Party On, Dudes (But Not in a Place Where They Enslave the Indigenous People)! - Streaming Wars #4

Welcome to another episode of the Streaming Wars, where we recap all the shots fired by Disney+, Netflix, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime as they vie for the title of Best Streaming Service Ever! Join Keona, Jacob, Mike, Hayden, and special guest Tyler as they review a gaggle of new streaming films, including The One and Only Ivan, Radioactive, Bill & Ted Face the Music, An American Pickle, Robin’s Wish, Mulan 2020, and more! Click that play button below, and then read the show notes!

---

---

Neoplasmic here with your show notes, as usual. Let us begin!

Magic Camp - We begin with the most Disney Channel Disney+ movie I’ve ever seen, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Gillian Jacobs (Britta from Community) is the one bright spot in a magical world of fun and wonder, if by “magical” you mean a movie that casts Adam Devine as a poor man’s Jack Black. That aside, it also features a kid who calls himself “The Vick” who does a noodle dance in the first minute he’s on screen and bullies the nerds at his nerdy summer school, which is somewhat ironic and amusing. This wasn’t that bad, especially if you’re a twelve year old, but for someone pushing 40, it’s akin to water torture at times with the cuteness levels. (Originally, as I said in the podcast, I thought it was more like doing a tour in one of the nine rings of hell, which was maybe a bit hyperbolic. Just a tad.) All joking aside, this is a decent enough kid to tween-level movie. Also, major kudos to one of the young actors in the movie, Josie Tovah, who is living her truth and transitioned after the movie was filmed. She’s more brave than I am, and has a vibrant career ahead of her! A good film for kids, I’d say.

The One and Only Ivan - Another Disney+ exclusive, this time with talking animals instead of annoying prepubescent pseudo-magical children. There’s a solid voice cast led by Sam Rockwell, Danny Devito (who seems to do at least twelve of these voice roles per year), Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, and Chaka Khan. Some impressive CG on display, too, especially in terms of the animals’ particular movements and the way their fur looks. Tip of the hat to Bryan Cranston, as well, for his role as a circus ringleader. Based on a children’s book, which was in turn based on true events, the movie is sweet and well-intentioned, with some strong thematic material and characterization. Not bad, Disney.

Black is King - A visually arresting, Beyoncé-starring cinematic album inspired by her turn voicing a character in the live action Lion King remake. While some of the music may not appeal to my particular tastes, I can certainly appreciate the sumptuous photography on display here. Combine that with some stunning gospel-inspired musical talent at the climax of the film, and Beyoncé’s story is a well told one. Give it a look on Disney+. A very timely and visually pleasing concept album.

Howard - A documentary following the life and times of legendary Disney songwriter and director Howard Ashman, now streaming on Disney+. Ashman was an award-winning playwright and songwriter who worked on Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid (my favorite animated Disney film of all time, don’t @ me), Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast, among many others. Very interesting to learn about such an important and seminal figure in Disney’s past, though the format of the documentary is rather by the numbers. It feels a little like something you’d watch in an animated film studies class, and that’s okay! It isn’t flashy, nor does it feature a ton of bells and whistles, which makes sense considering the subject matter. I didn’t know much about Ashman (just enjoyed his work), so this was eye-opening for me. Go and watch it! I’ll wait.

Boys State - A documentary following 1100 Texas high school boys who set up their own state legislature, with the governorship being the highest office. The film follows four boys in particular: Decent Kid, the one who gives me hope for a brighter future and is the underdog/protagonist of the film; Lozenge Lad, whose voice gives out right before he has to give, like, a thousand speeches; Midwing, the kid who becomes his party’s leader by trying to unite everyone, so they naturally call for his impeachment; and Trump to the Future, the obvious antagonist of the film who is not only uptight and conservative, but also crushes his competition by playing dirty, so you know he’d be a Trump cabinet member. Lozenge and Trump are Federalists, while Decent and Midwing are Nationalists. An interesting look at the politicians of our future, which just means more of the same is coming down the pipeline, I’m sorry to say. Also, where is the Girls State companion piece to this? Hopefully we’ll see that on Apple TV+ in the near future. Check it out!

Robin’s Wish - Bring a tissue or ten, my friends, as we behold a documentary about the life and times of the legendary Robin Williams. On a personal note, his death really hit me. I remember being at work, doing menial retail tasks at a store in Hawaii when I looked at my phone on my break and saw the news that Williams had passed on. I was in shock, and I remember feeling like the world was less funny without him in it. It’s strange how one man’s life and his gifts and talents can affect us all. We’ve seen it happen again with Chadwick Boseman’s recent and sudden passing, as well. This documentary focuses on Robin’s widow, Susan Schneider Williams, and her mission to spread the word about the true cause of Williams’ death: his battle with Lewy Body Dementia, a degenerative neurological disease which results in decreased psychological faculties and increased paranoia, anxiety, and even hallucinations. There is currently no cure for the condition, and more research and experimentation is needed to combat the disease. If you’d like to help out through a donation to LBD research, please visit the Lewy Body Dementia Association website. A wonderful documentary about an unmatched comedic talent. Watch it, but bring a tissue.

Host (2020) - Shudder’s renowned found footage horror flick may be less than an hour long, but it sure packs a lot of scares and unease in its short runtime. The film is about a group of (mostly female) friends who are stuck in quarantine due to the pandemic, which forces them to get creative in order to spend time together. So, naturally, they decide to turn their weekly Zoom meeting/activity session into a seance. Sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? While it’s not the greatest movie I’ve ever seen, I do like Host for what it is. A modestly-produced, jumpscare-fueled frightfest that does more with its 55-minute runtime than most movies do in two hours. The cast is pretty good, too, with a group of up-and-coming actresses playing the leads. I’d recommend it. Just remember to respect the spirits when you do so.

Radioactive - This biopic about Marie Curie, based on the 2010 graphic novel by Lauren Redniss and directed by Persepolis’ Marjane Satrapi, was a movie I initially scoffed at before watching it. “A costume drama set in the late 1890s through World War I? Fuhgeddaboudit!” But I’m actually glad Jacob organized our films list and put this one on it. The way the film plays with time and color, its presentation of Curie’s scientific discoveries in such lively and vibrant ways, the intriguing score, and Satrapi’s uncanny visual style and storytelling sense really broke through my cynicism and resulted in an interesting and engaging film. Though it may not be accurate in its depiction of Curie’s real life, Rosamund Pike delivers a tour-de-force performance here (seriously, she should get an Oscar nod for this), and Anya Taylor-Joy’s appearance in the movie is just, well, a joy to behold, so it sold the movie for me. Kudos to the producers for utilizing Philip Glass’ amazing piano piece “Metamorphosis One,” as well. Give it a chance if you wish.

An American Pickle - Seth Rogen’s satirical farce about a man named Herschel from the early 1900s who falls into a vat of pickles and is preserved in the brine until he’s revived in the modern world is… Well, it is something. Rogen’s dual performance as Herschel and his great-grandson, Ben, does show his willingness to stretch his talents as an actor and comedic presence, but apart from a few funny gags, most of the jokes feel a bit forced to me. My co-hosts definitely appreciated this one more than I did, but like them, I did appreciate the exploration and depiction of the Jewish faith here. There are a few moments of fun and even a dash of genuine emotion and profundity scattered throughout, but I can’t say I loved this film or even found it particularly witty. If you love pickles… nah, I’d still skip it.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things - Charlie Kaufman’s latest film is a psychological thriller featuring some excellent performances by Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, and David Thewlis. I don’t want to summarize it too much, because if you decide to watch this film, I believe you should go in blind and just experience it for what it is. Kaufman’s work is a bit of an acquired taste; he’s clearly skilled as a writer and is a deft hand at directing, but there is an offbeat feeling to his movies, and whether that’s a good thing or not is entirely subjective. For me, I’m Thinking of Ending Things was a difficult movie to love. However, it is worth a watch or two, and I certainly think there’s impressive work on display here. Check it out!

Bill & Ted Face The Music - So here’s something I thought I’d never see again: Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter suiting up as Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Theodore “Ted” Logan for one last ride through time in a rusty old phone booth. I actually had never seen the first two Bill & Ted movies, so I binged both of the prequels before watching Face the Music, and I’m glad I did. While the third film eschews a lot of the puppetry and some of the zanier elements of the original films (though Jesus plays cowbell in the all-star time-shifted band they put together, which I found delightful), I thought this movie was a lot of fun! It reminded me (and Josh) of a time when comedies didn’t have to be raunch-fests or overly cynical and self-aware, and could just be wacky affairs with some electric air guitar riffs and a couple of guys saying “Dude!” a lot. Pretty much the pre-COVID days, then. Reeves and Winter are great, and Samara Weaving is in it. Total bonus, dude. Give this most excellent three-quel a watch, dudes!

Mulan (2020) - So here’s the thing: I’ve never seen the original animated Mulan, or I hadn’t until the very day the new live action remake came out. I really had no nostalgic connection to the animated version, beyond really appreciating the artistry behind the beautiful 2D hand-drawn animation. Now we’ve come to Niki Caro’s live action remake of Mulan, and I have to say, I enjoyed it. Contrary to a lot of people on Twitter, I’m actually glad they decided to forego musical numbers and a miniature dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy. Not because I loathe those things, but because they wouldn’t have fit in a wuxia-inspired martial arts epic. Not to mention the thought of Jet Li and Donnie Yen breaking into song is enough nightmare fuel to last me...oh, about a dozen lifetimes. Is it a perfect film or the best martial arts film I’ve ever seen? Nope, not by a longshot. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon holds that title in my book. Not to mention that compared to Chinese-produced films like Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Red Cliff, this is child’s play. Was it worth $30? Hm. Your mileage may vary on that front. Still, I like Liu Yi-Fei as the lead actress, and seeing Jason Scott Lee on screen again was a joy. Gotta give props to my fellow Hawaii native! Not bad for a Disney-produced wuxia epic. Give it a shot if you’re willing to cough up the $30. But not, y’know...literally.

That’ll do it for another episode of our film-focused series, the Streaming Wars! Thank you to my co-hosts, and let’s add another warm welcome to our newest addition to the RPC Podcast family, Tyler, aka Bio! And, of course, an extra special thanks to the man who edits podcasts with his heart as well as his fingertips, Kawaii Kyle! Make sure you follow us on social media (links below the author nameplates!), and stay tuned for more content this week, including part two of our DC Fandome show, our X-Men retrospective, and so much more! Stay safe and be well, Renegades!

Want more Streaming Wars? Click the links below!