Top 5 Movies Based on TV Shows

There are moments when a television show becomes so successful, a greedy Hollywood producer decides to cash in on its popularity. While the final result of some may be a tad lackluster, there are others that are genuinely fun to watch (at least in my opinion). Matter of fact, many of the films on this list are cult classics (in addition to being my personal favorites). In this edition of Top Five, I will be discussing my favorite movies based on TV shows and explaining how they appeal to me. At one point or another, I've owned physical copies of four of these films.

5. The Simpsons Movie (2007)

The Simpsons as a whole did not become a favorite series of mine until fairly recently. However as I got older, I gave the show a chance and became hooked from the moment I saw the iconic opening; matter of fact, I binge watched the entire series in the summer of 2015. As a result, I did not see the movie based on the series for the first time until around 2013-2014. This movie is not only one of my favorites based on a television show, but one of my favorite comedies of all time. All of the jokes throughout the film are on point and never fall flat, there is a strong environmental message, and it shows how Homer's idiocy affects the entirety of Springfield. It dares to push the envelope and experiment with scenarios that the hit sitcom would never dream of doing, such as further exploring Marge's feelings on her continuously strained relationship with Homer. In this film, we see her pushed beyond her breaking point as Homer continues to act like a manchild. This film is where the series peaked, as The Simpsons after this began to fall into a steep decline and become a shell of what it formerly was. This film would have made a perfect finale for the series had they chosen to end it here; however, the show decides to act as if this movie never happened and continue as normal. Homer is still the idiot he was before, acting as if he has learned nothing from the experience he inadvertently caused. Matter of fact, he is actually worse. This is a movie I would recommend if you are looking for a good laugh at night, or to get you through the day; it is also something to watch if you ever wanted Green Day to sing The Simpsons theme song.

4. Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)

Fairly recently, my former roommate exposed me to the world of Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean and British comedy as a whole. Needless to say, I could not stop laughing as Bean would constantly fumble through everyday situations. Of course with anything that is massively popular, a film adaptation had to be made; Bean was actually one of the few to have multiple movies. However, if I can be completely honest, the 1994 Bean movie did not do the character justice. For starters, Bean is supposed to be a mostly silent protagonist, letting his actions do the talking. Adding actual dialogue to the equation takes away from the slapstick humor the character is known for, and causes a massive disconnect. However, the 2007 film Mr. Bean's Holiday rectifies this problem; Bean is once again mostly silent and his childish personality is conveyed through his actions. For a good adaptation of a character, you have to stay true to it; this is why many movies based on television shows fail, they drastically change the characters to the point of them being such in name only. Like The Simpsons Movie, this is a movie perfect for a night of laughs as it delivers on the slapstick humor Mr. Bean is known for. I would definitely choose this over the original Mr. Bean film.

3. Dragon Ball: The Path to Power (1994)

Choosing a Dragon Ball entry for this list was tough, considering there are literally twenty movies spread across the original series, Z, and Super. However, I've always had a soft spot for the tenth anniversary movie, The Path to Power. It is an adaptation of my favorite era of Dragon Ball, Son Goku's childhood, and it adapts two of my favorite arcs in the series (the original quest for the titular Dragon Balls and the Red Ribbon Army conflict). Additionally, the art style of the film is a combination of Akira Toriyama's original character designs along with that of the infamous Dragon Ball GT (which was airing at the time of this film's release). This explains why Bulma's hair is purple instead of blue like in the anime, because the former was her hair color in the original manga. In terms of GT elements, towards the beginning of the film, Goku changes into his outfit from the aforementioned series and is designed with the darker skin tone as well. Thankfully, this film does not try to do what other adaptations of Goku's childhood after Z do, hinting at his Saiyan origins. Instead, it acts like it would fit in with the other films from the original Dragon Ball era, with Goku seeming like he is a regular human with a monkey tail. The english dub also holds the distinction of being the only film from the original era where Goku is voiced by Stephanie Nadolny in the english dub, as opposed to being voiced by Saffron Henderson, Ceyli Delgadillo, or Colleen Clinkenbeard (if either of you three are reading this and I misspelled your names, I deeply apologize). If you are looking for a film that best represents the Dragon Ball franchise as a whole, this is one I would highly recommend; it contains elements from all three series that came before it at the time, the adventure of the original, the action of Z, and the art style of GT.

2. The Rugrats Movie (1998)

This film not only holds a special place in my heart for not only being one of my favorite television adaptations, but also one of my earliest movie memories as well. This is one of the first films I saw in theaters, which is what makes it special to me. I believe it may have been my first exposure to one of my favorite voice actresses (Tara Strong) as well (she voiced Tommy's newborn brother, Dil). Like The Simpsons Movie, it dares to push the envelope with the babies being taken out of the comfort of their suburban home and places them as being lost in the forest. We see them facing obstacles such as waterfalls and feral monkeys as they continue to find their way back home, pushing their bonds (along with their lives) to the limit. This movie also marks a significant turning point in young Tommy's life, as he now has someone younger than him to look out for in the form of his newborn brother, Dil. Becoming an older sibling takes some getting used to, and can be a pretty daunting development in one's life, and this film definitely shows the struggles that come with it. If you are a Rugrats, Nickelodeon, or animation fan, this is a movie I would highly recommend. It may not be an Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast, but it has a charm that makes it stand out on its own through its characters and plot.

Honorable Mention 1: Kamen Rider The First (2005)

I admit, I am a massive fan of Japanese television (especially since I have an app that allows me to livestream it to my computer) and of action movies, so something based on Ishinomori's original Kamen Rider should have been on this list. However, the reason this did not get a numbered entry is because it is based more on Ishinomori's original manga (Japanese comic) of Kamen Rider, rather than the 1971 television series. The plot is closer to the tone of the illustrated source material, and contains more plot elements from such. Additionally, I feel as if the tone is too dark, which further distances itself from all other versions of the character. It feels more like Zack Snyder's take on Kamen Rider (don't get any ideas though, Snyder; we don't want you ruining another beloved superhero), which can be either a good or bad thing depending on how you feel about his work.

Honorable Mention 2: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

While technically, this is based on the British sitcom Monty Python's Flying Circus and uses the cast from it, this movie is actually one that can stand alone. Matter of fact, I saw this before I knew what Monty Python even was. It can be seen as part of the Flying Circus franchise, or it can be seen as a hilarious satire of the King Arthur legend. I consider it more in the latter camp, which is why I did not put this as a numbered entry on the list; however, I am tempted to do a full review of it since a remake based on its stage musical was recently announced.

1. The Flintstones (1994)

Aside from being based on one of my favorite animated series, this movie introduced me to two of my favorite actors, John Goodman and Rick Moranis (whom you may remember as Dan Conner and Louis Tulley from Roseanne and the original Ghostbusters, respectively); the two actors played the iconic duo of Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. Like three out of the five movies on this list, this one pushes the envelope and dares to depict situations that would otherwise be unimaginable in the television series. It takes a somewhat darker approach than the lighthearted Hanna-Barbera cartoon, and places itself in a world that is more serious and the actions have massive consequences. However, the crew behind this film managed to recreate the world very accurately to the source material; unfortunately as a result, the sets look like (as Nostalgia Critic would say) "rejected Happy Meal toys". A vast majority of the actors manage to accurately play the roles as well, with Goodman and Moranis nailing the Fred and Barney voices that come with their characters. If you are a fan of The Flintstones, I would highly suggest this film over its prequel released in 2000. (The more we forget about Viva Rock Vegas, the better...)

What are some of your favorite movies based on television shows? Is there one that should have been on this list? Feel free to give your thoughts in the comments below, and be sure to follow the blog as well!

Henry Cavill Calls it Quits? Advice to DC

According to an article from Comicbook.com, it seems DC may have to recast Superman in addition to possibly recasting Batman. Due to his obligation in Netflix's adaptation of The Witcher and negotiations for a cameo in Shazam falling through, Henry Cavill could be hanging up his cape and leaving the role of Superman in the DC Extended Universe. In my personal opinion, I would not blame him for wanting to leave the role; however, I do see potential as Justice League was a step in the right direction for the character. There is so much Cavill could do with this version of Superman that has not been previously explored, such as teaming up with their own version of Supergirl and a significant amount of lore pertaining to Krypton. Perhaps this will cause DC to realize their Cinematic Universe is an absolute mess due to the decisions they made, such as rushing into the team ups without establishing the major players first (cameos in the team ups to not count, by the way). If their previous actions had not ended in absolute disaster, then maybe Cavill would have stayed and we would have seen more of his Superman. Their best course of action is to simply keep the remaining DCEU cast and do a full reboot with Wonder Woman 1984 and Matt Reeves' The Batman. Additionally, DC needs to make their film franchises more standalone instead of interconnected like Marvel.

UPDATE (09/12/18 11:38 AM CST): According to another article from Comicbook.com, Ben Affleck is also on his way out as Superman. Maybe it is time to completely reboot, DC.

UPDATE (09/13/18 11:03 AM CST): It seems the source's report is merely speculation at this point, as nothing has been made completely official. However, they have not confirmed or denied Cavill's departure from the Superman role, stating that Cavill "still keeps the cape in his closet".