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Reviews
Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)
Peter, You're Missing It
To be clear, this is definitely telling its own story. The question is if this new interpretation works. Well, yes and no. The important themes and messages are still intact. However, the sense of magic and adventure didn't feel as exciting as I think it could have been.
On the positive side, I liked the songs. Not a full-fledged musical, there are only a handful of short interludes, but they are all nicely done. I also liked the crocodile scene, perhaps the one thrilling action sequence in the picture. And I think Ever Anderson is really strong as Wendy. She was always the heart of the story, but now she's fully elevated to lead character. No doubt it would have caused an uproar, but if they wanted to just call this movie "Wendy" they could have. Sometimes Peter shows up.
And this is where I'm less enthused with the film. Alexander Molony's Pan didn't work for me. I don't think he exhibits the charm or joy needed for the role. This goes for most of the characters, actually, and it's a similar problem I had with David Lowrey's first Disney adaptation, Pete's Dragon. He's too moody a director imo, to unlock a true sense of humor or wonder in these works. Even Mr. Smee, who's supposed to be the goofiest comic relief, comes off flat.
To be fair, the script tries to give Pan more depth with a new take on his relationship with Captain Hook (Jude Law looking like a wet rat for the entirety of the picture), but overall there's not much to Peter, nor is he needed for much besides fighting- which Wendy can already do. Even Tiger Lily, in an expanded role, is a one-girl army, who the script makes sure to point out is always saving Peter's behind.
Eye-rolling things like this are to be expected with Disney as of late, but what they fail to realize is that when everybody can do the same things, and no one brings anything different to the table, that doesnt exactly celebrate our differences, and it makes the world feel small. And with only a handful of Lost Boys/Girls, the briefest of moments with the Native tribe (after deserving better than their 1953 treatment), and the only locations being Hook's ship, and a couple of cliffs and caves, Neverland felt small.
Batman: Hush (2019)
If You Don't Know "Hush", Don't Start Here
2019's "Batman: Hush" bares a passing resemblance to the popular comic of the same name, hitting most of the key beats and cameos, but it never feels as eventful or attention-grabbing as the original story, and comes across as uninsipred as many of the other DC animated adaptations in the past few years.
A big part of the reason why, is the insistence on keeping all these different tales locked in DCAU's "New 52-verse" which seeks to tie in to ongoing threads, or past references. In that sense, many of the added material sprinkled into this main story do little else but wink at superfluous shared history. Things like Killer Croc swapped for Bane, or Huntress swapped for Batgirl, make a sort of sense because they've appeared before, but some may find that disappointing, if you were looking forward to seeing certain players that don't get enough love, instead of the same names over and over. I found the changes unecessary. Instead of expanding Batman's world, they shrink it.
Furthermore, every classic story DCAU tries to adapt, had it's own style, and that gets homogenized into the same bland artwork that has been their look of choice since "Justice League: War". And even in the non-canon adaptations, DCAU has struggled to meet the artistic highs of works like "The Killing Joke" and "Gotham by Gaslight". This time, it's the legendary Jim Lee they fail, and his artstyle was sorely missed.
Now from a writing standpoint, the Hush comic is no Catcher in the Rye, but the story worked. Unfortunately, the movie opts to focus less on Bruce and Tommy's past, and more on Batman and Catwoman's romance. A key motivation from the comic is undermined, so in turn, the entire twist is changed, and it doesn't do the movie any favors that one of its BEST chapters, (involving a figure from Batman's past), is cut completely. The comic took pains to show you just how deep, how far, and how low the villain was willing to go. The movie decidedly, does not. This matters because Bruce realizing he has something akin to a Bat-family supporting him is the difference between he and his enemy- it's a key theme, and it feels like the filmmakers missed that point entirely.
If there are any positives to be gleaned from my viewing, I think they capture the Superman/Batman fight pretty well. Poison Ivy was good, the bits of levity with Nightwing made me chuckle, and the fights were hard-hitting. Harley Quinn's segment was also a joy, and her voice actress is the sole standout from a cast that still doesn't do much for me (especially Lex Luthor).
In the end I would suggest people just go read the comic, it's great and splashy, and it twists and turns and we're inside the characters' heads. Heck, even the Arkham City videogame understood Hush better than this flick, which plays like a tv episode. If DC wants to make another serialized cartoon show, just do that, because the movies need to stand on their own and be self-contained
We Are Columbine (2018)
Focuses on the healing
It's been 20 years since the Columbine High School Massacre, and this documentary was made by one of the survivors, as she sits down exclusively with a handful of others (including her friends) who were willing to revisit that horrible day. The doc does a good job building up to the event, and each person's account remains surprisingly vivid and terrifying even after all these years. Some of the interviewees haven't walked these halls since it happened, so it's chilling to watch them do so. The doc smartly stays away from asking "Why?" And instead focuses on how these people have healed over the past two decades. It feels very therapeutic.