

Speaking of Abbey and Ghoulia, for some time ago (when I didn't yet know much about Monster High) I picked up some used mascot toys (five toys for one Euro), and much to my surprise two of them were rag dolls based on two of my favourite characters from this series: Ghoulia Yelps and Abbey Bominable. Cool!

There were some familiar looking backgrounders. Eyeball guy Eyera's relatives seem to live in Boo Your City. One of them is married to a cyclops girl (they have a weird tentacle baby too) Yup, the Eyeball folks seem to be influential in Boo York City as several of them are invited to de Nile's party. The character design of Lilith Van Hellscream was reincarnated here as a dark haired character appearing at Ptolemy's party.

Eyeball family

Lilith doppelgänger. Also the wolf guy has twins in the city

In every long running series there comes a space themed adventure and usually a musically themed episode. This movie combines them both. Although the story keeps the ghouls on Earth, it introduces a new alien character named Astranova. And if the series wouldn't have rebooted we would probably have seen crossover of Monster High and Ever After High. At least the ending hints that way.

Deuce is back

Astranova

As in "Monster High: Scaris: City of Frights" the monsters leave their familiar territory and explore a new colourful city finding new friends. Together with "Scaris", "Frights, Camera, Action" and "Freaky Fusion" this probably was one of the bigger budget  original generation MH-movies. The four films have the highest production values, and in my opinion they are the best of the series (not forgetting "13 Wishes." The soundtrack is urban style rap & r&b with couple of songs actually quite good with some dramatical duets. Nothing to complain here, the fans will get what they expect although the story goes a familiar path.

Three episodes of Mattel's newer toy series "Ever After High" are included:

Raven's Tales
Everyone is counting on that the fairy tale characters follow their destiny. But Raven Queen does not want to be evil.

Apple's Tales
Apple White is over enthustically arranging things so that her fairy tale would become true. This includes making sure that Raven will become evil.

The Tale of Legacy Day
Raven goes to ask Giles Grimm if her story will diseappear if she doesn't follow her destiny.

Rating: Good

Voice actors: Karen Strassman, Salli Saffioti, Wendee Lee, TJ Smith, America Young, Rachel Staman, Laura Bailey, Lauren Weisman, Erin Fitzgerald, Kate Higgins, Cindy Robinson, Debi Derryberry, Audu Paden, Cam Clarke, Evan Smith, Jonquil Goode, Todd Haberkorn, Missi Hale

Director: William Lau