Movie Review: “The Call of the Wild”

There are some movies that employ computer-generated graphics in an effective manner. 

There are other movies that use computer-generated graphics to the point of distraction. 

The new movie adaptation of Jack London’s 1903 novel “The Call of the Wild” is firmly in the latter camp. 

The filmmakers behind “The Call of the Wild” opted to forgo real-life animals in the movie, and instead crafted all of the animals — including the dog named Buck — in the computer. 

We’ve seen some terrific computer-generated animals in recent years, but they’re best utilized in small doses. Care needs to be taken to assure they feel credible. 

“The Call of the Wild” was released by Disney. However, the film was acquired from 20th Century Fox when Disney purchased the studio last year. 

I have a feeling “The Call of the Wild" would have been better if Disney had helmed the movie during its production. 

The reason I say this is that we have an example of a period drama involving a Siberian Husky pup named “Togo” that debuted on Disney+ last December. That movie (which I will be reviewing soon) does a wonderful job combining real-life dogs with CG elements. 

I’m going to harp on the CG elements in “The Call of the Wild” because they were pretty distracting, and the dogs just didn’t look real. 

The computer-generated animals took me out of the story. 

Speaking of the story, “The Call of the Wild” follows the exploits of Buck, a St. Bernard/Scotch Collie mix who inadvertently finds himself living a life of adventure. 

The movie takes place during the 19th century and the early moments find Buck living in California with Judge Miller (Bradley Whitford). 

Buck is abducted from his genteel life and sent to the Yukon Territory. Upon arrival, he is purchased by a man named Perreault (Omar Sy) and his assistant Francoise (Cara Gee). 

The pair delivers mail throughout the Yukon via dog sled. 

The sequences involving Buck with the dog sled team reminded me of the movie “Togo.” However, none of the scenes in “Call of the Wild” ever felt particularly authentic. That fact made it hard to willfully suspend disbelief. 

Anyhow, the gig with the dog sled team doesn’t last for long because Perreault and Francoise learn that their mail delivery route is being cancelled. The reason mentioned is that telegraph lines are being built in the area. 

(Why telegraph lines would supplant mail is beyond me. I have to believe mail was still delivered to and from the Yukon during that era, but whatever… )

Buck is soon sold to a wealthy man named Hal (“Downton Abbey’s” Dan Stevens) whose only emotion seems to be severe cruelty. (I’m surprised he didn’t spend his time twirling his mustache.) Hal runs the team nearly to death in his quest to find gold (the film takes place during the Klondike Gold Rush). 

I feel like there might have been more to this subplot. One of Hal’s companions is played by actress Karen Gillan, who is a fairly high profile star to get relegated to a bit part. 

I guess I should mention that a kind man named John Thornton (Harrison Ford) encounters Buck during the early stages and forges a bond with the dog. 

Thornton eventually rescues Buck from Hal, nursing the weary animal back to health. He and the dog eventually set out on a wilderness journey (inspired by Thorton’s dead son). 

These sorts of movies don’t tend to have much in the way of plot. That’s okay. The selling point of wilderness stories is typically built around mood and environment. 

The film wasn’t shot in Alaska or Canada. According to Harrison Ford (in a video interview with “Vanity Fair”) it was shot in Santa Clarita, California — with a number of the scenic vistas being crafted in the computer. 

Therein lies the overall problem with “The Call of the Wild” — nothing feels real. 

The film was directed by Chris Sanders — best known for writing screenplays for animated films like “How to Train Your Dragon,” “The Croods,” and “Lilo & Stitch.” His résumé hasn’t really featured any live-action films. 

I think we all understand the need to use visual effects for certain elements in an adventure movie. However, the filmmakers overused technology in this instance. 

It goes back to my earlier comments about the computer-generated dogs in the movie. Buck is the central character in “The Call of the Wild.” In order to be credible, the dog has to feel authentic. His mannerisms and demeanor made him feel more like a cartoon character.  

It’s a shame because this could have been a compelling wilderness adventure film. Harrison Ford — who is a terrific actor — does a solid job with the material given. 

Unfortunately, his performance wasn’t enough to overcome the myriad of problems.

It pains me to say it, but “The Call of the Wild” isn’t worth answering. 

Previous post: Three Months With Disney+... My Thoughts

Three Months With Disney+... My Thoughts

The fanfare is over… the new streaming service smell has worn off… and “The Mandalorian” has concluded its first season run.

So, what are my thoughts on Disney’s ambitious new streaming service — three months into life as a Disney+ subscriber?

I’m going to look at the service based strictly on how I use it — my initial reaction, what I watch, and what I’d like to see in the future. 

MY INITIAL REACTION

When Disney+ was first announced, there were a number of assumptions made that haven’t fully panned out for subscribers. 

For example, some folks assumed (despite Disney releasing information to the contrary) that the *entire* Disney catalog would be on the service.  

As of this writing, a number of notable movies, shorts, and TV shows have yet to appear on Disney+. 

Some movies — like the “Mighty Ducks” franchise — have “place holder” graphics on the service, but the streaming rights won’t revert back to Disney until July 1, 2020. 

There are hit films — like Warren Beatty’s 1990 flick “Dick Tracy” — that are nowhere to be seen. 

Some of the 1980s-era movies from my youth — like “The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark” — have yet to show up. 

The popular TV series “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is tied up on Netflix. 

In addition, certain movies that were on Disney+ when the service debuted (like “Home Alone”) disappeared in January 2020. 

So Disney+ doesn’t house the *entire* catalog. At least, not yet.

Based on existing streaming/broadcasting rights (such as the deals Disney had with entities like Netflix and Starz), some of the content won’t make it to Disney+ for awhile. 

In addition, certain movies could revert back to those other services in the future (“Black Panther” being an example).

We’ll have to stay tuned and see what happens in that regard. 

I’m not trying to slight the service. I just wanted to point out that it isn’t the complete Disney collection. Furthermore, it is very possible that Disney will rotate content in and out to keep things fresh as the years progress. 

Taking all of that into account, there is still a considerable amount of content on the service. It’s a healthy slate for $6.99/month (or $69.99/year) in the U.S. 

There is also a $12.99/month bundle that includes Hulu and ESPN+. (We got the bundle.)

WHAT I WATCH ON DISNEY+ 

Like many of the first day subscribers to Disney+, the first season of “The Mandalorian” was a key hook in luring me to sign up. 

I enjoyed how they released “The Mandalorian” episodes on a week-to-week basis (even though Bridget and I typically like to binge watch series). 

The slower pace allowed me to review each episode as it appeared on the service.

For being the first live-action “Star Wars” series, I thought Lucasfilm did a solid job. Some viewers complained about the fact that the eight episodes had short runtimes (most in the 30-minute range). It definitely left you wanting more (the show will return for a second season in October 2020). 

One of the nice benefits of the service is that it offers a pretty hefty amount of content in 4K HDR. 

As of this writing, there are more than 70 theatrical movies currently offered in 4K HDR. In addition, a number of the Disney+ original series (like “The Mandalorian”) are offered in 4K, as are some of the short film collections (like the inventive “SparkShorts” collection). 

I was pleasantly surprised to see the “Star Wars” films offered in 4K. The older films in the series (episodes I-VII) weren’t previously available anywhere in 4K. 

Aside from new content like “The Mandalorian,” I’ve enjoyed being able to watch catalog fare like 1991’s “The Rocketeer” (I’d forgotten how much fun it was) and 1979’s “The Black Hole” (a movie I loved in grade school). 

I haven’t delved into all of the new original content on Disney+, but did watch the Christmas movie “Noelle” (read my review) and just started the film “Togo” (review coming soon). 

I've also sampled series like “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” “The Imagineering Story,” and the “SparkShorts” animated collection (I’d recommend “Float” — the sweet story of a boy who has autism). 

I’ve recently been catching up on the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (the final season debuted Feb. 21 on Disney+). 

Like many of you, I’m looking forward to seeing what some of the “future" series and movies will be like. In particular, I’m hopeful that Marvel’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” will be a worthwhile entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). 

At this point in time, Disney doesn’t have the sort of robust release schedule for new content that rival Netflix doles out on a week-to-week basis. 

Much of the early content is reality-type programming (which is quicker and cheaper to produce). I’m hoping this is a stop-gap measure until Disney can ramp up production of scripted series and in-depth documentary content. 

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE ON DISNEY+ 

So far, most of the “scripted series” announced for Disney+ are based “Marvel” and “Star Wars” properties. 

But I have some thoughts on other series I’d like to see developed for the service. 

I think Disney could create a really cool live-action series based on the “Tron” films. 

You could do so much with that world, and since they scrapped plans for third theatrical “Tron” movie, it would make a lot of sense to use that IP on Disney+. 

Disney’s 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm opens up a number of possibilities for series that go beyond the “Star Wars” franchise. 

For example, the 1988 fantasy film “Willow” would be the perfect fodder for a TV series. It would be fun to see Warwick Davis back in action as Nelwyn wizard Willow Ufgood. 

The current visual effects technologies would allow them to create a much richer world than they could in the 1980s. I’ve always felt “Willow” was produced before its time. 

The possibility of a “Willow”-based series has been teased, but nothing concrete has been announced. 

To me, “Tron” and Willow” are two properties tailor-made for further adventures on Disney+. 

I also wouldn’t mind seeing Nicolas Cage in a series based on the “National Treasure” franchise (a third theatrical movie is apparently in the works).

The Disney+ Twitter account recently shared some images from their upcoming “Mighty Ducks” series (currently in production). The production brings back Emilio Estevez as Coach Gordon Bombay. As a hockey fan, I couldn’t be more pleased to see that franchise back on the ice. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Some prognosticators have suggested Disney+ is the soulful alarm announcing the end of “physical media” — meaning consumers soon won’t be able to purchase movies and TV shows on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Blu-ray.

We’ve seen shrinkage in the physical media market the past few years. Brick-and-mortar stores are allocating less shelf space to the entire DVD segment. 

Bridget and I stream content (from services like Disney+) via three Apple TV units in our home. 

While Apple TV has a terrific “user interface” and “user experience,” I do lament the apparent end of physical media, and wonder what the future will be like when consumers don’t *own* movies anymore. 

It brings into question the entire direction of the industry. 

As studios and tech companies compete for a slice of the subscription revenue pie, will we see the number of theatrical movie releases dwindle? Will the theatrical window narrow to weeks (instead of months)? Will high-profile projects be shifted exclusively to streaming platforms? 

It’s hard to say at this point. 

Disney’s Bob Iger — who recently stepped aside as CEO in preparation for his retirement in 2022 — said last year that Disney+ is the company’s “number one priority.” The service is part of his overall vision for a reinvention of Disney. 

A day will come in the not-to-distant future when Disney+ is pumping out new content every week throughout the year. 

How that will effect the entertainment industry is still unknown. It does make you wonder if the day is coming when the latest Marvel, “Star Wars,” or Pixar blockbuster will debut on Disney+.

While it’s prestigious to have a handful of movies make $1 billion at the box office each year, a company like Disney is looking to generate $1 billion a month from its streaming service. The more compelling the original content on Disney+, the more likely people are to stay subscribers. 

While the service is still a work in progress — and still has its quirks — Disney+ has a solid infrastructure on place. It is a worthwhile option to have in your streaming arsenal.

I’m looking forward to seeing where Disney+ goes from here and how it helps reshape the industry. 

To learn more about the service and subscribe, visit www.disneyplus.com. 

Previous post: Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 5 (CBS All Access Series) 

Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 5 (CBS All Access Series)

“Murder is not justice. There is no solace in revenge.” 

Jean-Luc Picard in “Stardust City Rag” 

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Welp, here we are at the midway point of the first season of “Star Trek: Picard.” 

The fifth episode is titled “Stardust City Rag” and it finds our heroes visiting a place called Freecloud as they search for scientist Bruce Maddox (John Ales) — the man behind twin android sisters Dahj and Soji Asha. 

They’ve teased Freecloud the past couple of episodes. Freecloud’s look is sort of a cross between the casino planet Canto Bight in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (read my review) and the “Oasis” in the movie “Ready Player One” (read my review). 

I enjoyed the holographic “ads” that appeared on the bridge of La Sirena when it came into orbit of Freecloud. They were kind of a fun little detail… 

We find out that “7 of 9” (Jeri Ryan) is a Fenris Ranger and that the rangers keep their money on Freecloud — so it was sort of serendipitous that they ran into her in the last episode. 

This isn’t the first time they’ve mentioned “Fenris Rangers” in “Star Trek: Picard,” so I looked them up. 

Fenris Rangers (according to the first season press kit) are “an independent group of peacekeepers who try to maintain a semblance of law and order on both sides of the former Neutral Zone.” 

In a nutshell, they are vigilantes. 

Raffi (Michelle Hurd) has been trying to make her way to Freecloud throughout the first half of the season — hence the reason she decided to hitch a ride on Picard’s mission. Her  Freecloud aspirations were wrapped in mystery until this episode. 

It turns out she wanted to reunite with her estranged son Gabriel (Mason Gooding). She finds out her son is about to have a baby with his Romulan wife.

As is the case with estranged children in TV dramas like this, Gabriel rejects his mother’s overtures and doesn’t believe she is a changed woman. Spurned and rejected, Raffi returns to La Sirena by the end of the episode. 

The whole sequence felt a bit contrived. As I mentioned, it is a fairly common narrative technique to have an estranged child reject a parent in an ambivalent manner. The technique is often employed to stir up feelings of sympathy for a character with an icy demeanor. 

Picard (Patrick Stewart), Rios (Santiago Cabrera), Elnor (Evan Evagora), Jurati (Alison Pill), Raffi, and “7 of 9” hatch a plan to snatch Bruce Maddox from the grip of a Freecloud crime boss named Bjayzl (Necar Zadegan). 

While the plan is somewhat ridiculous, there are some fun moments as our heroes try to bargain with Bjayzl to hand over Maddox (the ruse is built around a scenario involving a trade of “7 of 9” for the scientist). 

We learned in the season premiere of “Star Trek: Picard” that Agnes Jurati had a professional relationship with Dr. Maddox. 

In this episode, we find out that their relationship veered into the romantic along the way. 

That’s what makes it so puzzling when Jurati murders the rescued Maddox in the La Sirena sick bay at the end of the episode. 

As Maddox gasps his final breath, Jurati tearfully says, “I wish you knew what I know. I wish I didn’t know what I know. I wish they hadn’t shown me. I’m so sorry.”

I’ve been wondering if there was more to Dr. Jurati than meets the eye. I know people online have wondered whether she might be an android herself.

I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t think she’s an android, but there is definitely something odd going on with her. 

“Stardust City Rag” was an entertaining episode. 

It didn’t move the needle a whole lot as far as the overall narrative goes, but at least Picard learned he needs to visit “The Artifact” to find Dahj’s twin sister. Frankly, I’m glad they’re not going to spend the entire season trying to figure that out. 

I still think the show relies a bit too much on easter eggs and “fan service” moments from previous “Trek” lore. I’m hopeful the second half of the season will be able to shed the nostalgia and truly evolve into its own living, breathing thing.  

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Read my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 6! 

Previous post: Book Review: “State of the Union” By Brad Thor 

Book Review: “State of the Union” By Brad Thor

“What if the Cold War didn’t end? What if we thought it had ended, 

but the Soviets were just playing possum?” 

President Jack Rutledge in “State of the Union” 

I own a lot of books. Some would say I own too many. 

But really, can you ever have too many books?

Over the years, I’ve collected book series with plans to one day finish them. Like many of you, I’ll discover a talented writer, read a book in his/her series, like it, and quickly gather the rest. I have shelves and totes holding full series that are waiting patiently to be read. 

At some point, you have to bite the bullet, set a deadline, and read all the books. 

A lot of the people I follow on Twitter are big fans of Brad Thor’s novels. They tweet glowing reviews, plan vacations around the release of his novels, and have an unabashed enthusiasm for the 19 thrillers he has written (as of this writing). 

I own all of his books, but really wanted to go back and “fill in the gaps” in order, from the beginning. 

A few years ago, I read his first novel “The Lions of Lucerne” in hopes of accomplishing this task — before I had this blog. Sadly, I didn't stick with the plan, and have fallen further behind. 

Thor’s next novel is titled “Near Dark” and will be released June 23, 2020. He unveiled the cover and title in January: 

I decided it was time to read — and review — the 14 novels I had yet to read before “Near Dark” is released. It gives me a firm deadline (which is helpful when “binge reading” books). 

First up on the docket is Thor’s third novel “State of the Union.” 

This time out, dependable operative Scot Harvath is investigating the disappearance of colleague, family friend, and mentor Gary Lawlor. 

Lawlor heads up an international branch of the Department of Homeland Security dubbed the Office of International Investigative Assistance (OIIA). Harvath works for the organization, and Lawlor’s sudden disappearance is cause for concern in President Jack Rutledge’s administration. 

For the uninitiated, Harvath is a former U.S. Freestyle Ski Team member who studied at USC (the university Thor attended), became a U.S. Navy SEAL (serving on two SEAL teams — including the “Polar SEALS”), and was later recruited by the Secret Service to improve White House operations and security. 

Readers discover in the opening pages of “State of the Union” that nefarious forces inside modern-day Russia are hatching a plan to bring the United States to its knees. 

Lawlor’s disappearance is tied to that plan — a deadly plot with origins in the Cold War. (We learn about a dormant program he was involved in called “Dark Knight” that appears to be related to his disappearance.)

The scheme is put into motion days before Rutledge’s State of the Union address. As a result, the president’s head is being held over a proverbial barrel, and demands are made regarding the content of his address to the nation. 

Harvath must race against the clock — traveling to Germany and points beyond — to learn the fate of Lawlor and thwart Russia’s plan. 

Despite the fact that “State of the Union” was published in 2004, there is something eerily topical about the storyline for today’s readers. 

Thor is adept at plotting and pacing. He sprinkles in various anecdotes and facts to add credibility to his narrative. 

For example, during sequences in Berlin, Thor includes something called “ghost stations” found in Berlin’s U-bahn metro rail system.

Those metro stations were split off during the Cold War (when the Soviet Union built the wall dividing Berlin).

“Because of a quirk in geography,” writes Thor, “two of the West Berlin lines needed to pass briefly through East Berlin before circling back around to the West. It was very strange. You could ride through East Berlin and see stations like this completely abandoned except for the stern-faced soldiers standing on the platforms with machine guns.” 

When I read that passage in the novel, I had to pull out my iPad Pro to do a bit of research. Sure enough, I found some interesting information about the “ghost stations.” 

It was neat to be able to learn about a piece of history I was unfamiliar with before reading the novel. 

Like a number of his contemporaries, Thor manages to throw in various “tools of the trade” to enhance the verisimilitude in his novels. 

Whether it is a mention of Harvath’s .40-caliber SIG Sauer P229 — or a description of a Mi-17-1V assault helicopter — Thor does a good job with the technical aspects of his stories. 

As it regards the Mi-17-1V, I looked it up online (I like to be able to picture the aircraft mentioned) and found out that the helicopter is based on an airframe built in the 1970s for the Mil Mi-8 “Hip.” 

It is one of two interesting helicopters featured in “State of the Union.”

When I was a kid, I enjoyed building model airplanes and developed a fascination for military aircraft. My parents bought me a copy of “Jane’s World Aircraft Recognition Manual” in 1982. So I pulled my well-worn copy off the shelf to see if I could find the Mi-8 helicopter. Sure enough, I did: 

“State of the Union” epitomizes what made the “early era” Brad Thor novels great. The first three entries in the Harvath series remind me a lot of Robert Ludlum during his prime. 

I should also point out that “State of the Union’s” geographic descriptions are top notch. That might have to do with Thor’s extensive knowledge of Europe developed during his time hosting the PBS series “Traveling Lite” (a show he created and produced).  

Next on the agenda is “Blowback.” I’ve read the first few chapters and I’m already intrigued. Stay tuned for my review!

If you’d like to learn more about the world of author Brad Thor, visit his website: www.bradthor.com. 

Previous post: Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 4 (CBS All Access Series) 

Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 4 (CBS All Access Series)

“I don’t have the right, but I need your help one last time.”

Jean-Luc Picard in “Absolute Candor”

SPOILERS AHEAD!

The fourth episode of “Star Trek: Picard” is titled “Absolute Candor” and features our titular hero spending the episode assembling his team and revealing more Roman lore.

At the end of the last episode, we saw Picard (Patrick Stewart) depart earth on the ship La Sirena with Rios (Santiago Cabrera), Raffi (Michelle Hurd), and Dr. Jurati (Alison Pill). 

They were headed to search for Soji Asha, twin sister of the android Dahj — who came to see Picard in the first episode of the season, and was murdered by a group of Romulan secret police called the Tal Shiar (who might also be part of an ancient cabal known as the Zhat Vash).

Full disclosure: I had to look up the names “Tal Shiar” and “Zhat Vash” because I’d forgotten what the Romulan bad guys were called in the week since I wrote my last review.  

Anyhow, this week's episode has Picard visiting a group of Romulan warrior assassin nuns (yes, there is apparently such a thing) known as the Qowat Milat on the planet Vashti.

The nuns practice “absolute candor” — which means they say what they think unfiltered (like Jim Carrey’s character in the movie “Liar, Liar”). 

Picard forged a relationship with the warrior assassin nuns (I love typing that) during his Romulan relocation efforts 14 years prior. At that time, he befriended a boy who was being raised by the nuns, named Elnor (Ian Nunney). 

Fast forward 14 years... Picard needs some “muscle” for his current mission, and Elnor (now an adult played by Evan Evagora) is still living on Vashti and has been trained in the warrior assassin nun methods. 

They wield a special kind of sword known as the “tan qualanq.” The order can be bound to a singular cause known as the “qalankhkai.”  

(There is obviously some sort of “Romulan random word generator” online I don’t know about...)

Let’s face it, Elnor and the nuns are basically the “Star Trek” equivalent of the Jedi Knights. I’m totally fine with that. Their presence might make this series more appealing as the season progresses. 

Speaking of appealing, I am digging the clothes they wear in the 24th century. I’m so happy they've scrapped the endless array of ugly jumpsuits for clothes that look similar to the fashions of today. 

There’s something comfortable and relatable about the clothes in “Star Trek: Picard.” 

The outfits are designed by Christine Bieselin Clark. Clark’s credits include movies like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and Disney’s upcoming “Jungle Cruise.” You can learn more about her costume work at www.christineclarkdesign.com.

We dive a little bit more into the relationship between Soji and her Romulan love interest known as Narek (Harry Treadaway). Narek is working for the nefarious Zhat Vash cabal, and is in place to try and learn from Soji where a “nest” of androids might be located.

Frankly, I don’t know what Soji sees in this guy. At this point, he just seems like narrative tool (no pun intended) designed to reveal more about Soji — and the Zhat Vash’s plan — to viewers. 

(I know they’re trying to play the angle that he’s conflicted about his relationship with Soji, but she seems too smart not to see through all his overtures). 

The Soji/Narek interactions in the fourth episode manage bring into question the veracity in Soji’s backstory. He questions her head on during the episode. 

At the end of “Absolute Candor,” the former Borg drone “7 of 9” (Jeri Ryan) is beamed aboard La Sirena during a space battle with a Romulan Bird of Prey.  

The “7 of 9” character was introduced in the series “Star Trek: Voyager” (during the show’s fourth season). The character was originally born Annika Hansen. She was liberated from the Borg collective by the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager.  

It’ll be interesting to see how her character figures into the overall storyline. I didn’t watch a lot of “Voyager,” so I’m pretty vague on “7 of 9” (even though it was a popular character). 

It seems like she’ll bring an interesting dynamic to the series (and should be helpful in the hunt for Soji). 

Overall, I found the “Absolute Candor” episode to be the strongest since “Star Trek: Picard’s” first episode. The narrative primarily focused on Picard in this episode, and that’s always a good thing. 

I’ve been enjoying the assembly of Picard’s “crew” the past couple of episodes. I know some folks online have suggested that the supporting cast is bland, but I like how things are developing. 

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Read my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 5! 

Previous post: Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 3 (CBS All Access Series)