The Boxtrolls

The Boxtrolls – Dirs. Graham Annable & Anthony Stacchi (2014)

Nothing against computer animation, but it is a shame that it has supplanted hand-drawn and stop-motion as the predominant art form. What a strange sight it is to see CGI versions of Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and Charlie Brown. Thank goodness there are still hard working animators dedicated to keeping traditional methods alive.

The Portland-based Laika continues to make strides in stop-motion animation with films like Coraline and ParaNorman, both of which were nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. The Boxtrolls continues that streak, but it's the slightest entry in their oeuvre and if I had my druthers I would have slotted The LEGO Movie in its stead.

The Boxtrolls is set in the Victorian-era village of Cheesebridge, a charming little burg built on top of a mountain. Cheesebridge does have one major drawback. They are plagued by subterranean creatures known as Boxtrolls, who earned their name for their penchant of wearing cardboard boxes like turtle shells. When parents want to scare their kids straight, they tell them the Boxtrolls will snatch them out of their beds and gobble them up.

However, none of those tales are true. Just ask Eggs (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), an orphaned boy who has been raised by the little critters and actually believes himself to be a Boxtroll. It seems these lies have been spread by one Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley), who has fashioned himself a premiere pest exterminator. Make no mistake, he has no altruistic bent. Snatcher wishes to use the Boxtrolls in a scheme to climb the social ladder and join the exclusive White Hats. Led by the Mayor of Cheesebridge, Lord Portley-Rind (Jared Harris), the White Hats gather together to taste some of the world's finest gourmet cheeses.

If I've discussed Snatcher more than I have the protagonists, it's because the villains are the most interesting characters in the film. With his stringy hair and hook nose, Snatcher takes obvious inspiration from the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He goes to such great lengths in demonizing the Boxtrolls that he dresses in drag and performs a stage show as Madame Frou-Frou. Snatcher has three henchmen under his employ, the first being Mr. Gristle (Tracy Morgan), a diminutive lunatic who simply repeats the last word he heard. There's also Mr. Trout (Nick Frost) and Mr. Pickles (Richard Ayoade), who try very hard to convince themselves that they are the good guys of the story.

The Boxtrolls themselves don't play much of a factor. The Boxtrolls opens with a terrific introduction to their underground lair filled with knick knacks that have been transformed into Rube Goldberg-ian gadgets. After that, they're simply creatures who must be rescued by their human friends. Eggs is a surprisingly bland hero while his companion Winnie (Elle Fanning), the daughter of Lord Portley-Rind, is defined only by her morbid fascination with assorted grotesqueries ("I was promised rivers of blood!").

That's not to say that The Boxtrolls isn't without its charms. The details in the production design are exquisite with elements of Gothic horror, German expressionism, and Roald Dahl. The animators' passion can be seen in Snatcher's ragged, red jacket and every cobblestone that paves the street of Cheesebridge.

Laika's track record proves they make pictures that appeal to audiences of all ages while never condescending to their youngest viewers. The studio hasn't shied away from giving the kids a good scare, from an otherworldly creature sewing buttons into your eyes or a town plagued by puritan zombies. It's all in good fun and never in a manner that would rack up therapist bills. The Boxtrolls follows suit with a plot drawing parallels to Nazi Germany with the title characters serving as scapegoats for a power hungry madman. The city's leaders are portrayed as ineffectual twits and the townspeople are a few pitchforks shy of becoming a rabid mob. Although Snatcher wants nothing more than a seat at the White Hat table, he is violently allergic to cheese and his face swells to gruesome extremes.

There's a mid-credits scene in which Trout and Pickles ponder the notion that an invisible puppetmaster is behind their every move. This shifts into a time-lapsed video of Laika CEO Travis Knight animating the henchmen's movements. It's a clever button to a movie that could have used that same inventiveness in the screenplay loosely based on the novel, Here Be Mosnters! by Alan Snow. The Boxtrolls doesn't measure up to Coraline or ParaNorman, but the animation and off-kilter sensibilities can still be admired.

Rating: ** (*****)

Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie - Dir. Tim Burton (2012)

Before he was Tim Burton, the director of Batman and Ed Wood, he was simply Tim Burton, a young animator trying to make a name for himself at Disney. He first gained notice in 1982 with a stop-motion animated short called Vincent. His follow-up was a half-hour live-action piece, Frankenweenie, about a boy who brings his beloved dog back to life. Unfortunately, Disney execs felt Burton had wasted company resources with a movie that wasn't kid friendly and fired him. On the positive side, Paul Reubens was a fan of Frankenweenie and got Burton the job of directing his first feature film, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. The rest as they say is history, which has vindicated Burton. When he became a big name, Frankenweenie was released in edited format on VHS and later included, unedited, as an extra on the DVD and Blu-ray versions of The Nightmare Before Christmas. That holiday classic has raked in a ton of merchandising money for the House of Mouse, which went to the bank once again when Burton's Alice in Wonderland made over a billion at the box office. It's no wonder Disney allowed Burton to remake Frankenweenie, which was originally intended to be done in stop-motion.

The film is set in New Holland, an idyllic suburbia where Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) is seen as a bit of an oddball by his parents Edward (Martin Short) and Susan (Catherine O'Hara). Victor's only friend is his bull terrier, Sparky, who is tragically hit by a car. Inspired by a classroom experiment, Victor builds an elaborate array of equipment to harness the town's frequent lightning storms and brings Sparky back to life. The little fella may be stitched together and have two bolts in his neck, but he's his usual frisky self. Victor tries to keep the resurrected Sparky a secret, but is discovered by a hunchbacked classmate named Edgar Gore (Atticus Shaffer). E. Gore, get it?

Edgar blabs about the process to the other school kids, who proceed to bring their own deceased pets back to life. Soon, New Holland is under siege by a vampire cat, a mummified hamster, a horde of ravenous sea monkeys, and a giant Gamera-esque turtle cleverly named Shelley.

The last few years have seen Burton direct slick and garish blockbusters like Alice, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Dark Shadows. So it is a relief to see Burton return to his roots with Frankenweenie, which resembles a greatest hits reel. The screenplay was adapted by long-time collaborator John August and once again scored by the great Danny Elfman. The pre-fabricated suburbs of New Holland appear to be lifted right out of Edward Scissorhands, which was the last movie Winona Ryder did with Burton. She returns as the voice of Elsa van Helsing, the sullen girl next door, who looks and acts a lot like Lydia Deets from Beetlejuice.

Frankenweenie could certainly be considered one of Burton's more personal films, which gives it more heart and soul than any of his recent efforts. Burton has projected a lot of himself into the character of Victor. The picture opens with Victor screening a home movie he shot using toys and Sparky as his star monster. Burton's influences are on full display with the third act that pays homage to the classic Universal horror flicks. His hero, Vincent Price, is represented by a lookalike science teacher named Mr. Rzykruski played by Martin Landau, who dips into his Bela Lugosi voice. The nominal antagonist is Mayor Burgemeister (also voiced by Short), whose name and permanent scowl are a reference to Burgemeister Meisterburger from Rankin/Bass's classic Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. Christopher Lee even pops in for a cameo as Mr. & Mrs. Frankenstein watch Horror of Dracula in their living room.

While the story isn't particularly inventive, the visuals more than make up for it. The puppets are lovingly crafted and exquisitely photographed in stark black and white. Unfortunately, kids may not be impressed by a movie that isn't CG animated or done in color. Frankenweenie is one of three horror-themed animated movies alongside ParaNorman and Hotel Transylvania, which was the most financially successful and garish of the bunch. It would be a shame for Frankenweenie to be ignored. It's a well-made movie and at less than 90 minutes doesn't overstay its welcome.

Rating; *** (*****)

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 - Dir. Jay Oliva (2012)

"You don't get it, boy. This isn't a mudhole, it's an operating table…and I'm the surgeon."

The 80's were the "grim 'n' gritty" era of comic book superheroes with readers favoring mature content over brightly colored spandex. Watchmen was one of the most heralded works of the time along with Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, which bookended the Caped Crusader's crime fighting career. Warner Premiere previously adapted Year One into an animated feature with a scant runtime of 64 minutes. Fans were justifiably worried that Dark Knight Returns might receive similar treatment with the majority of Miller's epic left on the cutting room floor. Warner has wisely split Dark Knight Returns into two parts with the first installment comprising of the first two issues.

It has been years since Bruce Wayne (Peter Weller) has worn the cape and cowl. The elderly millionaire is still a bachelor and estranged from his former ward Dick Grayson. His loyal butler Alfred is still by his side and Bruce has regular dinners with Commissioner Gordon, who is now aware of his dual identities. There are times when Bruce searches for a new thrill to replace the adrenaline rush of nocturnal vigilantism. The film opens with Gotham's favorite son wrecking a Formula-1 racer.

The city itself hasn't changed much. Crime is still rampant though Batman's rogues gallery has nearly vanished. Citizens live in fear of a violent street gang known as the Mutants. Bruce can hardly stand watching the news with daily reports about murders, robberies, and kidnappings. Meanwhile, Harvey Dent (Wade Williams), once known as Two-Face, has undergone facial reconstructive surgery. However, when the fallen district attorney returns to his former identity, Bruce once again dons the tights. The return of Batman inspires streetwise Carrie Kelly (Ariel Winter) to dress up as Robin and become the Dark Knight's new sidekick.

Inspired by Dirty Harry, Frank Miller's Batman is hardly the genial Adam West version. This Batman is built like a brick house with a voice like grinding gravel. Many fans envisioned Clint Eastwood playing the older Bruce Wayne, but the filmmakers went with Robocop himself, Peter Weller. Weller has a deep, authoritarian voice though Michael Ironside, who played the character on an episode of Batman: The Animated Series, was closely to the way I imagined the older Batman would sound. Ariel Winter from Modern Family provides just the right amount of spunk to play the first female Robin. Other voice actors include: Michael McKean as Harvey Dent's psychiatrist, Paget Brewster as Lana Lang, and Maria Canals (who played Hawkgirl on Justice League) as Gordon's successor Ellen Yindel.

The animators have done a splendid job in melding Miller's angular art style with their sleeker look. Many of the iconic images from the comics are present in the movie. There's the silhouette of Batman against the night sky as lightning strikes the background, an image that adorned the debut issue. The majority of Miller's pulpy dialogue has been lifted almost verbatim such as, "He was a good soldier. He honored me," in reference to the late-Jason Todd, Batman's second Robin. Ironically, Dark Knight Returns was published two years before Todd would actually die in Batman #428.

Batman: Year One provided inspiration for Christopher Nolan as he developed Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Returns served a similar capacity for The Dark Knight Rises. Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement and dealing with a broken down body are the most obvious elements. The scene where a veteran cop tells his rookie partner he is, "…in for a show," is taken straight from the source material. Inspiration goes both ways as Returns composer Christopher Drake attempts to approximate Hans Zimmer's score to less than successful results.

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is an exhilarating adaptation of Frank Miller's seminal mini-series. WB made the wise choice of splitting the film into two volumes. On the plus side, this allowed screenwriter Bob Goodman to craft something faithful and action-packed. On the other hand, it's hard to judge Part 1 on its own since it is only half the story.

Rating: *** (*****)

Superman vs. The Elite

Superman vs. The Elite - Dir. Michael Chang (2012)

Superman vs. The Elite is the latest in a line of original animated features from DC Comics and Warner Premiere. Unlike past releases that were based on a mini-series or longer storyarc, Superman vs. The Elite is based on a single issue, in this case "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, & the American Way?" The story published in Action Comics #775, released in March 2001. It was the question writer Joe Kelly posed in regards to the values prescribed by Superman, the forefather of the costumed superhero. The Man of Steel has been around since 1938 and there are many who would consider him to be corny and old-fashioned. His red and blue costume is sometimes the subject of derision. Tim Burton attempted to replace Superman's iconic outfit for a suit of black leather in his aborted Superman film. The Last Kryptonian's ethical code may even be out of tune with modern society.

In 1999, Wildstorm Productions, which had just been purchased by DC Comics, was burning up the sales charts and winning critical acclaim with a new series called The Authority. It was originally written by Warren Ellis (Red) and later by Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Wanted). The comic book featured a team of super-powered beings that battled totalitarian governments, genocidal terrorists, and corrupt corporations. The Authority was politically charged and tinged with cynicism and violence on an epic scale. These heroes weren't out to arrest villains, but to mutilate and dismember them. So it was that Kelly and artist Doug Mahnke rebuked the Authority's philosophy by pitting Kal-El against a group of knockoffs known as The Elite. Ironic since two of the Authority's members, Apollo and The Midnighter, were loosely based on Supes and Batman.

The Elite are led by Manchester Black, a foul-mouthed Brit with telepathic powers. Clad in a trenchcoat and Union Jack t-shirt, he's more Johnny Rotten than he is Johnny Law. His teammates are Coldcast, a burly bruiser with the ability to absorb and channel energy; Menagerie, a winged woman bonded to a variety of alien beasts; and The Hat, who possesses a magical fedora that allows him to summon almost anything imaginable. The Elite make a splashy debut by intervening in the civil war between the countries of Bialya and Pokolistan. At first, they are in awe of meeting the Man of Steel. In turn, Superman is eager to act as the mentor for these new meta-humans. It quickly becomes clear that their differing methods will never mesh. The Elite have no qualms in causing widespread property damage or brutally executing their enemies. What's the point of throwing bad guys in jail when they will inevitably escape to cause more mayhem? The people of the world adore the Elite for their take-no-prisoners approach. Yes, the only foe more dangerous than the Legion of Doom proves to be the court of public opinion.

Superman vs. The Elite touches upon many socially relevant issues. The original comic came out months before 9/11 and readers were likely divided on whether they would side on diplomacy or swift retribution. But, Elite is certainly not a preachy message movie. The animated film is most definitely a slam-bang action affair. The biggest criticism towards Superman Returns was that Bryan Singer made the Man of Steel too weak and that he didn't have villains were a physical match. The Elite are more than enough to provide a challenge for the Big Blue Boy Scout. If they weren't enough, there's also the Atomic Skull and some giant robotic spiders. Although, the running time is less than eighty minutes, Elite doesn't feel shortchanged or incomplete.

The voice cast isn't as chock full of big names as previous releases, but the actors give solid performances. Long-time fans will recognize the voice of George Newbern, who previously provided the voice of Kal-El on Justice League and Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam. Joining Newbern is Pauley Perrette, best known for playing the gothic Abby Sciuto on NCIS, as ace reporter Lois Lane. Perrette has the strong and spunky attitude to embody Lois. It's too bad the character doesn't get enough screen time. Other voiceover veterans making appearances are Robin Atkin Downes, Grey DeLisle, Dee Bradley Baker, Jennifer Hale, Fred Tatasciore, and Tara Strong.

Superman vs. The Elite is grittier than you'd expect and is rated PG-13. Characters are killed and some harsh language is used. Despite this, the art style of the animation is slightly cartoonish which works against the film's mature themes. Superman himself is drawn with an exaggerated jaw, the size of which seems to be inconsistent from scene to scene.

While Batman has always used fear in his crime-fighting crusade, Superman has always been a character meant to instill hope with his selfless attitude. But, have his ways become passé? That is one of the intriguing questions raised by Superman vs. The Elite. Although the look of the animation could have been more realistic, the film is more than satisfying thanks to an action-packed story built around a fascinating concept.

Rating: *** (*****)

Justice League: Doom

Justice League: Doom - Dir. Lauren Montgomery (2012)

Warner Brothers' line of animated films based on DC Universe has seen some highs and lows. Green Lantern: First Flight and Wonder Woman were great origin stories, despite their short running times, while Superman: Doomsday and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies were instantly forgettable. While most of their releases revolve around Batman and Superman, on rare occasions Warner will bankroll a Justice League movie. This should especially please the diehard fans saddened by the loss of Cartoon Network's Justice League Unlimited.

The first picture, Justice League: The New Frontier, was an adaptation of a mini-series by Darwyn Cooke while the second, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, was based on a script originally written by Dwayne McDuffie for the television series. McDuffie would also pen All-Star Superman, which was released, Feb. 22 in 2011, just a day after his untimely death due to complications from heart surgery. McDuffie had worked at Marvel and DC and was best known as one of the founders of Milestone, an imprint at the latter publisher that spotlighted minority heroes from minority creators. McDuffie was also a mainstay in animation having worked on JLU, Static Shock, and Ben 10 Warner's latest release, Justice League: Doom was the last script written by McDuffie and while it's not as good as Crisis, it is one of their finest efforts.

Doom is loosely based on the "Tower of Babel" storyline, which ran in JLA #43-46 back in 2000. In that series, Batman's nemesis Ra's al Ghul systematically assaults the Justice League using diabolical schemes that were stolen from the Dark Knight himself. It seems Batman has devised various methods to take out his teammates should they ever turn bad. Even if you have read the original comics, Doom still has plenty of surprises since it only borrows the basic concept and spins it in a different manner.

Instead of Ra's al Ghul, we get another immortal conqueror in Vandal Savage, a caveman who was imbued with great intelligence and longevity by a mysterious meteorite. Savage has assembled the arch-enemies of each Justice Leaguer in a new version of the Super Friends staple, the Legion of Doom. Savage's first recruit, the Mirror Master, manages to sneak into the Bat-Cave and hack the Bat-Computer to steal the Caped Crusader's files. Next, they gather Star Sapphire, Bane, Metallo, Cheetah, and Ma'alef'ak to attack the League one by one in nefarious and unexpected ways.

The Justice League line-up here consists of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, and the Martian Manhunter. Neither Aquaman nor Hawkgirl are present here. In their place is Cyborg, a former Teen Titan, who has graduated to the big time. It only makes sense for DC to push Cyborg into the forefront with technology becoming more and more integral in our everyday lives.

Justice League: Doom has no connection to any previous movie or series, but long-time devotees will be overjoyed that it assembles an all-star cast of familiar voices. Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy return to voice the Superman and Batman along with fellow stalwarts Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman, Carl Lumbly as Martian Manhunter, and Michael Rosenbaum as the Flash. Interestingly enough, this Flash is Barry Allen rather than his successor Wally West, who Rosenbaum played on Justice League. Nathan Fillion returns for a third time to voice Hal Jordan, the most popular wielder of the emerald power ring. Fillion brings his usual charm and snappy patter to the role and it's easy to see why he was the fans' choice over Ryan Reynolds to star in the live-action Green Lantern film. Phil Morris, Olivia d'Abo, and Alexis Denisof reprise their Justice League roles of Vandal Savage, Star Sapphire, and Mirror Master.

Doom starts right off with a big action sequence as the Justice League battles the Royal Flush Gang, a band of playing card themed supervillains. The brisk pace continues as the Legion of Doom attacks the heroes individually before everyone comes together for the big brawl at the end. It's not all punching and explosions. The unique character dynamics between the Leaguers are still here though they aren't as fully explored because of the short runtime. Doom mainly centers on how each team member relates to Batman, who is a bit of a jerk, but a jerk with a point. He's the only one in the League without powers. Thus, he sees the need for contingency plans should someone like Superman ever go insane or is mind controlled. When the League state they would never do the same to Batman, he responds quite curtly, "Then, you're damn fools."

Be forewarned that Justice League: Doom isn't aimed at the casual fan and presupposes you are already familiar with the characters and their relationships. Despite being a big DC fan, I admit I had to check Wikipedia because I had no idea who Ma'alef'ak was. Turns out, he's the Martian Manhunter's evil brother. In any event, Doom is an enjoyable, action-packed romp.

Rating: *** (*****)