All the latest Movieland investigations from detectives Dick Japowski and Joey Arizona.
The Arizona Case Files
Onward (2020)
A planet populated by mythical creatures has left the world of magic behind and embraced the modern age. Two brothers go on a quest to find a gemstone which will allow them see their father one last time.
This is the kind of world Will Smith movie Bright aimed for, and failed to capture. A perfect mesh of fantasy and reality. While it's largely a fun journey Onward does have a streak of melancholy running through it, and an ending which doesn't hit quite as hard as the Toy Story furnace, but it's still pretty emotional.
First watch: 4 Doughnuts
The Arizona Spook Files
Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018)
A teen wins a place at an esteemed Private School. But when he arrives it appears the school is a little strapped for cash, and the headmaster has allowed a fracking company on to the grounds, and it appears they've discovered more than just oil.
Mrs Arizona can sometimes be the worst person to watch a movie with. Granted she didn't choose to watch this, but she spent the whole time on her phone, and when it finished she said, in a slightly sarcastic tone, 'Do you feel your life was greatly improved watching that?'. Personally I don't think you can criticise anything you've only half, at best, paid attention to. She also kept making Harry Potter jokes because it's set at a boarding school and they were warned not to go into the woods.
For Christmas this year I'd like a divorce.
First watch: 3.5 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
The Image Revolution (2014)
Documentary about the comic book artists from Marvel and DC, that were fed up with not getting the recognition they felt they deserved, so led by the Tod-father (Todd McFarlane) they set up on their own as Image comics.
The egos on display on these guys! Becoming rockstars over night, some of these artists handle it better than others and this film does a good job at showing the rise and fallouts of becoming to big to quick, but when your watching some unlikable types it's hard to empathize when someone isn't able to buy their fifth car!
First watch: 3 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
An all-star dramatisation of one of America's most infamous court cases, where in 1969 the leaders of several protest groups were accused of instigating a riot.
I knew little about this story going in, I kind of knew about Abbie Hoffmann and Bobby Seale, but what grabbed my attention was the cast and the fact it's written/directed by Aaron Sorkin.
I've read some criticism about this online, how it plays with the truth, making some things up for dramatic effect, likewise things are left out or attributed to different characters, and you have to ask...have these people ever watched a movie before? I hope they didn't watch Trumbo or Eddie the Eagle, where entire characters are made up.
It's also been criticized for being leftist, but how can a story about war protesters being persecuted by their own government be anything else?
All I know is it kept me glued to my seat, I was shocked, I was elated, I laughed and almost cried. You can't ask for more than that.
First watch: 4.5 Doughnuts
Deck the Halls with Dick Japowski 🌲
Home Alone 3 (1997)
A group of criminal sorts hide a top secret military chip inside a radio controlled car and then the classic switcharoo at the airport happens and it winds up in the hands of one of those home aloners!
Far from being in the classic McCallister duo of films this is still heaps of fun with 4 bad guys so double the creative pain and a young Scarlett Johansson as the mean sister. Give it a whirl the children will love it!
Rewatch: 3 Baubles
Christmas factor: 2 Baubles
Have you witnessed any of the movies we've investigated? What's the verdict? Let us know in the comments below.