Movie Review: Zootopia

Zootopia a.k.a Zootropolis
Walt Disney Pictures, USA, 2016.

In a distant future evolution has allowed herbivores and carnivores to live peacefully together although prejudices still exists. Bunny named Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) has a dream. She wants do leave country-life behind to become a big city cop. However small animals are discriminated against in the police force. Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) thinks that small animals can't be real cops so Judy finds herself writing parking tickets.

Judy

Chief Bogo

But there is a mystery to solve. Several animals have gone missing, and Judy decides to solve the case even without official support. Only Assistant Mayor Bellwether's (Jenny Slate) support helps Judy to continue the investigations. Judy teams up with a small-time con-artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) who knows the streets. Like Judy, Nick has a misunderstood but he has chosen to be a rascal. The unlikely duo finds a common cause as behind the missings there is a sinister conspiracy that threatens the balance of the whole city.

Piggy has a crime to report

Nick, Bellwether and Judy

Judy's and Nick's adventures are fun to watch, it is a buddy cop comedy with trendy neo-noir and caper film tones. The moral of the story is that the first appearences may be deceiving, and the person behind may be totally different from the expectations. The world is detailed with funny visual jokes, and some references to pop culture and the city is divided to different habitats, with suburbs for actic animals or small rodents. The duo meets also some shady characters from the criminal underworld so there are funny "Godfather" and "Breaking Bad" references.

As a funny joke, there is a scoundrel selling bootleg Disney movies. I would watch Pig Hero 6.

Rating: Very good

Voice actors: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy Chong, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk, Shakira, Raymond S. Persi, Della Saba, Maurice LaMarche, Phil Johnston, Fuschia!, John DiMaggio, Katie Lowes, Gita Reddy, Jesse Corti, Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, Josh Dallas, Leah Latham, Rich Moore, Kath Soucie, Peter Mansbridge, Byron Howard, Jared Bush, Mark Rhino Smith, Josie Trinidad, John Lavelle, Kristen Bell, Evelyn Wilson Bresee, Hewitt Bush, Jill Cordes, Madeleine Curry, Terri Douglas, Melissa Goodwin Shepherd, Zach King, Dave Kohut, Jeremy Milton, Pace Paulsen, Fabienne Rawley, Brad Simonsen, Claire K. Smith, Jackson Stein, David A. Thibodeau, John Wheeler, Hannah G. Williams, Vassos Alexander, Ricardo Boechat, David Campbell, Koura Kazumasa, Nicholas Guest

Directors: Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush

Movie Review: Gladiator Cop

Gladiator Cop a.k.a Gladiator Cop: The Swordsman II
SC Entertainment, Canada, 1995. 

Alexander the Great's mystical sword is now in museum. Naughty museum director Chris Kilos (George Touliatos) arranges its violent robbery. Cop Andrew Garrett (Lorenzo Lamas) is reborn Alexander who sometimes runs into the vengeful reincarnations of his enemies. He investigates the sword-robbery and also the case of sword murders. Someone is again running an illegal sword fight club. If you have seen "The Swordsman", there is a strong sense of déjà-vu.

Andrew Garrett

Chris Kilos

Chris uses swordfighter Jodar (Christopher Lee Clements) to gain money, as anyone who has Alexander's sword is invincible. Triad boss Parmelion (James Hong) comes to search for the King and is disappointed as Jodar is not a real royalty. Jodar barely survives his fights so without the sword he would be toast in no time. As Alexander killed Parmelion in the ancient times, Parmelion wants revenge arranging a fight between Alexander, I mean Andrew, and bulky Mongol (Garry Robbins).

Jodar

He is not going to chop trees with that one

Parmelion

There is so much material that was taken from leftover reels of "The Swordsman" that it is questionable if Lorenzo Lamas or Claire Stansfield had any new scenes filmed at all. Cop partner Nick (Nicholas Pasco) who was whacked in the last movie is alive again. In "The Swordsman" Nick was peacefully watching TV, when someone stuffed a remote control into his mouth and threw him into the pool. Thanks to Andrew's magickal resurrection powers (or lazy script writing) Nick is alive and kicking in the sequel. Well, at least alive. This is schlocky cut and paste film-making á la Godfrey Ho. However the action scenes are entertainingly energetic and brutal. The enemies are hulking monsters, gigantic wrestler Garry Robbins performs the role of Mongol bellowing like a mad bull. And there is a ninja too - another resemblance to uncle Godrey's efforts.

In "The Swordsman" Nick was murdered but he recovered from it and made it to the sequel.

Muscle Woman (Astrid Falconi)

Mongol (Garry Robbins)

Lorenzo had some leftover love scenes from the previous film so naturally they had to be included. His girl friend Julie (Claire Stansfield) has a storyline that is quickly forgotten when the action begins. As Lorenzo didn't have much of unused fight scenes from the first movie, it takes forever before he gets into real action. Mostly he drives around in his car searching for clues and has flashbacks from the history. And when he turns into Gladiator Cop.. let's use a masked stunt double! Hilarious! 

He has a ponytail so he must be Lorenzo Lamas, right?

Entertaining trash with a high cult value. There is third "Swordsman" film "G2 Time Warrior" a.k.a "Mortal Conquest" but I don't have it. That film is without Lamas as they finally ran out of archive footage.

Rating: So bad it is good

Starring: Lorenzo Lamas, Frank Anderson, Dan Carter, Eugene Clark, Christopher Lee Clements, Heather Gillan, James Hong, Steve Kendry, Peter Kerenyi, Joe Lalogga, Phil Morrison, Mary Jo Nadzalski, Paul Park, Louis Paquette, Nicholas Pasco, Brian Renwick, Garry Robbins, Henry Roth, Claire Stansfield, George Touliatos, Steve Viguola, Jim Walker, Chris Walpole, Jim Yee, David Zafiro, Joe Boux, Simon Fon, Mark Foreman, Dave Geneau, Stephaine Kotani Geneau, Gary Goodridge, Scott Hogarth, Harold Howard, Zack Kotlyar, Sandy MacMaster, Jim Miller, Layton Morrison, Howard Putterman, Rich Stadnyk, Pat Sweeney, Linda Webber, Bob Barrett, Astrid Falconi, Tig Fong, Louie Jannetta, Ric Randmaa, Anthony Vargus
Director: Nick Rotundo

Movie Review: The Swordsman (1992)

The Swordsman
SC Entertainment International, Canada, 1992.

Cop Andrew Barrett (Lorenzo Lamas) has supernatural clairvoyance skills. During a drug raid Andrew gets painful visions about underground swordfights. Work partner Nick (Nicholas Pasco) considers that Andrew's seizures are a risk. Captain (Eugene Clark) sends Andrew to see a doctor (Michael Copeman) who looks like a relaxed guy waiting for a vacation. 

Andrew Barrett

Relaxed Doc

Someone is murdering folks using swords. Robbers rob Alexander the Great's sword that was about to be delivered to archaelogist Julie (Claire Stansfield). As Julie was the only witness, Andrew is assigned to protect her. And so a romance develops. Julie believes that in his past life cop Andrew was Alexander the Great. 

Julie

How you doing?

Andrew practises fencing and weird businessman Stratos (Michael Champion) invites him to his private fencing club. Coincidentally Stratos is Julie's patron so if you aren't already figuring out who stole the sword you are Chief Wiggum. Andrew infiltrates the fencing club and goes deep into the world of illegal duels. And so it is that Stratos is the reincarnation of Alexander's betrayer. The bearer of the sword is invincible so everybody wants the sword including henchman Jojo (Raoul Max Trujillo). Jojo and Andrew fight a match that begins well but is ultimately unsatisfying. Now if there had been a real fight between Jojo and Andrew it could have been cool. Now they missed the opportunity that was hinted with a big sign "epic duel here!" And so the story limps to the unsurprising finale.

Stratos

Jojo

In theory it all sounds like "Highlander" wannabe that could be fun. Bad acting and pedestrian pace make this an disappointment for fans of sword-action. The sword fights are rare and quick, so nothing much to see here. From the story about modern day Greek warriors it would be expected some epicness but everything is toned down to trivial cop mystery. Michael Copeman's therapist-character brings some humour to the moody story. There is some unintentional silliness but from a "Highlander" clone you would expect even a little bit more of this:

instead of this:

And there isn't even Queen's music to cheer you up but cheap sounding synthesizer score.

Maybe it is Lorenzo's yet unfinished transition from the soap operas to action films that is making Andrew and Julie's romance soapy too. But even as a romantic thriller it isn't so great. Considering that Lorenzo spends a considerable amount of time without a shirt it is hard to see what the target audience was. Possibly the readers of Harlequin Romantic Suspense novels will get something out of this.

In the cover image Lorenzo Lamas is gripping his mighty sword.

Followed by sequel "Gladiator Cop."

Rating: Bad

Starring: Lorenzo Lamas, Claire Stansfield, Michael Champion, Nicholas Pasco, Raoul Max Trujillo, Eugene Clark, Michael Copeman, George Touliatos, Frank Crudele, Ian White, Scott Davis, Zack Kotlyar, Tamara Bernier, Viv Moore, Mourad Mardikian, Robert Seale, Sandy MacMaster, Simon Fon, Maurice Dean Wint, Walter Alza, Phil Morrison, Carlos Echevers, Jane Dingle, Laura Dickson, Colin Miller, Ken Quinn, Paul Przedlacki, Anthony Vargas

Director: Michael Kennedy 

Movie Review: Hot Pursuit (2015)

Hot Pursuit (2015) a.k.a Miss Bodyguard a.k.a Don't Mess with Texas
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, New Line Cinema, Pacific Standard, Warner Bros, USA, 2015. 

Cooper (Reese Witherspoon) is a tough but goofy Texas cop who has dating problems as men are afraid of her. Her father was also a cop so trying to follow his legacy puts pressure on her. Wife of drug trial witness and former gangster Felipe Riva (Vincent Laresca) needs protection, so Cooper must escort his wife, cranky diva Daniella Riva (Sofía Vergara). When Felipe gets whacked Cooper and Daniella must hit the road and escape the killers. Dirty cops frame them also for murder so they can not trust the officials. They get a helper from nice rogue Randy (Robert Kazinsky).

Cooper

Daniella Riva

Randy

Old idea of putting a mismatched pair together sometimes works and sometimes not. In Sandra Bullock's "The Heat" the buddy comedy worked. This time it doesn't as the jokes are mostly weak. Surely Reese Witherspoon can do better than this. Sofía Vergara's spoiled Latino character was kind of annoying. However the Scarface joke was quite funny and also the running jokes about Cooper's height and Daniella's age. The plot is quite standard for the genre (Trivial Pursuit?) There is a crime and partners who first hate each other but become buddies. There's nothing wrong with the idea but the chemistry of the main characters was mainly absent due the lazily written script. Still it is not the worst kind of comedy, but mostly forgettable and formulaic.

Rating: Average

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Sofía Vergara, Matthew Del Negro, Michael Mosley, Robert Kazinsky, Richard T. Jones, Benny Nieves, Michael Ray Escamilla, Joaquín Cosio, John Carroll Lynch, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Birbiglia, Vincent Laresca, David Jensen, Evaluna Montaner, Marcus Lyle Brown, Manolo Gonzales-Vergara, Kim Collins, Harlon Miller, Rachel Wulff, Phil Anaya, Jannette Sepwa, Joe Camp III, Kathleen Fletcher, Anne Fletcher, Oscar Gale, Jaylen Moore, Carol Sutton, Peaches Davi II, Alejandra Pérez, Fallingstar Locke, Kayla Cangiamilla, Leslie Ivette Quezada, Millarel Ormazabal, Natalie Legendre, Zachary Woodlee, Keaton Margaret-Marie Luster, Maggie Hance, Abigail James Witherspoon, Harley Graham, Noel Rathe, Precious Roberson, Bryce Romero, Josué Gutierrez, Leticia Magaña 

Director: Anne Fletcher

Movie Review: Bullitt

Bullitt
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, Solar Productions, USA, 1968.

Based on the novel "Mute Witness" by Robert L. Fish.

Let's finish the unofficial car movie marathon with a cop movie classic containing one of the iconic car chases filmed.

Lt. Frank Bullitt (Steve McQueen) is a tough San Francisco cop. Ambitious and crooked politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) assigns him to protect witness Johnny Ross (Pat Renella) before a trial against mobsters. Using the  testimony from a vicious gangster would advance Chalmers' career. While Bullitt is off duty spending time with his designer girlfriend Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset) two hitmen wound Ross and Inspector Stanton (Carl Reindel).

Frank Bullitt

Cathy

Walter Chalmers

The assassin (John Aprea) tries to finish the job and Bullitt tries in vain to prevent it. However Bullitt finds out that the case is more complicated than it seems. Despite pressure coming from Chalmers, Chief Bennett (Simon Oakland) allows Bulllitt to continue his investigations. Luckily Bullitt has a fast Ford Mustang that is useful for catching the crooks. However Cathy witnesses a crime scene and is horrified by the ugly things Bullitt sees and violence that he commits in his work. But for Bullitt serving justice without moral integrity is the driving force. As George Orwell put it: "Those who abjure violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf."

Chief Bennett

Don Gordon as Sgt. Delgetti

The famous chase

The film has a cool later 1960s look and also realistic looking hospital scenes. The film has quite little action and it feels more like a modern hard-boiled detective story Chandler style but with less dialogue. It is better to avoid watching it waiting for fast-paced action, this is more a crime mystery film. As for the action scenes, the car chase is the highlight, featuring Russian Hill in San Francisco that is used in later films by everyone and his dog. The laconic style seems to have influenced 1970s cop movies, "French Connection," films of Charles Bronson and Eastwood's "Dirty Harry." There is also a jazzy soundtrack by Lalo Schifrin. Robert Duvall appears as cab driver.

The special edition DVD includes some interesting documentaries "Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool" and "The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing."

Rating: Very good

Starring: Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, Simon Oakland, Norman Fell, Robert Duvall, Georg Stanford Brown, Justin Tarr, Carl Reindel, Felice Orlandi, Vic Tayback, Robert Lipton, Ed Peck, Pat Renella, Paul Genge, John Aprea, Al Checco, Bill Hickman
Director: Peter Yates

Movie Review: Hollywood Homicide

Hollywood Homicide

Revolution Studios, Pitt-Shelton Productions, The Pitt Group, USA, 2003.

There is a shooting in hiphop-club and members of rap group H2OClick are murdered. Sergeant Joe Gavilan (Harrison Ford) and Detective K.C. Calden (Josh Hartnett) investigate and find out that Music mogul Antoine Sartain (Isaiah Washington) is somehow involved. Gavilan does side business as real estate broker and K.C. wants to be an actor. Gavilan is lonely so he calls night radio show hosted by psychic Ruby (Lena Olin). Corrupt cop Bennie Macko (Bruce Greenwood) tries to tarnish Gavilan's reputation.

Calden and Gavilan

Sartain

Bennie Macko

Calden is a serious ladies' man but Gavilan has also some tricks in his sleeve. Gavilan has business troubles and will go bankruptcy if he can not sell his house. Chance to rescue his business comes when Jerry Duran (Martin Landau) wants to sell his six million dollar house.

Jerry Duran

Gavilan, Ruby and donut

The crime story itself is not very complicated but the movie feels aimless with the rambling plot. It tries to be buddy cop comedy, action film, satire about Hollywood and music industry, business comedy and what else. The best things come from following the side businesses of Gavilan and Calden. The best jokes are placed in the second half of the story. Josh Hartnett feels miscast but Harrison Ford is fun to watch. Still in the their common scenes they have good chemistry. One of Harrison's highlights is when he tries to negotiate real estate deals in the middle of car chase. Much of the humour is based on realization that everyone in Hollywood has several jobs and would like to be actor, singer or scriptwriter. Otherwise the story is routine buddy-cop stuff, easy to watch but not very memorable. Numerous rappers (Kurupt, André Benjamin and Master P) and other stars (Eric Idle, Frank Sinatra Jr. and Smokey Robinson) appear in cameo roles.

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#11. Movie that you haven't seen before starring one of your favourite actors/actresses: Harrison Ford)

Rating: Average

Starring: Harrison Ford, Josh Hartnett, Lena Olin, Bruce Greenwood, Isaiah Washington, Lolita Davidovich, Keith David, Master P, Gladys Knight, Lou Diamond Phillips, Meredith Scott Lynn, Tom Todoroff, James MacDonald, Kurupt, André Benjamin, Alan Dale, Clyde Kusatsu, Dwight Yoakam, Martin Landau, Eric Idle, Frank Sinatra Jr., Robert Wagner, Johnny Grant, Smokey Robinson, Shawn Woods, Anthony Mackie, Choppa, Krazy, Magic, T-Bo, Michael Bentt, Giovanni Antonio Guichard, Shalena Hughes, Eloy Casados, Gregg Daniel, Jamison Jones, Darrell Foster, Christopher Wiehl, Ramón Muniz, Dennis Burkley, Slade Barnett, Alan Davidson, Johnny Sneed , Joe Wandell, Irina Gasanova, Ragan Wallake, Blake Gibbons, Jason Matthew Smith, Valarie Rae Miller, Regina Russell Banali, Butch Cassidy, Kevin Law, K.D. Aubert, Victor Togunde, Kevin Daniels , Ernest Harden Jr., Brianna Brown, Sonia Iris Lozada, Shea Elmore, Luis Avalos, Rudi Frenner, Gretchen Becker...

Director: Ron Shelton