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".

Disney's Christopher Robin (2018)

As I mentioned in my previous review of 2017's Goodbye Christopher Robin, A.A. Milne's series of children's novels were a substantial part of my childhood. However, I grew up more with Disney's version of the stories and came across the source material later on. While I admired Goodbye Christopher Robin for being relatable on a personal level, I liked Disney's Christopher Robin on a conceptual level in addition to being somewhat relatable. I found the concept of an adult Christopher being a bit jarring at first, since the first image that usually pops into mind is the character as a child. The film's overall premise is unprecedented, as this is something that has never been attempted in the history of Winnie the Pooh. (Yes, in Goodbye, we saw an adult Christopher, but that was only for a brief moment) It was a take on the concept that was fresh and new, and it was beautifully accomplished. Despite the tone being darker than one is used to with this franchise, it manages to take many of the right steps in achieving a solid result. For starters, it has the prolific Jim Cummings reprising his role of Pooh and Tigger. Additionally, it is littered with references to Christopher Robin's source material. Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, and Piglet are designed as stuffed animals, with an appearance hybridizing Disney's version and that of Christopher Robin's original stuffed animals. However, Rabbit and Owl were designed with a more realistic aesthetic, probably as a nod to the fact that A. A. Milne himself created them rather than his son.
 As a minor spoiler, the title sequence also contains some events in Christopher Robin's life that mirrored his actual counterpart, such as being sent to boarding school and serving in World War II afterwards, in addition to distancing himself from his plush animal friends. However, instead of resenting his father like what actually happened, the film takes an approach similar to the Robin Williams movie, Hook. Christopher Robin simply grows up, leaving the remnants of his childhood behind. Surprisingly, the beginning of the film portrays him similar to that of A. A. Milne himself, albeit to a lesser extent (this is a Disney film, after all). However, when Pooh and the gang re-enter his life, he slowly begins to rediscover his inner child and slowly begins to share his former life with his wife and daughter. Ewan McGregor once again nails his role as the title character, just as he did as he did with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Lumiere (has there ever been a bad role of his?). As mentioned previously, I found myself relating to this version of the character like I did in Goodbye; I am a total workaholic, and at times I have made decisions that involved choosing work over family and friends. After seeing this film, I have decided that when I am back in my hometown after graduating from college, I am going to spend more time with them and make up for any time that was lost. While it is alright to have a stable career and a dream to work for, one must never forget their loved ones, because the person could almost push them away in the process. I believe that if Christopher Robin never reunited with Pooh, he would have slowly lost everything that he held dear to him.
Overall, I would highly implore each and every one of you reading this post to see this movie! It is heartfelt, it brings on so many feelings, and its message is absolutely fantastic! You do not need to be a fan of Winnie the Pooh to enjoy it, it is a movie that is definitely for everyone; it will definitely resonate with you.

Goodbye Christopher Robin

Throughout my life, I have been intrigued by the works of Alan Alexander Milne, such as his famous stories of Winnie the Pooh and his son, Christopher Robin Milne (moreso the latter than the former). As a result, I was excited to learn from my friend Kyle that Fox Searchlight was in production of a film about A.A. Milne and the real Christopher Robin. However, before diving into the review I must give this disclaimer; if you grew up with the Disney adaptation of Milne's characters and their fictionalized version of Christopher Robin, then this movie may ruin your childhood. This film dives into topics such as A.A. Milne's PTSD from serving in World War I, along with the struggles Christopher Robin faced when his father essentially used him to propel his own success. After viewing this movie, I had a lesser amount of sympathy for one of my favorite childhood authors; however, I had more sympathy for his son and could relate to him on some levels. Like Christopher, I was put into the limelight with a short modeling career (which I admit was a tad overwhelming at times, while also being fun), and I was constantly bullied throughout my elementary and middle school years.
The story primarily focuses on its title character, and his role in the creation of his father's Winnie the Pooh. Us viewers are treated to Christopher's imaginative childhood, as he spends his days playing in the forest that served as the inspiration for Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood. We are shown the creation of the characters inspired by the child's stuffed animals given to him by his mother, how they received their names, along with A.A. Milne being inspired to write stories about his son (which sparks the main conflict of the story). Milne is portrayed as a struggling playwright returning from the horrors of war, struggling with multiple bouts of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In staying true to his actual counterpart, he is a somewhat cold-hearted and distant individual due to his previous experiences. He seemed to care primarily about his work and little about his family, unless the situation was of some benefit to him. There was a reason I lost some respect for him (considering he is one of my favorite childhood authors), and that was his treatment of his son. Alan Milne and his wife essentially used poor Christopher Robin as a means of elevating their status, since the latter was also used as the protagonist of Winnie the Pooh (much to poor Christopher's later dismay).
The only thing young Christopher desired was to live like a normal child with a loving family, but unfortunately he was unwillingly thrust into the spotlight and consequently traumatized for the remainder of his life.
While I was viewing this film, my heart shattered seeing the poor child going through this at such a young age. Since he technically created these characters, he definitely deserved to express his opinions on his newfound stardom, and I applauded when he attempted to do so. He had every right to say no to his parents or refuse people prying into his personal life; under no circumstances should a child not be given a choice in being famous. If he was given that right when Winnie the Pooh rose in popularity, then he would not be bullied at boarding school and he would not try to distance himself from his parents in his later years. As much as I admittedly have a soft spot for the bear him and his father created, I can definitely say it was the bear that ruined his life. Christopher Robin was not in the wrong, but his parents definitely were.
While this film may not be a 100% accurate adaptation of the story of Winnie the Pooh, it captures the essence of the tale and nails it. Every member of this cast was on point with their roles, and managed to accurately portray their characters. I can definitely say the filmmakers did their research on the characters' historical counterparts, and made a beautiful film as a result. I would highly recommend this film if you are looking for a good biographical drama or curious about the life of A.A. Milne. For those that have experienced situations to Milne or Christopher Robin, you may find it as relatable as I did along with sympathizing with the characters. Now it begs the question as to how it stacks up with Disney's Christopher Robin film...

Channel Awesome Controversy Opinions/#ChangeTheChannel

As many of you may know, this blog was inspired by Doug Walker and his character, the Nostalgia Critic. When I created Reviews and Retrospectives, I took a page out of Walker's book with the intention of paying tribute and showing my respect to him. However, in light of the recent controversy surrounding him and Channel Awesome, I am slowly losing respect for him. I understand many of the grievances were caused by CEO Mike Michaud, but I can tell Walker and his brother were also part of the problem. They mistreated many of their fellow producers, such as Kaylyn Dickson (Marzgurl), Lewis Lovhaug (Linkara), and especially Allison Pregler (Obscurus Lupa). It sickens me that a man I looked up to, a man I idolized and saw as a source of inspiration was allowing these problems to happen. He had many opportunities to stand up and say something; despite being an advocate for freedom of speech, he did nothing to quell the fears and he still has yet to address them. I understand he may be afraid of Michaud, but because him and Rob have yet to say anything at this moment, Channel Awesome is going into the red; it is losing subscribers by the day and producers on the site are leaving at an alarming rate. Mr. Walker, I doubt you are reading this. However, if you are, you have to say something and somehow address this situation. One can not ignore a problem forever, and if it is left untouched for too long, it could kill the site. I have always dreamed of working for Channel Awesome, but after hearing of this controversy, I am not sure if I still want to. Until further notice, I think I will be limiting my viewing of Nostalgia Critic; knowing he was aware of these problems and did nothing to change them shows the truth behind his character. I idolized Walker for his advocacy toward the first amendment and equality for content creators; seeing he was partially behind the problems with his company, it makes him seem a tad hypocritical. All I can say is that my heart goes out to those affected over the years, and I pray Channel Awesome  can somehow make a change.

If you would like to learn more about the controversy, feel free to look at the google doc known as Not So Awesome: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WZFkR__B3Mk9EYQglvislMUx9HWvWhOaBP820UBa4dA/preview#heading=h.v89be0jiemu0

Is The Nostalgia Critic going "Nostalgia-Blind"?

(Disclaimer: This is by no means an attack on the Nostalgia Critic; it is simply to express my opinions on his recent "Disney Remake"-themed month, as well as my opinions of his recent reviews.)

Many of my longtime readers will know that I have always been a massive fan of Doug Walker's webshow, The Nostalgia Critic; matter of fact, it was one of the inspirations for this blog. However, I have began to notice a trend with his recent reviews, particularly those surrounding Disney's live action remakes. While I agreed with his opinions on Maleficent and Alice: Through the Looking Glass, I did not agree with his thoughts on The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. I felt while he did a great job pointing out the latter two's flaws (and yes, there are some that are prevalent), he neglected to point out the positives of both. Essentially, he "tore the two films a new one" while putting the originals on a high pedestal and seemingly insinuating they are flawless.
The original Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast are amazing films, but they are certainly not as flawless as Walker implies. The Jungle Book (while it has great animation and storytelling) is somewhat lacking in character development, and has some instances rushed pacing. Beauty and the Beast; while it nailed the story and characters, it had various plot-holes and left viewers with so many questions such as "why is Agathe (the enchantress) cursing an eleven year old boy"? Walker seems to sidestep over these facts in his reviews, continuing to imply they have no flaws. However, when discussing their remakes, he seems to imply any of the changes made did more harm than good. I can agree with this on only two instances, the ending of The Jungle Book and Belle's developing relationship with the Beast.
Keeping Mowgli in the jungle essentially negates any development the character gained, making it seem like nothing has changed at all. As for Beauty and the Beast, it seemed like someone was pressing the fast-forward button on Belle and Beast's relationship. It was rushed, flawed, and it was not given the necessary amount of depth. We see them interacting, but we fail to see the spark until Something There; maybe afterward when Belle revisits her childhood home. As for the other changes that were made, I feel they improved the story.
The characters in The Jungle Book were depicted in a way that was a hybrid of their original Disney and Kipling counterparts. I feel the new version of Shere Khan was more intimidating than the original, hearkening back to how he was written by Kipling; as for Mowgli, I am glad they decided to make him a stronger character. In the original Disney film, I felt he acted more like a spoiled child. However (in all fairness), I did not like how Bill Murray's version of Baloo was manipulative toward Mowgli. In regard to Beauty and the Beast, while the changes could have been executed better, I feel they strengthened the story as a whole. Taking elements from the stage musical such as the castle staff slowly becoming inanimate raised the stakes of the curse, and added a stronger sense of urgency to the film's "race against the clock" aspect. Additionally, giving the characters a stronger backstory (such as that surrounding Belle's mother) allowed for a greater amount of depth and character development; it also gave her the ability to relate to Beast, who also lost his mother as a child. I feel Walker may be watching these films with "rose-colored" glasses. He holds the originals in such high regard, that he automatically dismisses new interpretations of these stories; completely ignoring the flaws of the source material.

Fullmetal February: Fullmetal Alchemist (2017 Film)

At last, we conclude Fullmetal February with a look at the most recent adaptation of Arakawa's beloved manga; the live action Fullmetal Alchemist movie! While I praise the two animated versions and the original manga, I have some mixed opinions about its transition into live action.

Like many other adaptations of Japanese anime and manga, the story is a highly condensed version of the source material's events. However, it corrects many of the mistakes Brotherhood made with its story; such as starting at the most logical point, Edward and Alphonse's first attempt at human transmutation. Comparatively, this film is the most faithful version of the Elric brothers' tale; albeit with some events receiving slight changes, switched around, or omitted entirely. As a result of the latter, major characters were also surprisingly omitted. I am not worried, since I believe some will make an appearance in the inevitable sequel. While I did not like their choice for the main antagonist, they managed to expand upon a minor character from the source material, and somehow connect them to the Homunculi.

My largest gripe with this film was the story and pacing; similar to Shyamalan's The Last Airbender, the film's director decided to severely truncate the plot in order to cram as much as possible into a two and a half hour timeframe. Consequently, this makes it difficult to connect with the characters and become engrossed with the story. I was hoping for a strong amount of character development and seeing my favorite plot points unfolding in live action. While I was treated to both to some degree, it ultimately left me wanting more and feeling disappointed as a result. The pacing was the film's biggest flaw, simply because so much is coming at you in such a short amount of time. Maybe to alleviate this, they could have split the movie into two and dedicated each film to a specific story arc from the manga.

In terms of characters, the actors portrayed each one as faithfully as possible; Edward was short-tempered and high strung, Winry was loving and always worried about the Elrics, and Alphonse was the group's voice of reason. I love how Maes Hughes was also given a larger amount of development and was upgraded to a major character in the film. He stole the show, and I was always excited to see him onscreen. While I despised Shou Tucker in the previous versions, I found him more tolerable in this one and I am thankful they left Nina's fate as ambiguous. It does beg the question, will she survive in the sequel, be killed offscreen, or be killed by a potential live action Scar?

Overall, I would say this film is a solid attempt at adapting Fullmetal Alchemist. It was not as bad as others have said, it is in desperate need of improvement. The framework for a good story is there, but the directors need to iron out the bugs in the pacing for the sequel. I am looking forward to the next installment of this series, and I am hopeful for a stronger film and the inclusion of omitted characters.

That concludes Fullmetal February, if you have suggestions for next February's anime month, feel free to email me at austinmmyers18@gmail.com and also please follow if you like my content!