Wonder Woman 1984 Review

Wonder Woman 1984

Release Date: 26th December 2020 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

Atlas Entertainment

DC Comics

DC Entertainment

The Stone Quarry

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 141 minutes

Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $169,601,036 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

In the colourful 1980s,

Diana Prince lives under

the radar in the mortal

world while maintaining

a low profile as an ancient

artifacts curator and is

unrecognised when

performing heroic acts.

Soon, Diana will have to

contend with her new

arch-foes, including

a media businessman

named Maxwell Lord

and a colleague-turned-

villainess, the Cheetah,

who has agility and

strength. The villainous

pair have obtained a

wish-granting artifact,

and their desires would

lead the world toward

destruction. All the while,

she reunites with her old

lover, Steve Trevor.

Cast

Gal Gadot - Diana Prince/

Wonder Woman

Chris Pine - Steve Trevor

Kristen Wiig - Barbara Minerva

Pedro Pascal - Maxwell Lord

Robin Wright - Antiope

Connie Nielsen - Hippolyta

Lilly Aspell - Young Diana

Amr Waked - Emir Said Bin Abydos

Kristoffer Polaha - Handsome Man

Natasha Rothwell - Carol

(Co-Worker)

Ravi Patel - Babajide

Oliver Cotton - Simon Stagg

Lucian Perez - Alistair

Gabrielle Wilde - Raquel

Kelvin Yu - Jake

Stuart Milligan - POTUS

Shane Attwooll - Dangerous Drunk

David Al-Fahmi - Mr. Khalaji

Kevin Wallace - Televangelist

Wai Wong - Lai Zhong

Doutzen Kroes - Venelia

Hari James - Herald (Trigona)

Hayley Warnes - Aella

Lyon Beckwith - Buzz Cut

Ryan Watson - Bad Skin

Jimmy Burke - Flat Top

Brandon Thane Wilson - Scowler

Oakley Bull - Kelly (Girl Hostage)

Rey Rey Terry - Courtney

Tina Edwards - Courtney's Mom

Asim Chaudhry - Roger (Co-Worker)

Tessa Bonham Jones - Lucy (Co-Worker)

Mensah Bediako - Leon

Ed Birth - White House Carl

Lambro Demetriou - Max (8 Years Old)

Jonny Barry - Max (15 Years Old)

Asa Sheridan - Jace Valentine

Jaron Varsano - Carousel Father (Cameo)

Alma Varsano - Snowball Girl (Cameo)

Maya Varsano - Carousel Girl (Cameo)

Lynda Carter - Asteria (Cameo)

Crew

Story/Screenplay/Producer/Director -

Patty Jenkins

Based on Characters from DC Wonder

Woman - William Moulton Marston

Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer -

Geoff Johns

Screenplay - Dave Callahan

Associate Producer/First Assistant Director -

Toby Hefferman

Associate Producers - Elisa Iglesias,

Jason Crain and Anna Obropta

Executive Producers - Wesley Coller,

Walter Hamada, Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley,

Richard Suckle and Chantal Nong Vo

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Marianne Jenkins

Producers - Gal Gadot, Stephen Jones,

Charles Roven and Zack & Deborah Snyder

Casting Directors - Kristy Carlson,

Pat Moran and Lucinda Syson

Production Designer - Aline Bonetto

Supervising Art Director - Peter Russell

Supervising Art Director: Additional

Photography - Alex Baily

Art Directors - Simon Eisley, Gavin Fitch,

Rod McLean, Richard Selway, Mark Scruton,

Arwel Evans, Giorgio Warner, Anita Gupta and

Darren Tubby

Art Director: Spain Unit - Daniel Nussbaumer

Set Decorator - Anna-Lynch Robinson

Property Master: Washington D.C., USA

Unit - Steve George

Costume Designer - Lindy Hemming

Costume Supervisor - Dan Grace

HOD Costume Modellers - Pierre Bohanna

and Naomi Critcher

Supervising Armourer - Jon Baker

Makeup and Hair Designer - Jan Sewell

Makeup and Hair Supervisor - Karen Cohen

Director of Photography - Matthew Jensen

"C" Camera Operators: Second Unit -

Mark Moriarty and Peter Field

Supervising Location Manager: Washington D.C.,

USA Unit - James Lin

Unit Production Manager/First Assistant Director:

Additional Photography - Tommy Gormley

Second Unit Director - Dan Bradley

Stunt Coordinator - Rob Inch

Fight Coordinator - Liang Yang

Special Effects Supervisor - Mark Holt

Special Effects Coordinator - Lucy Thompson

Special Effects Coordinator: Washington D.C.,

USA Unit - Steve Cremin

Visual Effects Supervisor - John Moffatt

Visual Effects Supervisors: DNEG - Huw J. Evans,

Chris McLaughlin, Jon Bowen and Michael Grobe

Visual Effects Supervisor: Framestore -

Alexis Wajsbrot

Visual Effects Supervisor: Method Studios -

Aidan Fraser

Additional Visual Effects Supervisors -

Charlie Noble and Chris Shaw

Editor - Richard Pearson

Supervising Sound Editors - Richard King

and Jimmy Boyle

Production Sound Mixer - Peter J. Devlin

Re-Recording Mixers - Gary A. Rizzo

and Gilbert Lake

Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Chris Burdon

Foley Artists - Pete Burgis and Zoe Freed

Foley Mixer - Glen Gathard

Music/Score Producer/Synth Programming;

Additional Photography - Hans Zimmer

Composers: Additional Music, Additional

Photography - David Fleming

and Steve Mazzaro

Score Consultant: Additional Photography -

Alan Meyerson

Score Recordist: Additional Photography -

Geoff Foster

Review

After being repeatedly delayed during COVID-19, WONDER WOMAN 1984 (WW84) finally made its theatrical release near the end of 2020, alongside its debut on the streaming service HBO Max (available only in the US). However, the film proved divisive for fans and was almost as good as the original. The movie started well, although it became inconsistent in some aspects, likely due to overindulgence or a clichéd, elementary plot. The characters are undeveloped, there isn't enough action, and the tone is cheesy. While the plot point of bringing back Steve Trevor seemed like a good idea on paper, poor execution and writing hampered it. Then again, that's one of the crucial faults within the storyline.

Perhaps the director, Patty Jenkins, became too overconfident, or the studio wanted the movie to take a new direction. I love the 80s aesthetic, which is fitting, given that the film takes place in that era. I'm very disappointed that there is not much 80s music in the movie (except for a few, like the one from Frankie Goes to Hollywood).

While Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have returned to their roles, Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig perform best as the main villains, Maxwell Lord and Cheetah. Pascal relishes the opportunity to shine as the bad guy, a bit eerily similar to Donald Trump, but has less honourable intentions. Kristen Wiig's role is identical to Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman in Batman Returns, in which both characters were once good females but turned evil. Hans Zimmer returned to the DCEU to compose the musical score he had written for WW84 and did a spectacular job.

WW84 offers plenty of escapism for audiences, but more is needed to compensate for a lack of originality. Had WW84 been better than the original, it wouldn't have lost its impact on DC fans or comic book readers.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Klaus Review

Klaus

Release Date: 15th November 2019 - Australia (Netflix)

Production Companies

The SPA Studios

Aniventure

Atresmedia Cine

Netflix Animation

Distribution

Netflix (Worldwide)

Genre: Animation/Family/

Comedy

Rating: G

Runtime: 97 minutes

Budget: $40,000,000

Plot Summary
A story tells the origins of Christmas. Jesper, a disgraced student of the Postal Academy, gets sent to a desolate, frozen island where no one sends any letters. He is stuck in a hostile environment, but finds redemption upon meeting a lonely carpenter named Klaus,

who gives Jesper a sense

of purpose and delivers

toys to those around him.

Voice Cast

Jason Schwartzman - Jesper

J.K. Simmons - Klaus

Rashida Jones - Alva

Joan Cusack - Mrs. Krum

Will Sasso - Mr. Elingboe

Norm MacDonald - Mogens

Neda Margrethe Labba - Márgu

Sergio Pablos - Pumpkin/Olaf

Crew

Original Story/Screenplay/

Producer/Director - Sergio Pablos

Co-Director - Carlos Martinez López

Screenplay - Zach Lewis and Jim Mahoney

Executive Producer - Warren Franklin

Producers - Gustavo Ferrada,

Mercedes Gamero, Jinko Gotoh,

Mikel Lejarza, Marisa Roman

and Matthew Teevan
Creative Consultant/Story

Artist - Olivier Clert
Creative Consultants - Steven

Pierre Gordon and Alex Orrelle
Production Designers - Szymon Biernacki and Marcin Jakubowski
Lead Character Designer -

Torsten Schrank

Additional Character Design - Marta Andreeva, Jorge A. Capote, Daniel Fernandez Casas and Fernando Moro

Head of Story - Edgar Martins

Layout Supervisors - Armen Melkinian and Jean-Luc Serrano
Background Supervisor -

Gabriel Gomez

Animation Supervisor: "Krums &

Ellingboes" - Charlie Bonifacio
Animation Supervisor: "Klaus" - Victor Ens
Animation Supervisor: "Alva" -

Sergio Martins
Animation Supervisor: "Margu" -

Slaven Reese
Animation Supervisor:

"Jesper" - Yoshimichi Tamura

Animation Supervisor:

"Mogens" - Matt Williames

3D Animation Supervisor - David Lamas
CG Supervisors - Fernando Jareigo and

Gabriel G. Roy
Film Editor - Pablo Garcia Revert

Supervising Sound Editor/Re-Recording

Mixer/Sound Designer - Gabriel Gutiérrez

Re-Recording Mixer - Nicolas de Poulpiquet
Music - Alfonso G. Aguilar

Awards

2020 Academy Awards

Best Animated Feature - Sergio Pablos,

Jinko Gotoh and Marisa Roman (Nominated)

Review

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas, everyone! You probably didn't watch KLAUS, as the movie was released earlier in 2019, before the holidays and is only available on Netflix. The film recaptures the glory days of 2D animation, honouring the likes of Disney. The minimalist animation format (as opposed to excessive CGI) has not graced the silver screen since the era of computer-animated movies. KLAUS is genuinely hilarious and heartfelt, and there's no denying this movie is becoming a holiday classic.

It marks the directorial debut of animator Sergio Pablos, who formerly worked at Disney and is one of the creative minds behind the Despicable Me series. Pablos and his studio create a movie that breathes new life into a timeless myth by giving it a distinguished look. The animation is well-drawn and beautiful, using lighting and texture to create a sense of depth, making it look like a proper 3D-animated feature. It's similar to how Sony made Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which did the opposite.

Jason Schwartzman was convincing as the selfish postman who helps bring joy in a hostile environment in the North. J.K. Simmons is notable for playing gruff, detestable characters, yet he goes against that type when he voices a lonely woodcutter who would come to be known as Santa Claus. Rashida Jones was terrific as the schoolteacher. Norm MacDonald plays the ferryman Mogens, a witty and sarcastic character.

KLAUS is reminiscent of past Christmas movies and is a magical holiday movie that anyone will never forget. I hope more animated films follow KLAUS's same pattern to bring back the same old-fashioned animation style.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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The War with Grandpa Review

The War with Grandpa

Release Date: 3rd December 2020 - Australia

Production Companies

Marro Films

Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films

(EPO Films)

TRI G

West Madison Entertainment

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Family/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 98 minutes

Budget: $38,000,000

Box Office Gross: $40,800,804 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Peter is upset that his parents have forced him to give up his bedroom to his grandfather. Thus, an all-out war between the two has just begun. But will

the two realise there is more

to it than taking back one's property?

Cast

Robert De Niro - Ed

Oakes Fegler - Peter

Uma Thurman - Sally

Rob Riggle - Arthur

Laura Marano - Mia

Poppy Gagnon - Jennifer

Cheech Marin - Danny

Christopher Walken - Jerry

Jane Seymour - Diane

Juliocesar Chavez - Billy

Isaac Kragten - Steve

T.J. McGibbon - Emma

Lydia Styslinger - Lisa

Joe Gelchion - Chuck

Colin Ford - Russell

Faizon Love - Store Manager

Rutanya Alda - Lynn Marino

Veronica Alicino - Nurse Alice

James Martin Kelly - Carl

Crew

Director - Tim Hill

Based on the Book "The War with Grandpa" - Robert Kimmel Smith

Screenplay - Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember

Executive Producers - Craig Chapman, Elizabeth Cree, Randall Emmett, Ted Fox, George Furla, Joe Gelchion,

Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones,

David Lubotta, Myles Nestel,

Christina Papagjika, Tre Peart,

Jane Rosenthal, Matthew Salloway,

Sonny Schwartz, Jimmy Sommers

and Berry Welsh

Co-Executive Producers - John Kennedy

Fitzgerald and Bryant Pike

Producers - Marvin & Rosa Morris Peart

and Phillip Glasser

Co-Producers - Tom Prince and

Mandy Spencer-Phillips

Co-Producer/Second Assistant Director -

Alan Steinman

Production Designer - John Collins

Art Director - Justin O'Neal Miller

Set Decorator - Lynne Mitchell

Costume Designer - Christopher Hargadon

Director of Photography - Greg Gardiner

Stunt Coordinator - Rudolf Weber

Special Effects Coordinator - John S. Baker

Visual Effects Supervisor: Crafty Apes -

Mark Ledoux

Set Supervisor: Crafty Apes - Nicholas Johnson

Editors - Peter S. Elliot and Craig Herring

Supervising Sound Editor - Michael J. Benavente

Co-Supervising Sound Editor - Paul Carden

Sound Design - Luke Gibleon

Re-Recording Mixers - Marc Fishman

and Gabriel J. Serrano

Music - Christopher Lennertz

Music Supervisor - Laurie Marie Mikus

Review

Hello, this is Rad Dingo. It is the anniversary of my blog, FilmGuruLad, which turned ten at the end of this year. I celebrated it by writing a review of a recent movie. THE WAR WITH GRANDPA is not a sequel to Dirty Grandpa, despite having the same actor, Robert De Niro, and is a family-oriented comedy. However, given my low expectations of Dirty Grandpa, it's a miracle that this movie isn't related to the latter. The former is deemed unsuitable for young children under 18. After watching the trailer, I decided to see THE WAR WITH GRANDPA, but trust me... this film is a bit better than Dirty Grandpa. The movie is hilarious and endearing, but its message teaches you to respect your elders, even your grandparents! While disrespectful, it showcases several comical scenes that would leave all moviegoers in stitches!

Considering his age, Robert De Niro had an easy time with this role. It's not like what he's been through in his career, portraying characters in films that were hard-nosed, crazed, and psychotic killers and gangsters. It's not the first time he's played a grandfatherly figure, unless you count Dirty Grandpa. His fellow geriatrics, like Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour, and Cheech Marin, are the supporting players. The same goes for Uma Thurman and Rob Riggle, who played the onscreen parents.

THE WAR WITH GRANDPA is a delightful and semi-decent comedy. It's recommended for all ages and is worth my expectations. You'll have to wait until this movie comes out on Blu-ray, DVD, or your favourite streaming service, and you'll be able to give a cheer.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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In Memory of Jeremy Bulloch (1945-2020)

Jeremy Bulloch (1945-2020)

Dearest moviegoers and fans, we've lost another pivotal Star Wars actor. Jeremy Bulloch, the British actor who portrayed Boba Fett in the original trilogy, passed away on December 17, 2020, at the age of 75. Due to complications from Parkinson's. His death came weeks after the character reappeared in the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian." New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison has played him in recent years. Boba Fett's role in the movies was relatively minor. He has remained one of the franchise's most fan-favourite characters. He is known to everyone in the Star Wars community, and we will miss him sorely.

He was born in Leicestershire in the English Midlands on February 16, 1945. Jeremy began his acting career in commercials during the late 1950s. At age 17, he starred in the movie "Summer Holiday," opposite Cliff Richard. He appeared in the original Star Wars films, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi," becoming the first actor physically to portray the Mandalorian bounty hunter.

While Jeremy was inside Boba Fett's costume, the late Jason Wingreen voiced the character. Morrison later dubbed over Wingreen's voice in the remastered versions to maintain continuity with the prequels. Aside from playing Fett, Jeremy had a small role as the Imperial Officer Lt. Sheckil in "The Empire Strikes Back." Years later, he made a cameo as the Alderaan pilot Captain Jeremoch Culton in "Revenge of the Sith." Jeremy even proved his love for the franchise by appearing in the Save the Children fan films. In 2004, he made a cameo in Mark Hamill's "Comic Book: The Movie." It also featured fellow Star Wars cast members David Prowse and Peter Mayhew. Jeremy also appeared in three of the Roger Moore-starred James Bond films, "The Spy Who Loved Me," "For Your Eyes Only," and "Octopussy," as well as several TV shows, including "Doctor Who," "The Bill," "Casualty," and "Robin of Sherwood."

Jeremy, wherever you are, you gave us the bounty hunter we all know and love.

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In Memory of David Prowse (1935-2020)

David Prowse (1935-2020)

We report with sorrow to millions of Star Wars fans the passing of David Prowse, who embodied the iconic villain Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, on November 28, 2020, after a brief illness. He was 85 years old.

While James Earl Jones is known for voicing Vader, Prowse's imposing six-foot-six-inch stature suits him well as the Sith Lord formerly known as Anakin Skywalker.

He began as a bodybuilder and competed at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Great Britain, where he won the British heavyweight weightlifting championship. After several years of weightlifting, Prowse got his first screen role (albeit uncredited) in the 1967 James Bond spoof "Casino Royale," where he played Frankenstein's Monster. David later reprised the role in two Hammer films in the early 1970s, "Horror of Frankenstein" and "Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell."

Prowse became the centre of attention for up-and-coming filmmaker George Lucas, who had seen him in a small role as a bodyguard in Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange." He asked David to audition for either Chewbacca or Darth Vader in his original 1977 sci-fi movie "Star Wars." However, Prowse chose the latter, while Peter Mayhew played the former, not knowing he would be a masked character. American actor James Earl Jones famously dubbed Vader, whose booming voice was deemed more suitable than Prowse's West Country accent.

He returns as Vader in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." He eventually shared the suit with British Olympic fencer Bob Anderson, who performed much of the lightsaber duelling when Prowse failed to do so convincingly. When British actor Sebastian Shaw portrayed Anakin Skywalker at the end of "Return of the Jedi," Vader was unmasked. At one point in 1978, Prowse accidentally blurted out that Darth Vader was Luke's father, which the actor claimed was a lucky guess and had not yet become public knowledge until the release of "The Empire Strikes Back." It strained his relationship with George Lucas and his production company, Lucasfilm. Prowse was a regular at several fan conventions but faced official bans from many Star Wars conventions because of his earlier controversies, until ill health forced him to retire from them in 2016.

Prowse also starred in movies such as "Vampire Circus" and "The People That Time Forgot," as well as TV shows including "The Saint," "Doctor Who," "Space 1999," and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." He also appeared in two Star Wars-related documentaries, "Elstree 1976" and "I Am Your Father." The latter details his work on Star Wars.

All I can say is, Dave, wherever you are, you created one of the most iconic movie villains in history, and you are now one with the Force.

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In Memory of Sean Connery (1930-2020)

Sean Connery (1930-2020)

Regrettably, I must inform you that Sean Connery has died. The Scottish-born actor, renowned for his iconic portrayal of James Bond, has passed away. He was 90 years old. He long regarded himself as one of the best actors to play the famous British secret agent, appearing in seven films that made him an international star in the franchise. His son, Jason, said he had been ill for some time. This illness led to his death during an overnight stay in the Bahamas. His loved ones surrounded him. Fans consider Sean the best Bond in the series.

Sean was born in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, on August 25th, 1930. He is the son of a Catholic factory worker and a Protestant home cleaner. After leaving school in poverty at age 13, Connery took several odd jobs, including a coffin polisher, milkman, and lifeguard, before enlisting in the Royal Navy. Three years later, his stomach ulcers got him removed from service. After his time in the Navy, he earned a reputation for being a "hard man" when he defended himself from six gang members, who followed him after they tried to steal from his coat. Sean took up bodybuilding and enjoyed football. At one point, he was offered a contract at Manchester United for £25 a week, but he changed his goal to becoming an actor.

In 1953, Connery competed in the Mr Universe competition in London. He started his stage career as a chorus member in the musical "South Pacific." A year later, Connery first appeared as an extra in the film "Lilacs in the Spring" and had some minor television roles. In 1957, Sean landed his first leading role in the BBC's television adaptation of "Blood Money," followed by his first lead role in a B-movie crime drama, "No Road Back." The following year, he would star opposite Lana Turner in "Another Time, Another Place."

He continued to act and perfect his skill. Sean became the focus of attention when producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman approached him. They had acquired the rights to Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and began searching for an actor to play 007. Sean got the part without an audition, and the rest is history. Upon its release, "Dr. No" was an instant success. It propelled him to international stardom. He continued to play the agent in four consecutive films in the series: "From Russia with Love," "Goldfinger," "Thunderball," and "You Only Live Twice." In 1967, during the production of "You Only Live Twice," Connery grew tired of Bond and feared being typecast. He refused to return in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," with the role later given to Australian actor George Lazenby. In 1971, he returned to play the character in "Diamonds Are Forever" after Broccoli and Saltzman offered him a record $1.25 million. A great deal of money would later tempt him to portray the character in 1983's "Never Say Never Again."

Outside of portraying 007, Connery had a long and distinguished film career, beginning in the mid-1960s and continuing into the early 1970s, with roles in "Marnie," "The Hill," "A Fine Madness," "Shalako," and "The Molly Maguires." In 1974, he appeared in the post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy movie "Zardoz," which was a huge misstep. Sean earned a supporting role in a film adaptation of Agatha Christie's mystery novel "Murder on the Orient Express." His career continued to flourish in 1975 with films such as "The Wind and the Lion" and "The Man Who Would Be King," in which he starred alongside his friend Michael Caine. In 1976, he starred opposite Audrey Hepburn as the aging Robin Hood in the film "Robin and Marian." Although the movie was not an instant success, it solidified his reputation as a versatile, serious screen actor. In the late 1970s, Sean faced a series of setbacks, including "A Bridge Too Far," "Cuba," and "Meteor," but earned another hit with Terry Gilliam's "Time Bandits." His box-office reputation would improve in films such as "Highlander" (except in the U.S.), "Name of the Rose," and "The Untouchables." The latter earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

In 1989, Connery was paired with Harrison Ford when director Steven Spielberg cast him as Indiana Jones's father (despite being 12 years older) in "The Last Crusade." Sean went on to star in notable successes like "The Hunt for Red October," "The Russia House," "Dragonheart," "The Rock," "Entrapment," and "Finding Forrester," as well as failures like "First Knight," "The Avengers," and his very last film, "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen."

Connery retired from live acting in 2005. However, he also did voice work, including voicing Bond in the video game adaptation of "From Russia with Love." He even voiced the title character in the animated short "Sir Billi the Vet" and later reprised the role in 2010 for "Sir Billi," which he also executive-produced. Queen Elizabeth II knighted Sean in 2000. He married Australian actress Diane Cilento in 1962; they had their only son, Jason Connery, before divorcing in 1973.

We'll miss you, Sean, and wherever you are, you will always be my favourite James Bond!

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Scooby-Doo Review

Scooby-Doo


Release Date: 20th June 2002 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
Mosaic Media Group
Atlas Entertainment (Uncredited)

Distribution
Roadshow Films


Genre: Family/Comedy

Rating: G

Runtime: 86 minutes


Budget: $84,000,000 

Box Office Gross: $275,678,613 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

After two years apart, Scooby and Shaggy reunite with Fred, Velma, and Daphne as the Mystery Inc. gang receives an invitation to Spooky Island, an amusement park/resort. However, strange things are happening at Spooky Island, seemingly affecting young visitors in unusual ways.

Scooby and the gang must work together and set aside their differences to solve the mystery and discover whether this island is being haunted. Or it could be the work of a sinister individual behind it all.


Cast
Matthew Lillard - Shaggy
Neil Fanning - Scooby (Voice)
Freddie Prinze Jr. - Fred
Sarah Michelle Gellar - Daphne
Linda Cardellini - Velma
Rowan Atkinson - Mondavarious
Isla Fisher - Mary Jane
Miguel A. Nunez Jr. - Voodoo Maestro
Steven Grives - N' Goo Tuana
Scott Innes - Scrappy (Voice)
J. P. Manoux - Scrappy Rex
Sam Greco - Zarkos
Charlie Cousins - Velma's Friend
Kristian Schmid - Brad
Nicholas Hope - Old Man Smithers
Jess Harnell - Creatures (Voice)
Frank Welker - Creatures (Voice)
Pamela Anderson - Herself (Cameo)
Sugar Ray - Themselves (Cameos)

Crew
Director - Raja Gosnell
Story - Craig Titley
Story/Screenplay - James Gunn
Based on Characters - Joe Ruby and Ken Spears (Uncredited)

Based on Characters/

Executive Producers - William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Associate Producer - Sheryl Benko

Associate Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Stephen Jones

Associate Producer/First Assistant Director -

Philip A. Patterson
Executive Producers - Robert Engelman,

Andrew Mason and Kelley Smith-Wait
Producers - Charles Roven and

Richard Suckle
Co-Producer - Alan Glazer

Casting - Mary Vernieu
Production Designer - Bill Boes

Art Directors - Bill Booth, Donna Brown,

Helen Gabrielle Gliniak and Christian Wintter

Set Decorators - Jodie Allen,

Suza Maybury, Matthew Putland

and Sandy Wingrove
Costume Designer - Lessa Evans

Hair/Makeup Supervisor - Lesley Vanderwalt
Director of Photography - David Eggby

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

Guy Norris
Special Effects Supervisor - Brian Cox

"Scooby Doo" Designer/Cyber-Scan Model

Sculptor: Jim Henson's Creature Shop/

Rhythm + Hues - Brian Wade

Visual Effects Supervisor - Peter Crosman

Visual Effects Supervisor: Rhythm + Hues -

Betsy Paterson

Additional Visual Effects Supervisor -

Neil Krepela

Visual Effects Producer - Kurt Williams

Digital Effects Supervisor: Rhythm + Hues -

Todd Shifflet

Director of Photography: New Deal Studios -

Tim Angulo
Animation Supervisor - Richard Baneham
Animation Supervisors: Rhythm + Hues -

Leon Joosen and Bill Kroyer

Animation Sequence Supervisors: Rhythm +

Hues - Erik De Boer, Keith Roberts and

Lyndon Barrois

Animation Leads: Rhythm + Hues -

Bud Myrick and Danny Speck

Editor - Kent Beyda

Supervising Sound Editor - Michael D. Wilhoit

Sound Designer - Scott Sanders

Production Sound Mixer - Paul 'Salty' Brincat

Re-Recording Mixers - David E. Campbell,

John T. Reitz and Gregg Rudloff
Music - David Newman

Music Supervisor - Laura Ziffren

Music Recordist and Mixer - Bruce Botnick


Review
Initially conceived as a risqué, adult-oriented take on the cartoon franchise, the studio that owns the Hanna-Barbera property toned down SCOOBY-DOO into a kids' movie. I grew up with this film and didn't notice how bad it was, though it had a few good aspects. For example, Matthew Lillard was consistent as Shaggy. Later, he would inherit the character in subsequent Scooby productions. Unfortunately, some disappointing elements ruin it. The attempts at humour (except in a few scenes) and outdated CGI characters didn't age well, not to mention the poorly executed storyline (revealing a plot twist involving the real villain that comes out of nowhere), which James Gunn wrote. Yes, that man, James Gunn, who 12 years later would successfully bring Guardians of the Galaxy to the big screen. I didn't even realise that the live-action adaptation was just a rehash of the direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movie Zombie Island.

The acting (save for Matthew Lillard) is far from perfect, including Linda Cardellini, who sounds so bored in her role as Velma. She did a magnificent job with her voice. Freddie Prinze Jr. had no big shoes to fill as Fred. The same goes for Sarah Michelle Gellar when playing Daphne. Rowan Atkinson's character was underused. It should have played a significant part in the movie.

It's "ruh-oh" for Scooby-Doo fans, as the movie adaptation fell short of the series' ongoing mystery. It spawned a sequel, Monsters Unleashed, along with a few others that have shifted to direct-to-video.

I would rather sit through watching the first few direct-to-video animated movies than revisit the lowbrow cinematic interpretation.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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