CAYOM YEAR 6 - PART I - MOVIE SUBMISSION

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Pokémon: The Cinnabar Conspiracy

 

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Starring: Angourie Rice (Stephanie), Art Parkinson (Gary Oak), Jared Harris (Giovanni), Amy Acker (Kristin), Sophie Turner (Misty), Yun Lin (Janine), Rufus Sewell (Mr. Apollo), Riz Ahmed (Lance), John Boyega (Brock), Rutger Hauer (Blaine), Emily Mortimer (Ms. Atlas), with Ryan Potter (Ash Ketchum), with Tom Hiddleston (Bill), and Bill Nighy (Professor Oak)

Guest Appearances By (In Alphabetical Order): Angela Basset (Agatha), Isla Fisher (Lorelai), Josh Holloway (Surge), Hannah John-Kamen (Sabrina), Dolph Lundgren (Bruno), Hiroyuki Sanada (Koga), Constance Wu (Erika)

Release Date: February 18, Year 6

Directed By: Shawn Levy

Theater Count: 4377 Theaters

Budget: $175 million

Running Time: 113 Minutes

MPAA Rating: PG for fantasy creature violence, situations of peril, mild language, and some scary images

 

Previous Film’s Gross:

 

Pokemon: The Journey Begins (Year 2)

$123,406,792 OW/$293,102,238 DOM/ $766,449,101 WW

 

Pokemon: Rise of the Rockets (Year 4)

$105,618,258 (3-DAY)/$128,885,437 (4-DAY)/$278,510,543 DOM/$801,662,583 WW

 

Plot Summary:

 

Background: These are Stephanie’s Pokémon so far:

Silva- A female Venusaur

Conan- A male Nidoking

Spike- A male Beedrill

Selene- A female Golbat

Leviathan- A male Gyarados

Houdini- A male Drowzee (Currently recovering from injuries)

Ali- A male Mankey

Io- A female Growlithe

Minos- A male Tauros

 

 

Spoiler

 

The film opens on Cinnabar Island, an island formed around a dormant volcano that has turned into a posh resort town for the Kanto region. After a few establishing shots of the island and the main town and beachfront, the camera follows an elderly man (Hauer) as he strolls through the main town into a somewhat run-down mansion. Inside he activates a secret entrance to an elevator which takes him into a very modern and very functional laboratory.

 

The technicians there are working in a perpetual hurry. A young scientist, nervous goes up to “Mr. Blaine” and informs Blaine that his guests are here. Blaine frowns and goes to his office, where two people are waiting. Mr. Apollo (Sewell), the deputy commander of Team Rocket, and a woman we meet for the first time, Ms. Atlas (Mortimer). Apollo says he wants to check in on Team Rocket’s investment. Atlas adds that she has heard there have been some setbacks, Blaine dismisses it as inherent challenges. Still, the Rockets insist on seeing the project, so Blaine takes them to an even lower level of the facility, saying that once successful, this project will change everything the world believes is possible about the world of Pokemon. They arrive in a lower chamber, which aside from some diagnostic computers is barren except for a large cylinder of liquid, in which a strange Pokemon is kept sedated.

 

The Pokemon, which Blaine calls “Mewtwo” is growing more powerful the more they test it, and harder to control. “We need to use more sedatives each time” Blaine says. It is possible that soon they won’t be able to control it. “Which is why the Silph operation was done in the first place” he says bitterly, “with no results.”

 

“Until now” a voice chimes in. The three turn to see Giovanni standing at the entrance. “And with our prize” he adds, pulling from a jacket pocket the strange Poke Ball he had at the end of the prior movie. Apollo, Atlas, and Blaine’s eyes go wide. Giovanni walks forward right up to the edge of the cylinder. “You say this creature grows more powerful with each test” he says aloud. He then turns to Blaine, with a narrow, pointed stare.

 

“Show me.”

 

POKEMON: THE CINNABAR CONSPIRACY

 

We cut to Pallet Town, hometown of several of our characters, including Stephanie (Rice), who has returned home to spend time with her Mom, Kristen (Acker). Accompanying Stephanie is her friend Janine (Lin), who she met during the events of the previous movie, and who is the niece of the Fuchsia City Gym leader Koga. We learn that Gary Oak had returned with them, but has since left to go off to the Sevii Islands to train. Stephanie has also reunited with Houdini, her Drowzee who was injured in the prior film. Houdini has spent his time recuperating helping Kristen around the house, and in one funny instance is used by Kristen to hypnotize Stephanie into doing chores when Stephanie is lazing around.

 

Stephanie gets a couple visitors. The first is Professor Oak (Nighy), who is glad Stephanie is doing well. Stephanie asks if there has been any news of Team Rocket and Oak says the group has gone dark the past several weeks. “But you don’t need to be worried about that, you have your own challenges to finish”. He asks Stephanie when she will go to Cinnabar Island for the 7^th Gym and Stephanie says she’ll get to it eventually. She just wants to take some time for herself. Oak understands completely and says he wishes Gary would be able to sit still for more than a couple days. “I think he has become even more determined to prove himself.” Oak adds that if Stephanie finds her way to Cinnabar Island, to keep an eye out for Bill, the famous scientist, who is in that area.

 

The other visitor is Misty (Turner), the Cerulean City Gym leader, and another friend Stephanie has made. Aside from Misty’s prior Pokemon, she has brought along a Psyduck, which she says was found abandoned near Cerulean City, so she adopted it. The Psyduck is a bit in a perpetual daze.

 

That night Stephanie, Kristen, Misty, and Janine have a nice dinner. Kristen prepares it with the help of Houdini, who wears a mini kitchen apron and uses his psychic abilities to levitate and manipulate ingredients and cooking tools. The four chit-chat, and eventually Kristen asks Stephanie when she plans to get back on the gym challenge. Stephanie grimaces and says Professor Oak asked the same thing. She says she will, eventually, but she wants to keep this non-stressful thing going for a while longer. Kristen understands but says “As much as I love you being back at home sweetie, you really should keep going.” Kristen changes tactics. “You know, Cinnabar Island has more than a gym, it also has the best beaches in Kanto. We could go there and do all the tourist stuff, you can train a little.” Stephanie considers this. Janine adds that “you do need to get back to training, I beat you the last few times we practiced.” Stephanie shrugs and says she was taking it easy and Janine says “Exactly! You have to get back in the game. And we get a beach vacation at the same time. Win-win.” Misty adds that she is actually going to be meeting a friend on Cinnabar Island soon. Stephanie relents.

 

We see Stephanie, Kristen, Janine, and Misty pile into a car and catch a ferry to Cinnabar Island.

 

The film returns to the secret lab, where Giovanni, Blane, Apollo, and Atlas all watch from an observation chamber the testing of Mewtwo. The strange Pokemon has very advanced psychic powers, and uses them to demolish test dummies and other obstacles. Blaine says that Mewtwo is learning rapidly how to control and focus its innate potential. “But it is still wild and untamed.” As if to highlight that point, when it is time to end the test, Mewtwo resists complying and uses psychic energy to crumple several mechanical restraints, until it is hit with several tranquilizer darts. Blaine says that soon Mewtwo will either become immune to the dosage, or it will be able to intercept all attempts to sedate it. Giovanni says to leave that to him.

 

Meanwhile, also on Cinnabar Island, we see Bill (Hiddleston) acting like a tourist, until we finally realize that he seems to be tailing someone. He tracks the person until they reach the dilapidated mansion and go inside. Bill pulls out a notepad and scribbles some stuff down on it. He “hmms” and then slowly backs up around a corner, and bumps hard into someone creeping forward. Bill immediately springs into a ludicrous looking karate pose, and we see the person he bumped into was Gary Oak (Parkinson). Bill asks Gary what he’s doing here and Gary says “tracking Team Rocket, what are you doing here?” Bill says “investigating Blaine.” They both look at the mansion, look at each other, look at the mansion, look at each other, and then simultaneously say “You don’t think?”

 

Stephanie, Kristen, Janine, and Misty arrive at Cinnabar Island and immediately enter beach vacation mode. We get a montage of them walking the boardwalk, shopping in shops, relaxing on the beach, and going into the ocean. Misty and Stephanie both surf using their Pokemon, Misty using her Starmie and Stephanie using Leviathan. We see them encouraging some of their Pokemon to try it with them and in one humorous bit we see Misty’s Psyduck riding on her shoulders, arms shielding its eyes in fear. The other Pokemon mainly hang out and relax. Janine spends some time on the beach doing Tai Chi, her Sandslash doing it along with a couple other Pokemon of her’s: a Cubone and a Haunter.

 

We then see Misty perk up from her beach chair and wave at someone offscreen. The others look and we see a young man, a little younger than Misty, walk over. Misty gives him a hug and introduces “Ash” to the others. Ash says hello to them all, and we see a very familiar looking (to fans) Pokemon perch itself on his shoulder, and Pikachu waves hello. Misty says she met Ash several years ago when he was starting out as a Pokemon trainer. Stephanie asks if he still is a trainer and Ash says he’s actually spent the last few years traveling the world as a research assistant for Professor Oak. “Though I still keep in practice” he adds. He asks Misty if Brock was able to come and Misty says he was held up in Pewter City. Misty and Ash walk off to catch up.

 

The other three go back to relaxing and Kristen tells her daughter that “see, you needed this.” Stephanie, wearing almost comically large sunglasses and a sun hat, replies “not saying you’re right Mom, but maybe”. She turns over to Janine, who appears to be napping, and sees Janine’s Cubone, having burrowed into the sand, slowly emerging to try and startle Janine with a poke, get intercepted by a lighting fast reflex from Janine. “Need to get faster” Janine tells the Cubone, and it chitters and then runs over to the group’s other Pokemon to frolic in the surf.

 

We cut to Bill and Gary in a hotel room, comparing notes. Gary says that he went to the Sevii Islands and stumbled across some Team Rocket goons trafficking some science equipment. He was able to follow it here. He describes the equipment and Bill says it sounds like some highly advanced equipment for biological research, which fits into his investigation of Blaine. Blaine in the past was a famous Pokemon researcher, but he became a bit of a pariah for advocating genetic tampering and retired. However, it seems Blaine has gotten his old research lab running again. However, the laboratory likely requires too much materials and resources for the mansion entrance to remain inconspicuous. So, there must be a back entrance. Bill hasn’t hunted for it yet. Gary, looking a little smug, says “leave it to me.”

 

We get a short scene with Ash and Misty at a café, catching up. We learn that Ash has recently been to the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions to help catalogue unique species there. Conversation turns to Stephanie and Misty says she reminds her a bit of Ash “only not an overconfident braggart”. Ash says he was pretty annoying as a kid. Misty says Stephanie has been through a lot and could use some new perspectives. Ash nods and says he can have a chat with her. During this, Ash’s Pikachu and Misty’s Psyduck are collaborating to secretly steal some pastries from the café counter, only for it to comically fail when Psyduck gets paranoid and panics.

 

We have a short scene with Giovanni, Apollo, and Atlas in a secure room in the lab. They believe attention will be drawn to the activity on Cinnabar Island eventually, so once they are confident in Mewtwo’s abilities, they secure it and take it off-island, along with copies of the research. “Having been done once, it will be easier to replicate” Atlas acknowledges. Apollo asks Giovanni what they do then. Giovanni, with a smile, cryptically says “show the world”.

 

We also have a short scene with Blaine where Mewtwo is, checking data readings, until there is a soft muffled whispering in the background. Blaine at first ignores it, and but it continues, and slowly his attention is drawn to the holding tank with the sedated Mewtwo. He slowly walks over to it, places a hand on the tank, and looks as if he is listening to something.

 

Cut to Gary riding a bike on some cliffside trails. After some riding around, he spies through some binoculars a cave in which a suspicious looking boat is entering. “Jackpot” he says.

 

Stephanie, Kristen, and Janine leave the beach and return to their hotel. There they relax and wait for Misty to return. They head back out for dinner for the four of them and chit-chat about this and that. Kristen does her best to mortify Stephanie by telling an embarrassing and funny story about her as a little kid. Stephanie comically slumps in her chair.

 

After dinner the four go do their own thing for a bit. Stephanie, as she is looking at the vendors on the promenade, bumps into Bill, who is failing to look inconspicuous. Bill is briefly startled, and Stephanie warmly asks how he is. Bill stammers and hedges in responding, at which point Stephanie’s eyes narrow and with a pointed glare she asks “My vacation is about to get cut short, isn’t it?” Bill, looking apologetic, nods.

 

Cut to Bill, Stephanie, Kristen, Janine, and Misty in a hotel room. Bill explains what he is doing here, and mentions Gary. Stephanie perks up a little at Gary’s name. Bill says that Team Rocket is up to something nefarious. Misty asks why the other gym leaders and the Elite Four haven’t been notified and Bill says he wanted more solid evidence before accusing Blaine. Bill says he has set up a small science station on the island, which is where Gary will be returning to. He says he didn’t intend for them to get involved, but he would appreciate their help. The others agree. After Bill leaves, Kristen, a little excited, says to Stephanie “I never thought I’d join you on one of your adventures.” Janine then, with a smirk, says “Gary, huh” to Stephanie. “I have no idea what you’re talking about” Stephanie, replies, slowly hiding behind a giant throw pillow.

 

Cut to the science station Bill has set up. Stephanie, Kristen, Misty, and Janine have arrived, and Gary has shown up too. Misty says she has contacted Ash and asked him to come. Gary tells everyone about the back entrance that he found. Bill says that should be the place to investigate, though he adds that it would help to cause a distraction at the mansion. After some discussion, the plan is that Bill and Kristen will “investigate” the mansion. Stephanie, Gary, and Janine will enter the cave entrance. Misty and Ash will stay at the station for now and provide backup if needed and call the authorities as well.

 

As the group splits up, Stephanie pulls her mom aside and gives her Houdini’s Pokeball. “Just in case you need some help” Stephanie says, adding that at this point Houdini is just as much Kristen’s as her’s. Kristen gives Stephanie a big hug, and tells her that she’s the best daughter a mom could hope for.

 

Back in the laboratory, Blaine meets Giovanni in an office and asks Giovanni to consider leaving Mewtwo in his care for a while longer. “We have a lot to learn, it may be more advanced than we realized.” Giovanni says he appreciates Blaine’s “scientific enthusiasm” but Team Rocket cannot risk not being a step ahead of the authorities. “Start preparations for the specimen’s transfer.” Blaine nods, but twinges as if he got a migraine. He apologizes and walks off.

 

Bill and Kristen arrive outside the mansion. Neither of them sees any security cameras, and they go onto the property. It all seems deserted as they go to the front door. Kristen almost reflexively knocks on it before stopping herself and going “right, stealth”. After a little more looking they find a side window they pry open and climb through inside.

 

Stephanie, Gary, and Janine ride bikes to the spot Gary had found. As they get near, Janine says she’ll scout ahead, and thanks to her athletic training, is able to do some rock climbing moves to better scope out the cave entrance. As she does this, Stephanie and Gary talk a little, both glad to see one another, but otherwise a bit awkward. They’re mutually saved from the situation by Janine’s return. Janine says that she has found a path to the entrance, but she doubts Stephanie and Gary have the rock-climbing ability to get there. Gary says that’s a good assumption. Stephanie says she thinks she has an idea.

 

Cut to Stephanie’s Venusaur, Silva, on the cliffside, slowly lowering Stephanie and Gary by its vines, one at a time, to a dangle by the cave entrance where they swing to a waiting Janine, who catches them. Once on the ledge Stephanie returns Silva to a Pokeball. The three enter the cave, which we see leads into an underground dock. They need to maintain stealth for now, so Stephanie uses her Zubat Selene to emit high-pitched soundwaves that quickly daze and then knock out the Team Rocket goons. Grabbing a keycard off one of them, they use it to go through s door leading away from the dock.

 

Blaine is in his main lab, pacing, until the background whispering is heard again, and Blaine stops to listen to it. “You are right” he says. “I’ll begin immediately” and he goes to start inputting commands into a computer.

 

Bill and Kristen search the mansion. Kristen lets Houdini out and he wanders behind them. They look for anything out of place or unusual. We see there are some security cameras inside and the footage of Bill and Kristen shows up on monitors in the complex. One of the guards summons Atlas, who says the “neighbors” will drive them off. “If not, let me know.”

 

Stephanie, Gary, and Janine slowly move through the facility, keeping out of sight of patrolling guards or scientists. They to a point where they need to access a secondary lab, but there is a Rocket goon inside. Janine lets out her Haunter and tells it “have some fun.”

 

We thus get a short sequence set to the tune of “Bolero” by Maurice Ravel as the Haunter slips in and out of view to the audience as it pops around the lab, moving things, making noise, and generally being a nuisance as the Rocket goon, utterly confused, keeps racing around to keep things as they are, thus distracted and allowing the three to sneak past him to the other side. At the scene conclusion, once they’re past, the Haunter materializes in front of the goon and does a “Boo!” pose. The Rocket goon faints and the Haunter moves to catch up, laughing.

 

Back up in the mansion, Kristen freezes and directs Bill’s attention to a pair of almost glowing eyes. “Just a bat probably” Bill says, only paying half-attention. At that point the pair of eyes becomes two pair, then three pair, then a half-dozen, and they actually start to glow. “I don’t think it’s just bats” Kristen says, backing away. Bill finally looks up and says “Yeah...I think you’re right.” He advises Kristen not to startle them. The two slowly move, and then a shrieking noise is heard and Bill says “never mind, run” and the two take off for the front door, several screeching Crobat (the final evolved form of Zubat) swooping after them. Bill and Kristen reach the front door and it’s locked and jammed, and the Crobat catch up to them, until Houdini, who had been wandering around, shows up by them. Seeing the Crobat, Houdini reacts and conjures a wall of shimmering light around it that either blinds the Crobat and the couple that continue on hit the wall itself and knock themselves out. When the light subsides, we see that Houdini has evolved from a Drowzee into a Hypno.

 

Atlas sees this on the camera footage and groans in annoyance. She tells the person in the security station to send a team up to deal with them. She will go alert Apollo and the Boss.

 

Stephanie, Gary, and Janine poke their heads around a corner to see several Rocket goons rushing with purpose, and everyone else seems more alert. “Guess your mom and Bill pulled off the distraction” Gary says.

 

Back up top, Bill and Kristen catch their breath. “Okay, I think we accomplished a distraction” Kristen comments. Bill agrees and takes a second to admire Houdini, saying that he is always fascinated by Pokemon who evolve out of necessity to help those they care about. At that point an elevator button dings and the hidden entrance starts to slide open. “Let’s save the science for another time Bill” Kristen says. Houdini flicks a finger and the front door unlocks. The three escape through it and immediately call Ash and Misty. Ash tells Misty to go help, he’ll alert the authorities.

 

Blaine is in the main lab and a technician enters, and asks what Blaine is doing. “What is necessary” Blaine says, inputting a console command, and the tech sees that the holding tank for Mewtwo is drained of liquid. Before the tech can say anything, Mewtwo’s eyes flash open and the tech collapses unconscious. Blaine presses a button and the holding tank slides open. Mewtwo, hovering, glides towards Blaine. Blaine says that there will be containment measures. There is a few seconds where nothing but a soft buzzing is heard. Blaine nods and agrees, he will provide a distraction. “It will take you time to clear out all effects of the sedation”.

 

Atlas enters an office where Giovanni and Apollo are and tells them intruders are in the mansion. “Then the authorities will not be far behind” Giovanni says. “We are leaving now. Secure the specimen, copy the research. Find Blaine and-” he is cut off by the entire facility rumbling, and then an alarm going off.

 

Stephanie, Gary, and Janine are in the process of traversing a hallway when the underground shakes and an alarm goes off. People, confused, look this way and that, and see the three sneaking. Rocket goons try to stop them. Janine tells Stephanie and Gary she’ll hold them off. She summons her Sandslash who curls into a ball and barrels down the hallway, knocking people over. Stephanie and Gary continue on.

 

Stephanie and Gary by chance stumble into a lab where Blaine is fiddling with some controls. He says they are not Team Rocket, but it doesn’t matter. It is too late, the base draws geothermal power from the volcano on the island, and he has overloaded the connection. Stephanie and Gary both have a “you’re crazy” look and say blowing up the place is a bad idea “especially since, you know, there’s a whole town outside”. Blaine says he has to, to protect “it”.

 

Blaine sends out a Magmar and a Muk to attack Stephanie and Gary. Stephanie sends out Ali, and Gary sends out a Poliwrath. The Magmar tries to create a smokescreen, but Gary’s Poliwrath disperses it with a spray of water. The Muk tries to use the distraction to slither over and smother Ali, but Ali fends it off with some karate reflexes. As this happens, Blaine tries to run off, but Stephanie sends out Silva and has her grab Blaine with her vines and reel him in. This works and Blaine is dragged back to them, as his Magmar and Muk get worn out. Stephanie asks Gary to get Blaine back to the cave entrance so “someone smarter than us can figure out what he was doing”. Gary nods and asks Stephanie what she will do. “Find out what I can before this place goes up.” Gary nods and they split up, Gary having his Poliwrath sling Blaine over his shoulder.

 

Back up top, the Rocket goons exit the mansion looking for Bill and Kristen, and find themselves face to face with Misty, and her entire cadre of Pokemon. “Hi there” she says with a smirk, and all of her water Pokemon open up at once, knocking the Rockets off their feet in a quick torrent of water. Local cops rush in to handcuff them. At this point Gary contacts everyone and says he has Blaine but needs a pickup from the cave entrance. Misty says she’ll manage that. Ash on the same channel says that the authorities are on their way. At this point the island itself shakes, and Bill, off to the side, points at the volcano and says “we may have a problem”. The volcano is starting to smoke.

 

Giovanni, Apollo, and Atlas stride down a corridor, as the base rumbles some more, and several goons and technicians run towards them. One of them says that Blaine “set the thing loose” and the volcano seems to be going active. As if to accentuate the point, the base rumbles even heavier. The three Rocket leaders continue through a doorway that leads to a portion of the base that is connected by a bridge over a deep cavern. They see once they cross over to the far side a section of cavern, and Mewtwo float through. Mewtwo looks a bit disoriented and confused, and it seems to use its psychic powers wildly, causing more instability as it looks for a way out, which it finally does, blasting through. Giovanni says that it is beautiful. “We must control it.” Apollo and Atlas are unsure how to manage that, and Giovanni says with a smile “leave it to me. You have another concern.” He gestures, and they turn to see Stephanie at the far side of the bridge.

 

Giovanni tells Stephanie that, as always, she is too late. She retorts that, as always, he is running away. “My dear, I am always exactly where I need to be” he replies. He tells Apollo and Atlas to deal with her, and walks off.

 

Apollo sends out a Golem, which charges forward over the bridge and is blocked by a summoned Conan. Atlas sends out a Golbat which flies up high for a divebomb attack, but before it can hit Conan it is struck by a boomeranging bone and knocked to the side. The bone club returns to a hand of Janine’s Cubone as she joins Stephanie. “Going ahead without me?” she says with a laugh. “Just warming up” Stephanie replies. After some battling it looks like that Stephanie and Janine are getting the upper hand, when the cavern rumbles tremendously, and the bridge starts to buckle. Apollo and Atlas recall their Pokemon and run off and Stephanie and Janine recall their own and back up as the bridge collapses in front of them.

 

Gary reaches the cave entrance and sees the docked boats speeding off, filled to the brim with goons and scientists. He sees police boats in the distance coming to apprehend some, and closer in, Misty sailing up on the back of a Lapras. They get out of the cavern as it starts to crumble behind them. Misty asks about Stephanie and Janine and Gary says they’re still inside.

 

In the town, locals are panicking a bit and the police, with assistance from Bill and Kristen, are trying to shepherd them to a safe place. Ash meanwhile, with Pikachu on his shoulder, summons a Charizard and flies up high to get a bird’s eye view of the volcano. The caldera is rumbling and smoking, with bubbles of lava popping. Ash contacts Misty and says the volcano is unstable but they might be able to settle it down if they act quickly. She says to pick her up at the beach.

 

Misty and Gary land on a beach and she recalls her Pokemon. She tells Gary to get back to town and help the people there. Gary asks what she’ll do and her answer is “my job” before getting scooped up by the claws of a divebombing Charizard and being flown up. Gary looks agape, like a kid who now wants one for Christmas.

 

Stephanie and Janine try to head to the cavern exit but are blocked by a collapsed hallway. The rumbling gets worse and things start sparking and smoke starts to fill the air. They find the elevator to the mansion entrance, but the elevator is busted. They climb up through the elevator, but it is at least several dozen feet to the top of the shaft. Stephanie says she can’t climb that. Janine says she can and asks Stephanie for her pack. “I’ll let Silva out and she can pull you up.” Stephanie nods and gives her pack to Janine, and Janine parkours up the elevator shaft. Once up top, she summons out her Sandslash, and it pries open the elevator doors. Janine then summons Silva. Silva peers down at the waiting Stephanie, and quickly lowers its vines to wrap around her. Silva then slowly pulls Stephanie up, but is interrupted when rumbling causes parts of the mansion to collapse on top of Janine and the Pokemon, and the elevator shaft itself starts to fill with smoke as we see flames at the bottom now. Janine and her Sandslash push off the rubble, and Silva is able to resume pulling Stephanie up. Eventually Silva gets Stephanie to the top and Janine helps pull her over the rest of the way. They barely have time to breathe when the mansion rumbles heavily and an explosion billows out the bottom of the elevator shaft, and they have to run for the exit. They make it out just before the explosion cascades out the top of the shaft and sends the whole mansion up in flames. Stephanie and Janine and their Pokemon sit on the road outside the property, exhausted. Stephanie turns to Silva and thanks Silva profusely and half hugs/half rests against her, and Silva pats Stephanie on the head with a vine.

 

Cut to Ash’s Charizard depositing him and Misty by the volcano’s caldera. It’s rumbling and more frequent lava bubbles bursting. Misty says if the instability is unchecked, it will erupt. “We’ll be able to evacuate the people, but the town will be gone.” Ash suggests they cool things down a little. Misty nods and summons all of her water Pokemon, Ash sending out a Buizel to assist, and has them spray and generate water onto the caldera to slow the reactions down. This lessens the rumbling a little and Ash follows suit by summoning an Aggron, and he asks it to burrow deep and see if it can redirect the pressure. The Aggron spins in a circle rapidly and quickly burrows a hole deep underground.

 

In the town, Gary rushes through the evacuating people and catches sight of Stephanie and Janine. He comes up to them, relieved they’re all right, and spontaneously hugs Stephanie, who tiredly pats him on the back and asks if he got Blaine out. Gary says he handed him over to some cops. He asks what they do now and Stephanie, looking at the volcano, says they should help people get out. The three immediately start helping direct people out of the nearby area.

 

Back at the volcano, Misty’s Pokemon and Ash’s Buizel are growing tired countering the lava bursts, and she tells Ash they can’t handle this much longer. Ash nods, dropped on one knee by the hole his Aggron made. “Come on, just a little more” he says. As if on cue, the ground beneath them shakes violently, also knocking Misty and Ash down. She thinks it’s the volcano but he says “No, it’s us.” The volcano caldera rim starts crumbling and hundreds of tons of rock and earth plummet down into it, plugging crevices and squelching lava bursts, and then on the far side of the volcano, which overlooks only the ocean, the Aggron bursts out the side and immediately barrels along the mountainside, and out of the hole a few seconds later streams lava, diverted directly to the sea. The volcanic rumbling subsides. Ash explains that he had Aggron do a counterquake to plug up the entryway for the lava here, and then create a new vent leading to the ocean to relieve the pressure. “It’ll stream lava for a while, but far away from anywhere people are”.

 

Back in town, the rumbling comes to a close, and everyone stands still, waiting for it to restart. When it doesn’t, people embrace and show signs of joy. Stephanie, Gary, and Janine look relieved. And then that relief disappears when a building a couple hundred yards from the mansion explodes outward in a blast of energy, and Mewtwo levitates upwards from the wreckage.

 

“What is that?!” Gary says. “Blaine and Team Rocket’s science project I bet” Stephanie says.

 

Mewtwo, still a bit disoriented from the sedatives and by the new environment, looks around a bit wildly, and then, a handful of local police show up. The police obviously have no idea what Mewtwo is, but are treating it as a potential wild and dangerous Pokemon. When Mewtwo does not comply, the police fire a net at it that acts like a taser. It knocks Mewtwo to the ground, shocking it, and Mewtwo is briefly stunned, but then its eyes flash and the net dissolves. The police are stunned by this, and fire tranquilizer rounds at it, but Mewtwo juts out an arm and the rounds stop, flip around, and speed back, hitting the police and knocking them out. Mewtwo levitates back in the air, eyes glowing, ground rumbling around it as chunks of earth, debris, and even a couple cars start moving slowly up in the air around it.

 

“Whatever it is, it is out of control” Janine says. “We have to stop it”. The three send Pokemon to try and subdue Mewtwo. Selene tries to use a confusion ray to daze it, but Mewtwo summons a light screen to block it. Janine’s Cubone tries to knock it on the head with its bonemerang, but Mewtwo flicks some debris in the way to parry it. Gary sends out his Slowpoke and it tries to mesmerize and lull Mewtwo to sleep with a psychic yawn, but Mewtwo shakes out of it after a second and its eyes flash, and the Slowpoke instead is the one to go to sleep. Other Pokemon of theirs try other tactics, all fail, and the Mewtwo, looking aggravated, sends the floating cars flying at the three trainers, and they barely jump out of the way. Mewtwo then emits a pulse of psychic energy that knocks all three and their Pokemon off their feet, and it levitates even more, growing more assured in its power. Stephanie shouts at it to please stop, it’s going to hurt people. At this point the Mewtwo pauses, and the stuff levitating with it starts to drop. Stephanie, Gary, and Janine then suddenly hear a voice that says “I don’t want to hurt anyone…I just want to be free…”

 

Mewtwo’s eyes suddenly flash in surprise and it is suddenly yanked backwards and dematerializes into a small sphere, the strange Pokeball we saw. It lies on the dusty street, shaking and sparking for several seconds, until it subsides, and Giovanni walks over to pick it up, an Alakazam walking behind him. He looks at Stephanie and smirks.

 

“Like I said earlier, you’re always too late, and I am always where I need to be.” Giovanni puts a hand on the Alakazam’s shoulder and it teleports them both away.

 

Stephanie, Gary, and Janine are all stunned and at a loss for words, a situation broken when Kristen’s voice is heard calling out for Stephanie, and Stephanie immediately breaks into a run to meet her mom and the two embrace. Bill, panting, jogs up to them, saying they caught a glimpse of what was going on. At the same time, Misty and Ash swoop down on his Charizard, and climb off it. “I’m glad you’re all okay” Misty says to everyone. “This could have ended up really bad.” Ash looks to Bill and says “Bill, you know more about Pokemon than the rest of us put together. What was that?”

 

Bill shakes his head and says there were stories of a species of incredibly powerful psychic Pokemon, human-like in intelligence and behavior but they passed from myth at least a thousand years ago. “I’m afraid that perhaps Blaine and Team Rocket found trace of one, and tried to recreate it…or worse, enhance it. Whatever it is, it’s the most powerful Pokemon I’ve ever seen…and now Team Rocket controls it.”

 

Cut to Professor Oak in his Pallet Town lab, going to his office to set up a video conference. Included in the conference are Bill, the six loyal gym leaders: Misty, Brock (John Boyega), Surge (Josh Holloway), Erika (Wu), Koga (Sanada), and Sabrina (Hannah John-Kamen), and the Elite Four: Lorelai (Isla Fisher), Bruno (Dolph Lundgren), Agatha (Angela Bassett), and Lance (Riz Ahmed). Bill and Misty explain what occurred on Cinnabar Island. Of Giovanni, the other Rocket leaders, and the mutant Pokemon, there is no trace. They have tried to interrogate Blaine, but it seems his memory of the last several months has been erased. Lance asks Professor Oak to lend his insight and Oak says that it seems that the purpose of Silph Co. was two-fold, first to obtain resources in general for Blaine’s project, but secondly, to design a special Pokeball that ensured the containment of the mutant Pokemon. “If you’re generating something with that much power, you would need a failsafe.” Now, Giovanni has total control over it. Misty adds that the mutant Pokemon, from what her friends have told her, seemed wild and confused when it appeared in the two. “It was almost like a newborn. It only used force when it saw others as a threat.” Most of the others consider this, but decide that it is a threat and must be hunted down.

 

Kristen makes arrangements for her, Stephanie, Gary, and Janine to catch a ferry back to the mainland. Misty says she will be temporarily staying on the island to help the local population. Stephanie goes to the promenade and leans on the railing and looks out to sea. After a minute she is joined by Ash, whose Pikachu is resting on his shoulder and then hops onto the railing. “Not what you were expecting from a beach holiday?” Ash says with a wry grin to try and get some levity. Stephanie says no, not at all. Ash says that when he was younger, he, Misty, and Brock wound up getting in over their heads more times than he could count. “And it looks like you’re feeling that now, that you’re in too deep yet again.” Stephanie says that sounds right, it seems like the stakes get higher each time, and she’s afraid what will happen if she fails. Ash nods and says there’s really only one thing she can do. “Trust yourself, trust your friends, but most of all, trust them”, indicating some of the group’s Pokemon relaxing on the beach. “Take this guy” he says about Pikachu, scratching the top of Pikachu’s head. “He’s saved my behind more times than I can count. When you care for them, and they care back, they’re capable of the amazing.” Stephanie’s smiles and she thanks Ash for the pep talk. He tips his baseball cap and says he should get going. As he leaves, Stephanie calls out to him, saying that he’s surprised she never heard of him competing in the Pokemon League, he seems like he’d have gone far.

 

“Oh I tried once here in Kanto” he says after turning around. “And I got completely embarrassed. I’m sure Misty or Brock will share the story the next time we’re together.” He turns back away and continues onward.

 

We see Stephanie, Kristen, Gary, and Janine catch a ferry to the mainland. We see Bill, after collecting all the information gathered from Cinnabar, get picked up by a helicopter to take him straight to Professor Oak. Misty and Ash help with getting Cinnabar in working order, and then Misty leaves to go meet with Brock. Ash stays behind, but asks Misty to let him know if something is going down that he can help with.

 

We see Giovanni reunite with Apollo and Atlas in a makeshift warehouse. Apollo says that many of their members are scattered. Giovanni says they shall not wait too long. They cannot give the authorities too much time to prepare. He takes the Masterball out from his jacket and twirls it. Atlas questions whether it can truly control Mewtwo and Giovanni with a smirk suggests they test that theory out. He summons Mewtwo, which glares at him, but when he orders it to destroy some equipment, it obeys without slightest hesitation, and when Giovanni recalls it, it is yanked back into the Masterball without a fight. Giovanni tells the two to commission backup Masterballs from the design schematics. “No harm in being prepared”.

 

Bill arrives at Oak’s lab and brings with him the data he has gathered. The two get to work on all of the projections and calculations. Oak after reviewing it all comes to a sobering conclusion, that Mewtwo is as advanced as a human being, if not more. All Pokemon have some degree of sentience, but Mewtwo’s is on a whole different level. “It becomes more aware of who it is every day, and that awareness is that Team Rocket has made it their slave. I can’t imagine the anger it must be feeling, and the only outlet it has for that anger is the rest of us.”

 

Stephanie, Kristen, Gary, and Janine get off the ferry when it reaches the mainland. Janine takes her leave of the others, saying she is going to return home to Fuchsia City to spend some time with her uncle Koga, but says she’ll reunite with them at Indigo Plateau.

 

Kristen drives Stephanie and Gary back to Pallet Town. The car ride is mostly quiet, though Gary talks a little bit about the stuff he saw in the Sevii Islands. Kristen stays silent aside from a comment or two, letting Stephanie be the main party to the conversation. Gary also says he got a bit scared in Cinnabar when the facility started to collapse, since she and Janine were still inside. Stephanie says it was a close call, but they made it out. Gary says “I’m glad”, pauses for a second, and then says “Well obviously, because you’re ok but-” and just stammers for a second and Stephanie says she knows what he means. The two awkwardly stay silent, and we see Kristen in the front seat get that goofy smile parents get.

 

They arrive at Pallet Town and Gary goes to see his family, and Stephanie and Kristen go home. “Some vacation huh” Kristen says and Stephanie laughs. The two talk for a bit on a couch and then Kristen, because she’s a mom, brings up “So, looks like you and Gary are getting along well.” Stephanie says of course they are, they’re friends. “Good friends, right?” Stephanie gets a bit red in the face and throws a blanket over herself. “Nope, not having this conversation, I am not home right now, please leave a message at the beep.” Kristen laughs and says it’s all right, but if Stephanie ever does want to talk about that stuff, she’s here.

 

“I literally do not know what you are talking about” Stephanie’s muffled voice says from under the blanket.

 

Gary relaxes with his family and Professor Oak is over and is very interested to hear first-hand accounts from Gary. He asks Gary to meet him in his lab.

 

We get a short scene with Janine returning to Fuchsia City and reuniting with Koga. Koga listens to her tale with great interest. He commends her on her resourcefulness, and apologizes for ever having doubts. Janine says she is going to the Indigo Plateau soon to watch her friends in the league tourney and Koga says he is going there as well. The Elite Four and gym leaders are usually present for the tourney, and given recent events, it makes for a good way to ensure everyone is around to talk about them.

 

We then see Misty arriving at the Indigo Plateau, which is a small but vibrant mountain resort town. We see her meet with Brock. Brock is relieved she and the others made it through Cinnabar fine and asks how Ash is doing. Misty says he is doing fine, still somewhat of a show-off. Brock is a little surprised Ash didn’t come along with her and she says “If things get bad, you know he’ll turn up.”

 

Back in Pallet Town, Gary arrives at Professor Oak’s lab and sees Stephanie arriving too. She says Oak called the house and asked her to come over. The two enter and Oak is waiting for them with Bill. The two scientists explain a little what they learned about Mewtwo. Oak though then moves on to a happier subject, the Pokemon league. Both Stephanie and Gary say they intend to compete in the tournament, and Oak gives them some advice, as he was a trainer too once upon a time. He says both of them should not put too much expectations or importance on it. “Winning the tournament doesn’t make you a great trainer, and losing early doesn’t mean you’re a poor one.” Oak says that he knows both of them will do great, but they should focus on having fun. “You’ll have plenty opportunities in your lives, this particular one, is just one.”

 

After a couple short scenes of Stephanie and Gary getting packed, the two of them set out for Indigo Plateau. As they leave, Kristen gives Stephanie a hug and says that she’ll get there in time for the tourney. Stephanie and Gary then walk out for the cross-country trip.

 

We see a couple short scenes of Stephanie and Gary traveling, chatting, and enjoying the outdoors. We can also see there is a little awkward tension between them. After the scenes conclude we see them arrive at Indigo Plateau, with a nice long-distance camera shot of the town as they cover over the top of a hill.

 

Stephanie and Gary explore Indigo Plateau, which is starting to get an influx of tourists in anticipation of the start of the league tournament, which will begin in a couple days. They go to the League headquarters to formally register for the tournament, and learn there’ll be 32 people qualified this time around, so a smaller tournament this year. Based on the randomized placement, Stephanie and Gary, if they win their prior matches, would face in the quarterfinals.

 

After a little more exploring the two bump into Misty and Brock. Brock mentions that he is considering taking a leave of absence in the near future from his duties as gym leader, to spend some time assisting in the research and breeding of Pokemon. Misty adds she might take a leave of absence as well, since technically she’s been the temporary leader this whole time, so she is looking forward to forcing one of her sisters get back in charge. Eventually, Stephanie and Gary go to the youth hotel hosting various trainers, and go to their own rooms for the night.

 

We cut to a Team Rocket facility, where it seems every Rocket not in custody has gathered, and everyone is busy. Giovanni meets with Apollo and Atlas, who are a bit concerned, since Team Rocket is using all of its resources for this one scheme. “If this doesn’t pan out, it may take years to recover” Apollo says. Giovanni coldly asks if they doubt him, and we see Mewtwo, eyes blazing, levitating behind him, staring the two down. Both Rocket commanders gulp and Atlas says not at all, they just want to get this right. Giovanni says that’s good. “Just a little longer, and the world will tremble at what we can accomplish.” The camera pans out an observation window to see a blimp being constructed.

 

The following day, we see the remaining gym leaders and Elite Four arrive at Indigo Plateau. Janine goes off to find Stephanie. We get a short meeting of all the Elite Four and Gym Leaders, and they discuss preparations and security. Lance then moves the subject to Team Rocket, and asks the group if any of them have found any trace of activity. None of them have. Erika and Sabrina suggest delaying the tournament, so they can focus on catching Giovanni. Lance shoots the idea down, saying that to do that would show the public they are afraid of Team Rocket.

 

Elsewhere in the town, Janine finds Stephanie, who is pacing a bit outside the youth hotel, nervous. Janine asks Stephane if she’s feeling ready. Stephanie admits “not quite”. Janine says she thinks she can help get Stephanie in the right mindset, and the film cuts to Janine instructing Stephanie and her Pokemon in some yoga and tai chi. The scene plays a bit humorously as Stephanie and many of her Pokemon clumsily fumble at replicating the various moves. Stephanie says she feels a bit ridiculous and Janine says Stephanie needs to stop thinking about how she and her Pokemon will look. Stephanie, taking deep breathes, relaxes, and we see her let loose of some tension.

 

That night, Janine rooms with Stephanie, and the two meet with Gary in a hotel lounge, Gary saying he was getting some last minute training in. The three chat a bit over cocoa and then go off to sleep, a big day ahead.

 

That morning, Stephanie wakes up and gets ready. Audio is a bit suppressed as Janine tells her good luck and heads towards the main stadium entrance, Stephanie spots Gary at the far end of the hallway and the two wave before going separate ways, she then walks towards the stadium entrance for the trainers. As she gets near, she sees someone waiting for her, Kristin. Stephanie, smiling, breaks into a run and gives her mom a huge hug. The scene cuts to Stephanie and Kristin inside a locker room within the stadium, Stephanie doing some of the breathing exercises Janine taught her, a faint rumble and roar of the crowd in the background. A staffer pokes her head around a corner and says they’re almost set up. Kristen asks Stephanie if she’s nervous and when Stephanie nods, Kristin puts a hand on her daughter’s shoulder and says “Don’t be. You got this. You earned this.” Stephanie smiles and the same staffer pops in and says it’s time. Stephanie nods, takes a last deep breath, and sets off down a hallway.

 

As she walks down it, the noise of the crowd grows louder as the light at the end of the hallway grows brighter, and any trace of nervousness is gone and replaced by determination.

 

Stephanie exits the tunnel and into the light, into the vast open arena of the Pokemon League Coliseum, the camera doing an epic 360-Degree rotation taking in the thousands of cheering people in the stands, showing her first opponent on the far side of the field from her, before centering back on her face. She. Is. Ready. For. This.

 

The film cuts to that evening, with Kristin taking Stephanie, Janine, and Gary out to dinner, all smiles and laughs. We learn that Stephanie and Gary both won their first two matches, so they made it to the quarterfinals. There’s some chatter and Stephanie and Gary give slightly exaggerated play by plays. The mood shifts a little when Kristen brings up that Stephanie and Gary will be facing one another in the quarterfinal, but Stephanie brushes it off as just another friendly match, it won’t matter who wins. She then cheekily adds that “I won last time so I think it’ll be 2 for 2”.

 

That night, back at the youth hotel, Stephanie goes to the rooftop area to get some air and after a minute is interrupted by Gary, who had the same idea. The two talk for a bit and both admit they’re nervous about facing off against each other. Both say the other deserves to win and they get closer and eventually briefly kiss before both pull back a bit awkwardly. After a minute Stephanie breaks the silence by saying that won’t stop her from kicking Gary’s butt in the morning. The two share a good laugh.

The next morning Stephanie wakes up and meets up with Janine before going towards the stadium. We see Gary getting ready as well and trying to psych himself up.

 

In Pallet Town, Oak and Bill are sitting on Oak’s porch having morning coffee when they see a shadow swoop down. It is Ash and his Pikachu, riding his Charizard, which lands by Oak’s house. Oak waves and says he thought Ash was on Cinnabar. Ash says things are getting normal there, so he decided to check up on them. Ash shakes Oak’s and Bill’s hands and Oak asks how his Research is coming. Ash says fairly well, he’s gone to Hoenn, Sinnoh, and even Unova. He’s learned a lot from just traveling. He asks how the Mewtwo research is going and Bill says they set some simulations and energy tracers running overnight to see if they can isolate any unique psionic energy readings. They should be finished, so Oak suggests they go in and take a look.

 

Stephanie and Janine meet up with Kristen outside the stadium. Kristen gives Stephanie a hug and says she’ll be her loudest cheerleader in the stands. “Not too loud Mom” Stephanie says, “there’s about a gazillion people here and watching on TV”. “Only a little loud then, got it” Kristen says with a smile.

 

At Oak’s lab, Oak and Bill bring up their latest data crunching and note there do seem to be spikes of unique energy registering from satellite observations of Kanto. “Mewtwo’s abilities are so unique, it makes it easier to find what we’re looking for” Bill notes. He runs a program that maps the coordinates, and Oak grabs the printout…and his face falls. “Bill, contact the Elite Four, now!” Bill runs to find a phone as Oak hands Ash the printout. It shows the energy spikes on the move, each time closer and closer to Indigo Plateau.

 

We cut back to the stadium, with Stephanie exiting the tunnel for her match against Gary, Gary already waiting on the field. We see shots of the regular people in the audience, and of the Elite Four and gym leaders watching from box seats. Brock and Misty are sitting in their own box when Brock gets a call. It is Ash. Ash says Bill can’t get through to the Elite Four but they need to be warned. “Team Rocket and Mewtwo are coming there.”

 

At the same time, as the match is about to start, we see a large blimp emerge from overhead clouds and settle over the stadium, which draws everyone’s attention. A figure emerges from the blimp, levitating, and emits a pulse of energy that seems to disable most electronics, including Brock’s phone. The civilians start to panic, the Elite Four and Gym leaders start mobilizing, Stephanie and Gary running to take some cover, and confusion starts. As this starts, Giovanni’s face appears on the stadium video screens and he says today is the day that the world will learn can be accomplished by maximizing the potential of Pokemon. He demands that the Elite Four, Gym Leaders, etc. cede their authority. As he says this, we see several rappel lines drop from the blimp and a whole bunch of Rockets, including Apollo and Atlas, rappel down into the stadium.

 

As more people flee the stadium, Lance stands up and announces that they will not surrender to “you or your pet”. Giovanni, still on the video screen, says “I was hoping you would say that” and the video screen blinks out.

 

And Pokemon rumble chaos begins.

 

As the Rockets, Atlas, and Apollo summon their Pokemon, which clash with Pokemon of the Elite Four and Gym Leaders, Stephanie runs to find her Mom, who is hiding behind a corner with Janine. Stephanie asks Janine to get Kristen out safely. Janine nods and says she will, then she’ll come back. Kristen and Janine start to leave but Kristen turns back and says “one last thing sweetheart, kick that guy’s ass.”

 

Stephanie runs back into the main arena and finds Gary fending off a Rocket with his Flareon. Stephanie summons Silva to assist, and Silva wraps up the Rocket and his Pokemon and doses them with sleep powder. They look at the chaos around them and then up at Mewtwo, levitating several dozen feet overhead, just watching. “How are we going to deal with that?” Gary wonders. Stephanie says they’ll figure it out.

 

We get several shots of face-offs between Rockets and good guys. Lance’s powerful draconic Pokemon easily knock out those who attempt to oppose him. Bruno faces off against Apollo and Atlas, using his Machamp and a Hitmonchan, and it is an even match. We see Misty, Lorelai, and Surge team up with Misty creating a pool of water with her Water Pokemon, Lorelai using her Ice Pokemon to freeze it, causing several Rockets and their Pokemon to slip and slide, and then Surge has his Raichu shock the ice, the electricity knocking them out. Koga and Erika use their Pokemon to ambush and surprise other Rockets. And we see Brock summon a Steelix to surround and wrap up other opponents. Finally, we see Sabrina and Agatha looking around a corner up at Mewtwo.

 

We get a quick shot of Giovanni, on an observation deck of the blimp, looking down at the unfolding scrum. He smiles, and then looks at Mewtwo, who is looking up at him with a sense of displeasure. “Not yet” he says to it. “They will come to you.”

 

Janine gets Kristen outside and tells her to go wait it out somewhere safe. Kristen nods and Janine runs back towards the stadium.

 

Inside the stadium, we see Stephanie and Gary working together. They banter a little back and forth as we seem them expertly coordinating their various Pokemon to great tag-team effect. Meanwhile, Sabrina summons her Alakazam, and sends it to levitate up to challenge Mewtwo. Mewtwo glides over and the two engage in a psychic battle with energy pulses and mind shields. As this happens, we see Agatha summon her Gengar, which fades invisible and tries to sneak up behind Mewtwo. However, Mewtwo senses this and grabs the invisible Gengar and throws it hard at the Alakazam, the impact knocking both out. Mewtwo, eyes blazing, hypnotizes Sabrina and Agatha, then emits a large pulse of psionic energy that knocks a lot of people and Pokemon off their feet, the rippling energy also causing minor damage to the stadium itself. In the confusion, Apollo and Atlas are able to defeat Bruno’s Pokemon. The tide seems to turn in favor of the Rockets, and we see Stephanie, Gary, and others retreat inside the stadium corridors.

 

Apollo and Atlas take most of the Rockets to pursue.

 

Mewtwo stays levitating, looking at everything with conflicting emotions. Lance strides forward, looking determined. He summons his most powerful Pokemon, a Dragonite and an Aerodactyl, and sends them forth to assault Mewtwo with cascades of Hyper Beams and other draconic energy. Mewtwo blocks the blasts with conjured shields, though it is knocked back. Giovanni looks briefly surprised by the onslaught, and then Mewtwo counterattacks.

 

Inside the corridors, Stephanie and Gary reunite with Janine, and the three fend off a couple pursuing Rockets. Janine tells Stephanie her mom is safe and she is going to find her uncle. Elsewhere, we see that Misty and Brock are together, but Misty’s Psyduck has gotten separated. It is cornered by a Rocket and his Raticate, and the Rocket says that the Psyduck looks pathetic. Psyduck makes loud noises in panic and clutches its head like it has a migraine, and the Rocket is confused, until Psyduck shouts “PSY-YI-YI” and a burst of psychic energy ripples from its head and knocks the Rocket and Raticate out. Psyduck, its headache gone, blows a raspberry at the two and then waddles off.

 

Surge and Lorelai are duking it out in a Pokemon battle with some Rockets, and they seem to have the upper hand, until Apollo and Atlas arrive. Apollo uses a Weezing to create a massive smokescreen that blinds Surge and Lorelai’s Pokemon, and then Atlas sends an Arbok to do lightning-quick tackles that knock out Surge’s Raichu and Lorelai’s Cloyster. With two more leaders subdued, Apollo and Atlas split up to take down the last few.

 

Kristen, away from the stadium and in safety, calls Oak and Bill. Oak says Giovanni’s plan must be to intimidate all of Kanto by showcasing Mewtwo’s abilities in a massive spectacle. This is intercut with shots of Mewtwo facing off with the Dragonite and Aerodactyl. Kristen asks them if Mewtwo can be defeated. Oak says he does not know if anyone can. This is intercut with Mewtwo stunning the Aerodactyl with a mind wave, and the Aerodactyl falls unconscious. Bill says they have to try though, or find some other way. This is intercut with Mewtwo grabbing the Dragonite by the throat and doing a piledrive several dozen feet down to the ground, it standing over the unconscious Dragonite, eyes glowing. It looks at Lance, and Lance’s eyes roll back and he falls down.

 

“So, what can we do?” Kristen asks over the phone. Oak responds that right now, all they can do is trust in their friends and family.

 

In the stadium, we see Atlas corner Erika, and gain the upper hand in a Pokemon battle against her. However, we then see burst from hiding a Venomoth, a Muk, a Sandslash, and a Haunter, and they quickly ambush and defeat Atlas’ Pokemon and subdue Atlas herself. Koga and Janine exit from concealed spots. “You may have learned all I can possibly teach” Koga says to his niece. Janine beams with pride.

 

Elsewhere, Apollo stumbles upon Stephanie and Gary, and laughs. Apollo sends out two Pokemon, his Golem from earlier, and a Magneton. Stephanie sends out Conan again, and Gary sends out a Ninetails. The Pokemon engage and Apollo’s are forced back. Concerned, he recalls them and retreats into the stadium field itself, Stephanie and Gary in pursuit. The two are joined by Brock and Misty, and the four face Apollo, who has summoned the majority of the remaining Rockets to assist him, making the heroes very outnumbered. Apollo re-sends his Magneton and has an Electrode join it, and the four heroes are forced to hide behind debris to avoid electrical blasts. With the four pinned, The Rockets send several Rhyhorn charging towards them. Gary comments that they can use some backup right now and Misty, looking upwards, says she thinks they got some.

 

We see a small shadowy pinprick against the Sun that grows larger and it suddenly zooms by and impacts the field amidst the charging Rhyhorn, creating a cloud of dust. As the dust cloud slowly subsides, we see all the Rhyhorn are dazed or knocked out, and a person steps through the dust. It is Ash, with his Pikachu on his shoulder, and Charizard looming in the background. Stephanie, Gary, Misty, and Brock come out from behind the debris as Apollo looks on furiously. He and the Rockets send most of their remaining Pokemon forward, but the five do the same and soon the Rockets are retreating. Apollo urges them to stay and fight on, but they don’t listen. Apollo, angry, throws his last Pokeball, but Ash’s Lucario intercepts it and with a roundhouse kick sends it back into Apollo’s face. Apollo stumbles around dazed for a couple seconds and then turns to see Brock, who knocks him out with a punch to the face. A quiet falls over the stadium, as everyone’s attention turns towards Mewtwo.

 

Stephanie walks towards it. Mewtwo looks at Stephanie calmly as she approaches, and Stephanie calls out that no one wants to hurt it. They all know it is being forced to fight. Mewtwo, showing almost an expression of sadness, looks at Stephanie, and a mental voice appears in her head. “I do not want to fight. I do not even know what I am. But he controls me. He built me, and built the means to force me.” Stephanie asks if they can help and Mewtwo’s voice says only if they destroy that which binds it. At that point Giovanni reappears on the stadium video screens. Giovanni laughs and says all of their impressive skills are for naught against what Mewtwo is capable of. “Once again, my dear girl, you fail to understand. Everything has put me exactly where I need to be.” His attention shifts to Mewtwo. “Destroy them all”.

 

Mewtwo’s eyes blaze and it nods, and then unleashes an energy blast at Stephanie, who is knocked out of the way by Gary. The two run back, dodging energy blasts, until Misty’s Starmie conjures a light screen that reflects the blasts. Ash summons a Xatu to help hold off the psychic attacks. Stephanie says that Mewtwo wants to stop, but it can’t so long as it is being controlled. Ash says that the Pokeball Giovanni captured it with was specially designed to control it. “So, destroy Giovanni’s Pokeball, we free Mewtwo, it stops” Misty says, and Stephanie nods. They look up at the blimp and say they’ll have to get up there. Gary says his Pidgeot can fly him and Stephanie up. Ash says he, Misty, and Brock will keep Mewtwo busy, but Steph and Gary will also need some help clearing the way since Giovanni will likely have guards. Ash looks at Silva and asks Stephanie “does it have a cannon for an arm?” Stephanie smiles and says it does.

 

Cut to Stephanie summoning Io and Ash gently placing Pikachu on its back. At this point Psyduck waddles over, finally finding Misty, and she immediately scoops it up and puts it on Io’s back. Psyduck is naturally confused. Stephanie asks Ash, Misty, and Brock if they’re ready to fully engage. They say they are, so Stephanie tells Silva to “put a little extra on this one”. Silva growls affirmatively and wraps its vines around Io, picks Io up, and twirls it around like a centrifuge before flinging Io up towards the blimp, Psyduck screeching in terror the whole way. The three Pokemon are expertly aimed through one of the window panels of the blimp amid surprised Rockets, and immediately get to work chasing them off.

 

Seeing hints of the chaos above, Ash, Misty, and Brock relieve Starmie and Xatu with Ash’s Charizard, an Azumarill for Misty, and a Rhydon for Brock. Charizard uses fire blasts, Azumarill conjures water energy, and Rhydon flings clumps of earth and concrete. This takes up Mewtwo’s attention, so Gary summons his Pidgeot and climbs on its back, helping Stephanie up behind him after she recalls Silva. The two hold on tight as Pidgeot flies up to the blimp, depositing them on the observation deck, where Giovanni turns to face them.

 

Giovanni congratulates them on their resourcefulness, but says it will make no difference. “Even if you defeat me, Mewtwo will handle you all.” “So sure about that?” Stephanie retorts. There is a camera close-up shot of the Masterball hooked to Giovanni’s belt. Giovanni smiles and says they should get on with it. He summons four Pokemon, a Kangaskhan, a Nidoqueen, a Weezing, and his Alakazam. Gary sends out his Flareon and an Electrabuzz, Stephanie sends out Silva and Minos. We see shots of Minos and the Nidoqueen getting into a brawl, the same with the Kangaskhan and the Electrabuzz. Giovanni’s Weezing uses smog attacks against the fire blasts of Gary’s Flareon, and his Alakazam’s psychic powers strive against the fortitude of Silva.

 

Intercut with this are shots of Mewtwo slowly whittling down its opponents, though we see Janine and Koga arriving to assist in holding it off, though soon they too start to get pushed back. We also see shots of Pikachu, Io, and Psyduck finishing off disabling the Rockets in the blimp. They chatter to one another, and then Pikachu motions for the other two to follow, and they set off.

 

The fight between Giovanni, Stephanie, and Gary continues, with it now down to Silva and Gary’s Flareon against Kangaskhan and Nidoqueen. Both sides are tiring, but in the end, Kangaskhan is the only one standing. Giovanni cackles. “Impressive and daring, but you are still ultimately, just children.” He starts to monologue, as we shots of Mewtwo reigning supreme over the arena, all the Pokemon that had been challenging it either unconscious or exhausted. We see a shot of Io, Psyduck, and Pikachu’s heads peeking one above the other around the corner of the doorway to the observation deck. Stephanie notices them and subtly gestures with her eyes towards the Masterball. Giovanni wraps up his bad guy speech by telling Stephanie and Gary they’ll be fortunate enough to see Mewtwo finish off their friends, and he commands Mewtwo to “end this.” Mewtwo nods and begins charging up energy. Ash, Misty, and Brock hold hands, and we see Koga and Janine hug. Giovanni does not notice Psyduck gently reaching up and unhooking the Masterball from his belt until it already happens. Giovanni looks down, Psyduck looks up and quizzically says “Psy?”

 

Giovanni yells in rage and tries to grab the Masterball, but Psyduck stumbles backwards and lets it go and it rolls away, Giovanni tripping over Psyduck and falling on his face. Pikachu uses the distraction to unleash a massive thunderbolt that knocks out the Kangaskhan, and Io, roaring, summons a giant fire blast that immolates the Masterball, to which Pikachu adds its electricity and Psyduck, on its back, contributes psychic energy. The combined force chars, blisters, and eventually melts the Masterball. Instantly, the glow in Mewtwo’s eyes fade, the energy it was charging dissipates, and it looks towards the blimp.

 

Giovanni gets to his feet, snarling in anger, and says that it doesn’t matter. “I made sure to bring spares” he says as he fishes a backup Masterball out of his jacket pocket. Before anyone can do anything, he throws the backup Masterball at Mewtwo, but Mewtwo extends an arm and the Masterball stops halfway, and then disintegrates.

 

“That trick won’t work a second time” Mewtwo says aloud for everyone to hear. “I know to expect it.” Giovanni is suddenly yanked out of the blimp by a telekinetic force and suspended in front of Mewtwo. As pinkish-purplish energy surrounds Giovanni Mewtwo speaks again. “You forced me to hurt people and Pokemon, you used me as a tool and weapon of destruction and pain. Perhaps I will show you just how powerful you made me.” The energy brightens and Giovanni screams in pain as everyone else watches. After a few seconds Mewtwo brings Giovanni in close face-to-face and grabs his throat. “In your toy, I felt like I was dying, in a box with no air. I will make you feel the same.” A voice calls out, Stephanie’s.

 

Stephanie pleads with Mewtwo to stop, to not hurt Giovanni. “Don’t be what he made you to be. You’re better than that. You’re free.” Mewtwo pauses, considering her words, looking at the chaos of all that has occurred, and lets go of Giovanni and the energy glow fades. “You are right. I am not a monster, I am not a weapon, I…I do not know what I am. But I will not be what men like him expect me to be.” Giovanni is lowered to the arena telekinetically, and he promptly passes out. Mewtwo looks again at Stephanie. “Thank you, human, for reminding me. It is time for me to go.” When Stephanie asks where, Mewtwo says “Home, if I can find it.”

 

And then, with everyone watching, Mewtwo shoots up into the atmosphere at supersonic speeds, and is gone in a flash. Everyone is speechless. Stephanie and Gary look on with a mix of awe, shock, and relief. We see them holding hands.

 

We cut to the police and authorities cleaning up the scene, with Giovanni, Apollo, and Atlas all in handcuffs. Stephanie and Gary have descended from the blimp and are talking with Misty, Brock, Ash, Janine, and others, when Kristen is let back into the stadium. She rushes to find her daughter and the two embrace.

 

The film fades out to Stephanie and Gary in a conference room, talking with the Elite Four. We see that Professor Oak and Bill have arrived and are sitting in on the meeting. Team Rocket has been mostly caught as a result of their all-or-nothing gambit, and their leadership dismantled. The Elite Four assure everyone that Giovanni and his cohorts will spend a long, long time in prison. The conversation turns to Mewtwo, and the Elite Four are all wary of Mewtwo reappearing and causing trouble. Stephanie disagrees, saying that was confused and angry and forced against its will. Oak and Bill back up Stephanie, saying that Mewtwo, once it is fully mature, would be no different from any person. “I like to think we give people the benefit of the doubt.” After some discussion, Lance agrees with their assessment, saying they won’t hunt for it. He thanks Stephanie and Gary for all of their help, they have done far more than anyone could ask of them. They nod but say they were not alone, their friends and family helped too. Lance nods and says that there’s few things stronger than those bonds.

 

Stephanie and Gary are walking together out of the building, when Gary stops and very awkwardly tries to ask Stephanie out on a date. Stephanie, with a smile, cuts Gary off and says she would like to very much. Gary suggests maybe they go get dinner and before he can say another word we hear Bill from behind them, clearly not having caught the first part, saying that dinner sounds like a great idea. Oak, appearing by his side, agrees with the sentiment. Kristen, who had been waiting for Stephanie by the entrance, comes over and is “invited” to the dinner by Bill, and she agrees, looking at Stephanie and mouthing “I’m so sorry”.

 

The film cuts to an uninhabited island. We see a streak of energy flash, and Mewtwo lands in a forest clearing. It looks around, uncertain, and seeing nothing, looks despondent and sits down, curled up in a ball. Then, slowly, we see multiple pairs of eyes softly glow in the dark, and one by one, we see several Mews float into the clearing, and slowly sit in a circle around Mewtwo. Mewtwo looks at them, hopeful, and asks “Home?”. The Mews all nod, and we see Mewtwo get to its feet and follow the Mews as they lead it into the forest beyond.

 

The film cuts to Stephanie, Gary, Kristen, Janine, Oak, Bill, Misty, Brock, and Ash all packed into a corner booth of a restaurant, enjoying time together as friends and family. As the meal starts to wind down, Oak asks Stephanie and Gary, and Janine as well, if they’ll give the Pokemon League another go next year, since this year’s tournament is cancelled. The three are noncommittal, since if anything is clear these days, it’s that there’s a whole wide world of Pokemon beyond simple training. “Hear hear” Bill says, slightly tipsy. Ash agrees, saying that sometimes you don’t really find your place with Pokemon until you go out there and let it find you. “Can’t always get that from a League competition.”

 

“Speaking of League competition” Stephanie starts, with a slightly mischievous grin, “I believe you owe me the story of that time you competed here and got embarrassed.” Ash gives her an “are you serious now?” look, Brock leans back and looks up at the ceiling, and Misty hides her face behind a coffee mug and laughs. Gary, seeing the reactions, says “Well now you HAVE to tell us.” Pikachu, which had been sitting up on top of the booth, gets in on the Pokemon equivalent of giggling. Ash, sighing, says “fine,.”

 

As the camera slowly pulls back and up from a shot of everyone in the booth, Ash starts:

 

“So, it was a big tournament that year, and I made it to the Top 16, and I was so confident I was going to go all the way. Misty and Brock can tell you all about how cocky I was back then. Anyways, it was a 3-on-3 battle, and we’re both down to our final Pokemon, and I send out Charizard, who did not get along with me at the time and…” at this point the audio trails off and the film faces to black and the end credits begin to roll.

 

 

Spoiler

*when the end credits roll, The first thing that features is "Dedicated to the Memory of Rutger Hauer". Then, when the cast credits appear, they include “Featuring Matthew Mercer as the Voice of Mewtwo”*

 

*MID CREDITS SCENE*

 

Spoiler

 

Back at Stephanie and Kristen’s home, Houdini is washing dishes when it spots Misty’s Psyduck leaving a half-full bowl of Pokemon food on a table. Houdini shakes his head and teleports in front of Psyduck and points at the bowl for Psyduck to clean up. Psyduck just stares blankly at Houdini, who stares back. We get a progression of increasingly close close-ups of each Pokemon staring the other down, played for comic effect, until finally both Pokemon simultaneously faint.

 

At this point Ali enters the room and giggles “hehehe” before grabbing the bowl of food and running off with it.

 

 

*POST CREDITS SCENE*

 

Spoiler

 

A tropical island at nighttime. The streets are deserted, no one is really around. We see a small shadow dart into an alleyway. The small shadow rushes down alleyways, zig-zagging through the network of them, until it reaches a back door to some building. It moves a trash can over to the door and hops on it, and seems to be picking the lock to the door. The camera slowly zooms in close, until suddenly the small shadow turns around and is revealed in some light.

 

“HEY!” Meowth says to the audience, “you’re all supposed to have left the theater by now!”

 

 

Edited September 15, 2019 by 4815162342

[4815162342]

The Most Wanted Man in Great Britain

 

Cast: Tom Holland (Charles), Florence Pugh (Jane Lane), Sam Heughan (Henry Wilmot), Andrew Scott (James Stanley), Rory Kinnear (George Pendrell), Sam Spruell (Richard Pendrell), George MacKay (Henry Lascelles), Tobias Menzies (Francis Wyndham), Samuel West (Edward Phelips), and Dan Stevens as The Colonel

Genre: Period Drama/Adventure/Romance

Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg

Original Music by: Craig Armstrong

Release Date: December 16, Year 6

Theater Count: 3318 Theaters

Budget: $75 Million

Running Time: 141 Minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for scenes of war violence, brief strong language, and some disturbing images

 

Plot Summary:

 

Inspired by a True Escape

 

Spoiler

 

*title cards*

 

England.

 

September, 1651.

 

Charles I, King of England, Ireland, and Scotland, is dead. Executed by Parliament, all but one of his family has fled across the Channel to France. Cromwell reigns supreme.

 

The sole remnant of the Stuart monarchy in Great Britain, his eldest son, Charles, has rallied the remaining Royalist supporters and has engaged in a last gambit to avenge his father.

 

*title cards*

 

The film opens with the sound of nervous breathing, and the first shot is of Charles (Holland), dressed in war-like attire and armor, staring at himself in the mirror. His contemplation is ended by a knock on the door to his room and a man enters. The man, Lord James Stanley (Scott), tells him that “Cromwell’s men are here.” Charles takes a deep breath, and then turns and says “then let’s not keep them waiting.”

 

Charles and Lord Stanley exit the building they were in, and we see through establishing shots that hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers are assembling and marching out of the city of Worcester. Charles and Lord Stanley walk to where several other Royalist nobles are gathered. Charles and Stanley join them and we learn that Cromwell has descended upon Worcester with an army that fairly outnumbers their own. The plan is to stay on the defensive. Charles agrees to the plan and intends to join his army on the field, but is persuaded to remain in the rear, since “all of this is for naught if you fall”. Charles is advised to view the battle from the tower of Worcester Cathedral. agrees and is joined by Lord Henry Wilmot (Heughan), who has become good friends with Charles since his father’s execution two years earlier.

 

The film, after showing the Royalist forces marching to battle, cuts to Charles and Wilmot in the cathedral tower. The two have a short conversation where Charles expresses some doubts about whether he will get justice for his father, and whether this country has a place for his family anymore. Wilmot says “Your father never stopped fighting, not even when the Roundheads had his back against the wall. I know you will be the same.” Charles nods and the two look out over the countryside, where we see the Parliamentarian army assembled.

 

The Battle of Worchester occurs, though it is presented to the audience in either wide, long-distance shots from the perspective of Charles and Wilmot, or close-up, intentionally claustrophobic shots that follow Stanley, with smoke and fog reducing visibility. Through this combination of perspectives, we see the Parliamentarian soldiers initially attack, but get driven back by the Royalists. Encouraged, Stanley and other Royalist leaders press a counterattack, and start to drive the Parliamentarian forces back through the smoke and fog. However, Charles and Wilmot can see from their spot up high that the Parliamentarian forces are assembling reserves, and those forces envelop the Royalist counterattack. From Stanley’s perspective we see his regiment of men get charged in on three sides and get decimated. The Royalist forces retreat back towards Worchester. Charles has a messenger deliver orders for orienting a new defense at the outskirts of the city, and it seems briefly that the new defensive line will hold, but as the opposing armies trade musket fire, we see Royalist soldiers start to flee, first one at a time, then a few, and then suddenly a torrent. The battle is a colossal defeat.

 

Charles watches all of this from the cathedral tower, stunned. Wilmot puts a hand on Charles’ soldier and says they must leave now, before the Parliamentarian army seals off the city. Charles nods and the two descend the tower. At the bottom, Wilmot tells Charles to lose the armor, as “we will need speed.” Charles removes his armor and it drops to the floor with a clang.

 

We get brief shots of Stanley entering the city with a small cohort of men, trying to rally others. He is only partially successful, and he takes his company to locate Charles. We also get shots of the Parliamentarian forces rolling into Worchester like a wave, easily overwhelming the few defenders and cutting down many fleeing soldiers and even a few who try to surrender.

 

Charles and Wilmot are met by Stanley, who has assembled a few hundred men, including a couple dozen loyal lords. Stanley says that they must exit the city now. The whole group is horsed and they find the way to the northern gate is blocked by a large number of soldiers. After some initial hesitation, one of the Royalist lords says that he will clear a path, and leads the majority of the group on a desperate cavalry charge into the enemy forces, causing havoc as a bunch of enemy soldiers are trampled and more cut down. As the Parliamentarians recover and summon reinforcements, Charles, Wilmot, and Stanley gallop forward with the remaining escort, about fifty total, into the gap created by the charge. Some Parliamentarian soldiers and open fire, and a couple of the escort are shot down, and a bullet just whizzes by Charles’ head, but he and the others are able to flee through the gate as the brave soldiers whose charge cleared the way are overwhelmed.

 

We cut to Charles and his escort reaching a hillside several miles away and looking back at Worchester. Charles looks crestfallen and gazes back at the city, until Stanley rides up alongside him and says that they must put distance between them and the city. “They know you were there, and with your army broken, they will be combing the countryside for you.” Charles nods, and the escort rides north.

 

We return to Worchester, now dusk, where the surviving Royalist soldiers are being rounded up as prisoners. At the same building where Charles had been staying, we see a Parliamentarian Colonel (Stevens) enter. He tells the assembled officers there that he has been assigned to oversee the pursuit of Royalists of high rank who escaped the battle. “They have a head start of some hours, but we will swarm the country, and root them out of their hiding holes.” The Colonel says that leaflets are being distributed with Charles’ likeness. He tells the officers to be generous with reward, and merciless with punishment, He then waves a hand, and two soldiers barge into the inn, dragging with them the Royalist lord who led the cavalry charge that allowed Charles to escape. The soldiers deposit him into a chair, and we see he is badly wounded, shot in a couple places and bleeding from a head wound. The Colonel pulls up a chair opposite the lord and proceeds to ask him questions about the route Charles and his escorts would be taking to evade capture. The Royalist lord is defiant and when the Colonel persists in asking questions, the Royalist spits in his face, the spit being a bit bloody, and tells the Colonel to do his worst.

 

The Colonel does not bother to wipe the spit from his face. Instead, he smiles, and slowly rolls up his sleeves. He addresses the other officers in the room, saying “go to your detachments and get to work. I shall join you in the morning. The various officers and soldiers nod and file out of the inn. The camera holds a shot from the doorway, officers and soldiers filing out past it, as the Colonel stands up and walks up to the Royalist lord and grabs him by the hair, the door swinging shut just as we start to see the Colonel begin to mercilessly beat him.

 

The film cuts to Charles and his escort reaching Kinver Heath after night has fallen. The majority wants to retreat north into Scotland, and rally new support there. Charles disagrees since that is where he will be expected to go. Wilmot and Stanley point out that the most important thing is to ensure Charles is caught, since if he is he will very likely be executed on the spot. “Your father got the courtesy of a show trial” Stanley says, but you will likely not be so fortunate. Stanley knows of a pair of brothers who live together at Boscobel House, that is several hours away. “I have stayed with them before, they are good, forthright men. They will shelter you. Charles agrees, and the group sets out for the estate.

 

The escort arrives at Boscobel House, and meet the two brothers who live there, George Pendrell (Rory Kinnear) and Richard Pendrell (Sam Spruell). The two brothers receive Charles and the others and provide them with lodging for the night, though it is very cramped. The Pendrell brothers tell them that riders are already traveling far and wide with news of the defeat at Worchester and the manhunt for Charles and any other Royalists.

 

In conference with Wilmot and Stanley, Charles says that given the situation, it would be untenable to remain here long. The bulk of the Parliamentarians will likely assume he is retreating towards Scotland, so he will go west and cross the Severn River into Wales, and either rally support or find passage there. Wilmot and Stanley agree, and Wilmot says that crossing a major river like the Severn with so many in escort will be hard to conceal. Stanley, looking pensive, says the only thing to do then is for Charles to travel all but alone. “Fifty men will draw notice, a couple will not.” Stanley says that he will disperse the others into smaller groups and have them ride north or east, so that if the Roundheads notice them, it will draw attention away from where Charles intends to go. Charles objects, saying that he cannot let Stanley and the others throw their lives away as bait. Stanley shakes his head and says that “We all knew when we joined you that this could end in our death. I do not regret that bargain.”

 

Cut to the following morning, with Stanley organizing the rest of the escort into groups of five to ten people. Only Wilmot will be remaining with Charles. As final preparations are made, Stanley pulls George Pendrell aside and tells him that “when the Roundheads come, and they will come, tell them that Lord Stanley and a half-dozen men were here, and continued on the north road.” George asks Stanley if he is sure. Stanley replies that “mention some common soldiers and they won’t care much. Mention one of Charles’ generals and they’ll eagerly pursue, in the wrong direction.” The time then comes for the escort to split up. Stanley shakes Charles’ hand, and then claps Wilmot on the shoulder and says “the fate of a few kingdoms rests on your protection.” Wilmot says he’ll get their king out safe. They shake hands as well and Stanley goes to his horse. The escort rides off, and we get a sweeping overhead shot showing the group breaking into two, then four, then nearly ten different groups.

 

Charles and Wilmot watch them go, and then the Pendrell brothers come over. Richard says that time is short, so “if you mean to travel to safety, you best learn to travel incognito.”

 

We then get a scene showing the Pendrell brothers giving Charles a makeover so that he can pass as a peasant laborer. Charles’ nice, fancy clothes are taken and dumped in a firepit, and they are replaced with coarse shirts and trousers, a ragged coat, and a tattered hat. Wilmot, sitting in a corner, chuckles and says Charles looks like a true commoner. Richard guffaws and says that clothes are only part of it. “If you don’t truly pass for one of the people, you’ll be dead within a fortnight.”

 

We then get a short montage of Charles being taught to speak with a West Midlands accent, as opposed to his proper London speech. We also see Charles being taught how to carry himself as a commoner. George asks Charles to show him how he walks and Charles walks very upright with imposing stature and presence, and George immediately says that won’t do, “they’ll spot you as some noble instantly.” George and Richard demonstrate a more slouched, weary posture, and make Charles imitate it several times until he starts to get the hang of it.

 

After the “lessons” are complete, the Pendrell brothers tell Charles and Wilmot that they have a friend who lives near the Severn River, a Francis Wolfe, who might be able to help them cross and find safe passage to Wales. Richard will show them the way and George will remain behind in case soldiers come by. The brothers say they must go on foot for the time being.

 

We thus see Charles, Richard, and Wilmot set out on foot westward towards Wolfe’s estate. We learn that Richard and his brother are both Catholic, and that many of the people they know of who might be able to assist Charles are of the same faith. “I know you do not share our faith, but your father was sympathetic to us, and most of us believe that you would be preferable than Cromwell.” Charles, in thought, nods in contemplation.

 

After a few pretty shots of the three traversing the English countryside, they arrive at Madeley Court, Wolfe’s estate, at nighttime. We see that Charles is limping a bit, not used to walking on foot for so long, especially in cheap, uncomfortable peasant shoes. They are met by Wolfe, who says that they are safe for now “but I expect we’ll get more visitors. It is important you don’t stay long.” Richard says they can scout the Severn River crossings in the morning.

 

The following morning, Richard and Wolfe go to scout the river crossings, with Wilmot accompanying them. Charles is left behind at the manor house with the family priest as company. The two have a conversation about Charles’ flight and Charles says that he is not used to relying on the kindness of strangers. The priest nods sagely and says that “we Catholics have been persecuted and harassed in this country for over a hundred years, we have learned to rely upon one another.” Charles nods and says that it feels strange that so many have punished one another because of how they choose to pray to God, when there are better reasons to judge a man harshly. He says that if he comes into his crown, that will change.

 

We cut back to Boscobel, where George, passing time, is visited by a patrol of soldiers. Leading them is The Colonel. The Colonel, all smiles and genteel manners, loquaciously questions George about whether Charles has been at the house. He says, drawing out every word, that there is a £1,000 reward for information leading to the King's capture, and, with even more affect, that the penalty for concealing Charles was death, “for you and your family.” George, nodding gamely, says “no king, good sir, but a handful of lords, led by that Lord Stanley. ‘twas just me here, and a mass of them, so I had to let them stay the night. They left on the north road.” The Colonel, a glint of avarice in his eyes, says that “Lord Cromwell and the people thank you for your service.” The Colonel and his men depart, riding briskly to the north, and George, returning inside, sinks into a chair.

 

We go back to Richard, Wilmot, and Wolfe, who reach the Severn River and scout a few crossings. All are closely guarded, no way for Wilmot and Charles to get past. They’ll need to find a new exit path. As they return back, they are forced to hide off the road as soldiers ride past, on the road towards Madeley. Wilmot is concerned but Wolfe says there’s a few hiding holes at his place.

 

At Madeley, Charles is sitting in contemplation when he looks out a window to see several soldiers riding up to the house. The family priest comes in and guides Charles to a bedroom, and activates a wall panel to reveal a small hiding spot. Charles is ushered in there, and after closing the panel, the priest goes downstairs to greet the soldiers, who say they are here for an inspection. The priest gives them entrance, saying there are no bad sorts here. The soldiers inspect the house, including the bedroom Charles is hiding in, one soldier coming close to the wall panel as Charles holds his breath, but nothing is found. The soldiers depart and Charles, the audience seeing for the first time a sense of fear in him, leans back against the wall in silence.

 

Richard, Wilmot, and Wolfe return and meet with Charles. Since the river crossings are blocked, they’ll try a new route. George knows a few more people, so they’ll reunite with him and continue onward. Charles graciously gives thanks to Wolfe and his priest before setting out.

 

They return to Boscobel early the following morning and rouse George, who had fallen asleep in the same chair. George informs them of the visit to the house and discloses to Charles what Stanley had made him promise to do. Charles says he hopes Stanley has enough of a head-start. Wilmot says that Stanley is a clever man and he’ll get to Scotland safe. Richard says that either way, the soldiers will return south, so they need to move quickly, this time on horseback. He asks George if he knows of a place to take Charles, and George says they’ll go to Bentley Hall, where a retired officer, John Lane, lives. The four set out just after dawn.

 

The scene shifts northwards, and we rejoin Lord Stanley, who is accompanied by several men, all on horseback. The group is accosted by a squad of Parliamentarian soldiers on horseback, who ask to know their business. Stanley tries to calmly talk his way out of the encounter, and it seems like he will, but then one of his group, nervous, draws attention, and one of the soldiers, coming closer, recognizes him. Stanley immediately draws a pistol and shoots the nearest guard, and his group bolts, shooting at the soldiers as they ride, who give chase and blow a trumpet of alarm. We thus get a chase scene as the Parliamentarian soldiers pursue in a shootout, numbers on both sides dropping, until another squad, summoned, cuts off Stanley’s group at an intersection. Stanley veers down a side path after shooting another man ahead of him, and seems to lose his pursuers. However, when he comes around a bend, he finds over a dozen soldiers on horseback waiting for him. Stanley sighs and tosses his pistol to the ground, and surrenders.

 

We cut to Bentley Hall, where John Lane lives with a few of his siblings, including his young sister Jane (Pugh). Jane is spirited and talks sharply with John when, sitting with all the siblings, he talks of Cromwell and Parliament now having no opposition, and needing to tread carefully. She is of the opinion they should give help to those who need it. The siblings start to argue when a servant enters and says that they have visitors. Jane goes to a window to look out and sees the arrival of Charles, Wilmot, George, and Richard outside.

 

The film cuts to Jane, standing by closed doors, listening to a conversation on the other side. We then see that conversation, which is Charles, Wilmot, George, and Richard with John Lane. John says that soldier patrols are growing thicker in the region. He tells Charles that he is sorry, but he does not have the means to aid him, other than giving him shelter for a few days. Charles is disappointed, but understands. As Wilmot presses John for information about others who might be able to help Charles with safe passage, the camera cuts back to Jane on her side of the door, listening. When she (and us) hear John say he does not know of anyone, she gets a frustrated, look on her face and barges in, to the surprise of everyone. John is furious she intruded but she upbraids him for not helping, nor telling the king of someone who could help him. John sputters and demands she leave but Charles, perceptive, says that it is alright. He asks Jane if she knows of someone who can help him.

 

“Of course I do, me.”

 

John says it’s preposterous, but Jane says the other day she obtained a permit to travel to Abbots Leigh, outside the port city of Bristol to the southwest. “My dear friend is close to giving birth and I wished to be there for it, so I got myself a pass.” John is shocked by his sister’s industriousness. George and Richard stick to practicality and inquire of Jane how a permit for herself can help them. Jane says that the permit is for her, a servant, and a male guardian. She turns to Charles and Wilmot and says that “that should fit the two of you.” Wilmot says that Bristol is a major port and there should be at least one ship docked that is set to sail to France. “We get you on that ship” he says to Charles, “and you’re safe.” Wilmot adds that someone else should be the third in the pass, someone identifiable as close to Jane. He will instead ride ahead on to Bristol to look into what ships are available. Jane nods and says she has a cousin living nearby who can join them. Jane then looks pointedly at her brother John and asks him if she has his leave to do this. John says that he thinks it is foolhardy, but, looking at Charles, says that “I’d be damned if I tried to stop you. You best ensure she returns home safe.” Charles, looking at Jane first, says to John that he will, but it seems she can take care of herself.

 

The meeting breaks up, with John sending someone to bring Jane’s cousin over. Richard and George take their leave of the group, saying if they linger too long, their absence from their home will be noticed. The two brothers tip their hats and then ride back off for home.

 

Jane then shows Charles and Wilmot to their guest quarters. Before going in, Charles thanks Jane for speaking up. “You did not have to do that, my lady” he says. “Doing this will potentially put you in great risk.” Jane says she would be ashamed of herself if she had done nothing. “’twas the right thing to do, and you are my king after all.” Charles bids her good night, and enters his quarters and closes the door behind him.” Inside, he sits on his bed and looks at Wilmot and says that they have found a stroke of good fortune if they can get to Bristol. Wilmot says that is quite true, and adds “remarkable lady of the house, she has more fire than half the men in our army.” Charles nods and says they owe her a great debt in particular. Charles lies down to rest.

 

The following morning, Charles is dressed as a farmer and is given an alias for the trip to Abbots Leigh. Arriving to join them is Jane’s cousin, Henry Lascelles (George MacKay). Lascelles is greatly honored to meet Charles, saying that he served in the first war under his father when he was younger. Charles thanks him for coming. Wilmot mounts his horse and says he will be about a half-mile to mile ahead, and will alert them if he notices trouble. Charles nods and Wilmot gallops ahead. Charles climbs on his horse and helps Jane climb on behind him, with Lascelles having brought his own horse. John, looking uncomfortable, wishes Charles and Jane good luck. Jane replies that God willing, they won’t have to rely on luck.

 

We then get several shots of the party traveling the countryside. As they ride, Charles, Jane, and Lascelles converse. Lascelles asks Charles what he intends to do once he gets to safety. Charles says under the best of cases, he will find support from France, Spain, and others to help him reclaim his throne. But that is no guarantee, so it may be that he will simply be a guest of honor for a long time. Lascelles says it will not be too long, once the people realize what Cromwell and his extremists will do to this country, they will welcome him back with open arms. Jane says that the problem is that many people fear that Charles will simply be extreme in the opposite direction. “You will need to be a king that unites us, not make forever divided.” Charles looks over his shoulder at Jane and says she certainly speaks her mind. Jane retorts that she has a mind like any man, so why not use it. Charles says he can’t argue with that. He turns back to the road and we see he is smiling.

 

We get a quick scene of Wilmot, ahead of the others, coming across a handful of soldiers on patrol. They demand to know his business. Wilmot declares that he is out hunting for sport and inquiries if the soldiers have noticed any notable game. He charms them and after a short discussion about the merits of venison vs boar meat the soldiers let him move on and go a different way. Wilmot rides on, smirking.

 

Charles, Jane, and Lascelles reach the village of Wooten Wawen, where they are to spend the night. Wilmot rides up to them just outside town and says that there is a company of soldiers in town, but they’re not on high alert. Wilmot says he will ride on through the night. Charles suggests they all do the same but Wilmot says one man at night is nothing, a group of four may be suspicious. We thus get a tense scene as Charles, Jane, and Lascelles carefully ride through the village, keeping an eye on the various soldiers. The three reach the local inn and arrange for a room for Jane and Lascelles to share, with Charles to spend the night with other servants. The owner of the inn puts Charles to work in the kitchen. The cook has Charles roast meat, using a jack turning meat in the fireplace. Charles is clumsy and nearly burns the roast, causing the cook to demand what kind of countryman does not know how to roast meat. Charles, for a second at a loss, regains his cool and says that he was the son of poor farmers, so he rarely ate meat, so he never roasted meat with a jack before. The cook gets a softened expression and says “ain’t that the lot of many folks these days. Me own cousin can barely afford a bit of meat. Kings, Parliaments, they get rich and the rest of us scrape by.” Charles nods and, improvising, says somethings he’d like to hang the lot of them. The cook laughs and says “You’re alright boy. Here, boil this water instead, you can’t burn water.”

 

That night, upstairs, we see Jane and Lascelles readying for bed in their respective beds. They talk for a little bit, with Lascelles surprised John let Jane leave the house. Jane says that John talks loud, but if you talk louder, he submits. Lascelles says that most men are like that, so Jane will be in good shape when she finally marries. The conversation briefly turns to Charles and Lascelles says he wasn’t sure what he imagined, but Charles doesn’t seem different from most folk. Jane says most people do once you take them out of fancy clothes and rich houses. She adds that she does not find him altogether uninteresting.

 

We then see Charles try to settle into the cramped servant quarters, which is a handful of people in a bedroom meant for one. After trying to sleep, he is unable to and goes outside to sit behind the inn and lean up against the side of it. This happens to be below Jane and Lascelle’s quarters and the shuffling awakens her, and she sees Charles below. After seeing Lascelles snoring, she bunches up her nightgown and carefully sneaks outside to join Charles, who is a bit surprised. He says this is a bit irregular and Jane asks if given all things, he thinks any of this is regular. “Fair point” Charles admits.

 

Jane asks what he is doing and Charles says he couldn’t sleep inside, the room was too hot, too stuffed, So, he came out here for the cool breeze. He asks if he woke her and she says he did, but adds that Lascelles’ snoring would have done it eventually. Charles chuckles, and the two go on to have a conversation. Jane asks Charles about how it feels, to be stripped of almost everything he grew up with. Charles says he is beginning to understand how easy it can be to lose everything, which makes him appreciate the good fortune he has had along the way “such as meeting you” he says, not noticing in the dim light that Jane flushes slightly at this. Eventually, the conversation ends and Jane says she must return to her quarters. “Good night, my king” she says softly, and goes back inside. Charles leans his head against the building and closes his eyes.

 

The film fades to morning, showing Charles in the same position, and we see him woken by Lascelles. The two go to the horses, where Jane is waiting. Jane, coyly, asks Charles how he slept, and Charles says “not well at first, then much better. And you, my lady?” “The same” Jane says with a smile. Lascelles, busy with the horses, does not notice the flirting. The three set off.

 

We cut back to Stanley, who is being held in a makeshift prison cell. He has bruises and healing cuts, implying that he has been beaten. The door to his cell opens, and the Colonel enters. The Colonel comments that Lord Stanley has seen better days, and sits down on the floor opposite him. “James Stanley. Lord, General, Friend to Kings, Papist, and now My Prisoner.” The Colonel spreads his hands wide in a mocking welcoming gesture. Stanley replies “you have me at a disadvantage. I don’t know who the fuck you are.” The Colonel smiles and says he is just a loyal officer, sworn to do his duty, “and between you and me, having the opportunity to bring rich, arrogant, entitled men like you down is not altogether unsatisfying.”

 

The Colonel continues on “You know, I had thought that the King would be traveling with you. But it seems I was mistaken. Pity.” Looking Stanley up and down, the Colonel says that it appears he has been worked over. “The men say you haven’t said anything, and I doubt anything I can do to you will change that. So, I’d rather not waste time with someone unproductive, when others will be more pliable. I am afraid that today will be your last, but you might have guessed that already.”

 

Stanley asks the Colonel “Do you actually believe in what you fought for, or is this war just an excuse?” The Colonel laughs and says “When the war started, I chose the side I knew would win, and picking the winning side comes with its benefits. Doing this for the loser, it is all crime and horror, but for the winner, it is a necessary service to the country. And I admit, I enjoy what I do. Plus, as I said before, I don’t like your kind much” Stanley spits on the ground and says they should get this over with then.

 

We cut to outside, with Stanley mounted on a horse by a tree, hands tied behind his back and a noose around his neck, connected to an overhead tree branch. We see the handful of survivors from his group on their knees, hands bound. The Colonel looks them over and says that their lord is meeting his fate, but whomever gives information about the King will be shown mercy. The Colonel turns to Stanley and asks him if he has any last words. Stanley, looking resigned, takes a deep breath and, with composure, starts to recite the Lord’s Prayer, the other prisoners starting to join in with him, but about halfway through the Colonel looking bored, smacks the horse and it bolts forward, dismounting Stanley and he starts to struggle as he is strangled by the noose. After the initial shot of this the camera focuses on the Colonel looking up at him with a smile as we see the lower half of Stanley’s body twitch and then fall limp.

 

The Colonel then goes to the prisoners, all of them stunned, and he asks if any wish to say their piece. Finally, one of them speaks up, saying that they were all with the King, but they split up, and that the King was going south and west. The Colonel does a mock bow of gratitude and says “now was that so hard?” He tells the speaker England thanks him, and then pulls out a pistol and shoots the speaker in the head. Holstering his pistol, he tells the soldiers o hang the rest. We then see the Colonel walking away past the camera, which holds a shot of Stanley’s body swaying on its rope.

 

We cut to Charles, Jane, and Lascelles arriving at Abbots Leigh, with Charles still undercover. They are greeted by Jane’s friend, Mrs. Norton, who is heavily pregnant, and her husband. After introductions, Jane is ushered away to spend time with the Nortons, and the Nortons’ butler, Pope, takes Charles and Lascelles to their guest quarters. When he is alone with Charles, he says “I recognize you, your grace. Fought for your father, didn’t have the chance to fight for you.” Charles says that a friend is inquiring after a ship in Bristol, and gives a description of Wilmot. Charles asks Pope if he can rely on his discretion and Pope says he can.

 

We get a short scene with Jane having refreshments with the Nortons, and carefully navigating the conversation to avoid letting any hint of her real purpose slip.

 

The scene changes to Bristol, where we see Wilmot walking along the docks, carefully avoiding the sight of scrutiny of some patrolling soldiers, and we see him slip a few coins to a dockworker, and the dockworker, after conversing with some people, reports to Wilmot. Wilmot pats the man on the shoulder and then carefully avoids patrols via alleys, and rides out of town.

 

Back in Abbots Leigh, night has fallen, and Charles and Lascelles are in their quarters when Jane enters. She asks if either has heard anything from Wilmot and they haven’t. Before the conversation can go any further a scream is heard and the three rush into the halls and learn that Mrs. Norton has gone into labor. As one of the few women in the house, Jane is conscripted into assisting in the bedchamber. Charles, still believed to be a servant, is directed to aid the family servants. Lascelles goes with Mr. Norton to fetch the midwife.

 

During this, we see Wilmot arrive at the house, where Pope admits him through a back door. Wilmot notices the ruckus and when he inquires what is going on is informed that Mrs. Norton went into labor early. “Ah, poor timing on our part” Wilmot comments, and goes to Charles’ quarters to wait for him.

 

We get a couple short scenes of Jane assisting in the delivery, with Charles and other servants bringing things to the bedchamber. Lascelles and Mr. Norton return with the midwife, who goes upstairs to assist, and Charles is released from duty and goes back to his quarters with Lascelles, where they see Wilmot and Pope waiting. Charles asks if Wilmot brings good news. Wilmot sadly says he has the opposite, there is no ship leaving Bristol for France for nearly a month. “Far too long for you to stay in the area” Lascelles notes. Charles, a bit frustrated by the news, says at every turn they are hounded by circumstance. Pope weighs in and says they might have better luck leaving via the Channel. He knows of a Francis Wyndham who lives about 40 miles away in Trent, who has contacts with ship captains sailing from Channel ports. At this point, a quiet has settled over the house, so Pope excuses himself to return to his duties.

 

Later that night, Charles finds Jane in a side room, washing her arms with a bowl of water, and we see there is blood on her arms and on her clothes. Charles asks Jane if she is alright and she turns and we see some tears. She says that the baby was stillborn, Mrs. Norton and her husband are devastated. “I thought we did everything right, but it came out and it wasn’t breathing, and …” Jane says, breaking down a little. Charles walks over and puts a hand on her shoulder, saying she did everything she could. “It was out of your hands.” Jane asks whose hands it was in then. “I don’t know” Charles replies honestly, and Jane breaks down again, and Charles gingerly embraces her and lets her cry into his shoulder, the camera slowly fading out.

 

The film turns to the following day, and we see Charles, Wilmot, Lascelles, and Jane discussing the next move. Jane says that it will be difficult for her to leave Abbots Leigh so soon after the stillbirth. Lascelles suggests they forge a letter from home saying that John is seriously ill, so she has to return. That will give her cause to leave with Charles and Lascelles. Charles arranges for Pope to have the fake letter delivered by a messenger. Before they go Jane has a short scene with Mrs. Norton where she consoles her friend. Mrs. Norton thanks her for her care, and briefly inquiries about Charles (thinking still he is her servant), saying that she has noticed Jane looking at him. Jane, a little flushed, says it is nothing, and Mrs. Norton, nodding in an “of course” way, tells her it is nothing to be ashamed of. “We find happiness where we can.”

 

The film cuts to Charles, Jane, and Lascelles leaving on horseback, Charles and Jane still on the same horse. They rendezvous with Wilmot about a mile away, and turn south.

 

The scene changes to Bristol, where we see the Colonel arriving. He asks the harbormaster about whether there were any ships leaving recently or soon for France, and is told not for a few weeks. He then asks if there was anyone else asking for the same information recently and the harbormaster, being a greedy sort, says he might know, if his memory could be refreshed. The Colonel plays along, dumping some coins on the table. When the harbormaster asks for a few more, the Colonel grabs the harbormaster’s head and smashes it into the table. After a couple more headsmashes the harbormaster talks about the dock worker asking around. The Colonel leaves, taking the coins with him. The film shifts to the Colonel and his soldiers finding the dock worker and asking him questions. The dock worker without hesitation says a man paid him to ask and gives a description of Wilmot. The Colonel comments that was quick and the dockworker shrugs and replies “Man paid me to ask questions, didn’t pay me to not answer them.” The Colonel smiles and flips a gold coin to the dock worker. He consults with several officers and says that the King’s party is definitely seeking passage to France, and they will make for the Channel coast.

 

We cut back to Charles and his group, which arrives at Trent House, home of Francis Wyndham (Menzies). Wyndham says he will do all he can to aid them. Wyndham says that there are merchant and fishing ships that leave from Lyme Regis and the nearby villages along the coast. Wyndham says he can leave for Lyme Regis and get into contact with whomever is in town. Charles asks if he is to wait for their return and Wyndham says it is a day’s hard ride at least to Lyme Regis, and if news is favorable, they will need to move quickly. He suggests Charles ride separately to Bridport, a handful of miles east of Lyme Regis, and wait at the Queen’s Arms Inn for him and Wilmot. Jane brings up the issue of her pass, saying that while it would not arouse suspicion for her and a servant to be traveling between her home and Bristol, it would be more curious now. After some thought, Wilmot suggests that Charles and Jane continue traveling together, but this time under the cover story of a runaway couple. “Most people won’t question two people eloping.” However, this cover story means Lascelles will have to cease accompanying them. Lascelles, though a little hesitant to let Jane travel alone, eventually accepts this, saying that he will return to Bentley and tell John Jane is safe.

 

We cut to Lascelles bidding farewell to the others, hugging his cousin Jane, and shaking Charles’ hand. He wishes them best of fortune, and departs. Wyndham tells Charles and Jane to leave the following morning for Bridport. “Once Lord Wilmot and I have news, we shall meet you there.” Until then they are free to use the grounds of Trent House. Wilmot tells Charles with luck they have good news at last. He then gives a bow to Jane and asks her to watch over Charles, and she says she will.

 

We then get a couple scenes with Charles and Jane walking the grounds of Trent House, and as evening falls they see fires in the village of Trent, and they investigate. They arrive in the village and see a large bonfire in the village square, and the villagers dancing around it and having drink and merriment. The two, even more curious, ask what is going on and are told that the village is celebrating good news. Jane asks what that news is and she’s told “why the death of the King of course.” Apparently, the village received reports that Charles had been killed at the Battle of Worcester, and they are celebrating. We briefly see a look of anger on Charles’ face, but he quickly covers it up and tells the man that he and his love did not hear that news, being traveling, and asks if they could join their celebrations. The man says all are welcome.

 

We thus get a scene with Charles and Jane taking part in the revelry, joining in on the dancing and the drinking and faking good spirit and cheer over Charles’ “death”. We see Charles and Jane enjoying dancing with one another. Eventually Charles starts to get on edge as he listens to various commoners talk about the wrongs the king has committed and why it is good he is gone. Jane, seeing this, intervenes and says it is time for her and her good man to go back to their lodgings. The villagers understand and wish them good health and fortune. “Same to you” Charles mumbles, and Jane takes him by the arm and leads him out of town.

 

They walk back to Trent House in silence for a while, Jane’s arm still interlocked with his, until Jane asks Charles if he is alright. Charles says he is…and then after a few seconds, says he isn’t. He says that was the first time he heard people openly speak of him with such distaste, and wonders if most feel the same. Jane replies that there’s no way to know, but all Charles can do is show them they’re wrong. “I’ve been with you for some time on this strange journey, and I know you are a good man with a good heart.” Charles thanks Jane for her kindness and the two pause, and look at one another, illuminated by the moonlight, and then Charles says they should return to the house, and Jane softly agrees.

 

The following morning they set out on the road to Bridport. We cut to Wilmot and Wyndham, who arrive in Lyme Regis. Wyndham takes Wilmot to meet a friend of his, who is in the know about shipping in the area, and the friend says that the only ship due for France is one owned by a Captain Limbry, who is leaving in a week’s time. Wilmot says he and Charles can pass as merchants, and asks Wyndham’s friend to make contact.

 

We see Wilmot and Wyndham meeting with Captain Limbry to secure passage on his ship for Wilmot and Charles, using false names. Limbry seems agreeable to the proposal and says they can meet again tomorrow morning.

 

Charles and Jane arrive in Bridport and see the town is filled with a garrison. A local tells them that the soldiers are due to be shipped to the island of Jersey. Jane suggests they turn back but Charles says that since the soldiers are being shipped off, they won’t be looking for him. Charles and Jane thus openly ride through town straight to the inn, and just as Charles expected, none of the soldiers give them a second glance. At the inn, Charles books two rooms, telling the innkeeper he and his betrothed are expecting two friends to join them. “Ah, witnesses for the wedding” the innkeeper nods sagely, and Charles says exactly that. The innkeeper nods and takes them to their room, which, predictably, has a single bed in it.

 

After the innkeeper leaves, Charles tells Jane that he won’t mind sleeping on the floor for the night. Jane chuckles and comments Charles must not have spent much time staying in inns. Innkeepers and their servants check on rooms and it would look very strange for the groom to be to be sleeping on the floor. Charles sighs and says it is uncomfortable for him, and Jane says it is the same for her, but she will trust him to be a gentleman and not try any funny business. Charles says of course, and asks jokingly if he can trust the same of her. Jane, with mock offense, says that she would never do such a thing to her king. The mood lightens, and we seem them cautiously climb into bed, keeping a fair distance between them. Charles says he is a bit anxious. Jane says he must also feel a sense of relief, being so close. Charles says he won’t feel true relief until he is on the boat, watching the shore recede into the distance. He bids Jane good night and turns to face opposite her, and she does the same. Both still have their eyes open, thinking.

 

The following morning, in Lyme Regis, we see Wilmot and Wyndham go to meet with Captain Limbry, only to find that he isn’t there. Wilmot and Wyndham ask around and hear that Limbry went home to his wife, neighbors heard a loud argument, and then he suddenly departed before dawn. Wilmot says whatever the row was, they cannot assume it to be chance. He tells Wyndham to return to Trent and arrange for a new means of travel. He will go to Bridport and collect Charles.

 

Back in Bridport, we see that Charles and Jane are sleeping comfortably, having turned in the night to face one another, and being close apart. They wake, and talk briefly, and Charles, cautiously, takes a hand and brushes some hair out of Jane’s eyes, and Jane takes ahold of his hand with hers. The two hold gaze for a moment and the romantic tension is suddenly broken by knocking on their door. Charles gets up and answers it and it is the innkeeper, who says one of their friends has arrived. Charles thanks him and tells Jane he will see who it is. Jane nods and Charles leaves the room and we see Jane alone and she hits the pillow by her in annoyance.

 

Charles goes down to the bottom floor and finds Wilmot waiting. Wilmot, seeing Charles is still in his nightshirt, asks if he had a “good sleep” and Charles chuckles at the jest but says it was uneventful. Wilmot breaks the news about Captain Limbry and says they will need to regroup at Trent. Charles says if they must do that, then they must. Wilmot nods and says they will need to wait a short while, his horse lost a shoe so he took the horse to a local blacksmith. Charles nods and asks Wilmot to excuse him while he gets dressed. Charles returns to find Jane fully dressed, and informs her of what Wilmot said. Jane says they will find another way and excuses herself from the room. As she walks by him, Charles grabs her hand, pulls her in towards him, and kisses her. Jane is surprised at first, but then quickly reciprocates, and the two kiss for some time until Jane slowly pulls back, saying she should let him dress. She quickly slips out.

 

Elsewhere in Bridport, the blacksmith Wilmot went to is examining the horse’s shoes and, with a curious look on his face, summons a helper. He tells the helper to go fetch the local commander, saying that the horse’s shoes are of Worchester make, and a noble was riding it.

 

We cut back to Charles, Jane, and Wilmot meeting. Charles and Jane will ride to outside town and wait for Wilmot to pick up his horse. Wilmot goes to fetch his horse, and finds that the blacksmith for some reason is stalling. However, two and two clicks, and Wilmot asks the blacksmith “What did you do?” The blacksmith says he did what he had to. The blacksmith grabs a hot iron from a fire and points it at Wilmot and says they’ll wait here for the soldiers. Wilmot replies “Not fucking likely” and grabs a nearby hammer, dodges the stab of the red-hot iron, and smacks the blacksmith in the head with the hammer. The blacksmith crumples to the floor. Wilmot straightens out his jacket and calmly exits the building, climbs onto his horse, and rides off. As he rides out of town, we see a company of soldiers on horseback entering it, and Wilmot tries to act nondescript, and meets up with Charles and Jane. Wilmot says they must leave, quickly, and as they do Charles spots a patrol of soldiers following them at a distance. When the patrol continues to follow them, Charles says they have to make a break for it. We thus get a short chase scene on horseback as Charles, Jane, and Wilmot gallop off, the following soldiers immediately racing into pursuit, and trying to keep pace through tight twists and turns through hedgerow paths.

 

Eventually Charles, Jane, and Wilmot find a place to dismount to lay low, and we get a scene of the three of them hiding behind a hedgerow as soldiers trot past on the other side. A couple of the soldiers dismount and search the area on foot. Wilmot tells Charles and Jane to stay where they are, and we see him creep behind one soldier and stab him in the back with a knife, covering the soldier’s mouth. Meanwhile, the other soldier stumbles upon Charles and Jane and when Jane gets in front of Charles, the soldier pushes her aside. The soldier advances on Charles, saying “if you are who I think you are, I will be a rich man for life.” At that point Jane appears behind him with a fallen tree branch and hits him. The soldier stumbles and Charles tackles him, and the two briefly struggle until Charles chokes the soldier out. Charles, breathing heavily, stands up, and sees Jane a few feet away, still wielding the tree branch as if the soldier might rise from the dead. She has a bruise on her forehead and Charles goes over, takes the tree branch from her and drops it, and taking her hands, asks if she is alright. We see she is in shock from what happened, and Charles hugs her close, saying everything will be fine. Wilmot then reappears, sees the dead soldier, as well as Charles and Jane together, and asks if they are ok. Charles says they’ll manage. Wilmot says the other soldiers in the patrol rode past, so the coast is clear.

 

The film returns to Bridport, where the Colonel arrives. He goes to the Queen’s Arms Inn and questions the innkeeper, and the innkeeper, terrified out of his mind, talks about the eloping couple who stayed and their friend who met them. Other officers report to the Colonel about Captain Limbry, who met two nobles seeking to arrange passage, and his wife who harangued him until he agreed to report it, the blacksmith who alerted the local garrison, and the patrol who gave chase to a group of three (and that the blacksmith and two soldiers are now dead). The Colonel is convinced it is Charles, and says that they are closing in, as the possible ports he can use to find a ship are being narrowed down. The Colonel says he will travel east. “There are too many places he may be using to hide, so instead we shall funnel him to where we will be waiting.”

 

Charles, Jane, and Wilmot return to Trent House to find Wyndham waiting. Wyndham says he has reached out to a comrade from the army, Edward Phelips, who lives near Southampton, to see if he can look into procuring a ship. It will take a few days for messages to go back and forth, so they will need to sit tight until then.

 

We thus get a couple scenes of the group passing the time as they wait. This includes Charles and Wilmot taking a little time to do some target shooting with pistols at bottles on a fence. Jane comes across them and asks if it is wise, and Wilmot says they’re far enough away from the village that people will assume it is hunters. Jane asks if she might try. Charles and Wilmot are both a little surprised, but she says that if they are set upon again by soldiers she should know how to defend herself. Wilmot shrugs and says it can’t hurt. he loads a pistol for Jane and hands it carefully to her, telling her to take her time, and to watch for the recoil. Jane nods and takes aim, and fires, and misses wildly, hitting a fence post twenty feet to the side as her arm flails from the recoil. “Well, perhaps it might hurt” Wilmot deadpans. Charles comes over and reloads the pistol for her, saying it is a bit more than just point and shoot. He stands right behind her as she takes aim, one hand on her arm, the other on her side as he steadies her, and tells her the key is to exhale before you pull the trigger, and to aim for the dead center. Wilmot watches this with a guarded expression. Jane, focused, eyes down the bottle, exhales, and fires….and misses, though the bullet hits the fence just below the bottle. Charles says that’s good, if it was a person it’d still be a hit. “But hopefully it won’t come to that” he adds. Jane hands him the pistol, and says she thinks she’ll head back to the house.

 

As she leaves Charles watches her go, and Wilmot watches Charles. “Do you know what you’re doing, lad?” Wilmot asks him. Charles says he’s not sure what he means. Wilmot gives him a look and says the two of them have been very close of late. Charles sighs and looks down at his feet and says “If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, it has not gone that far.” Wilmot says that’s good, “as much as I enjoy her company, we’re in a flight for our lives. We cannot complicate it.” Charles softly says he knows, he was not intending to…complicate things. “You know there is no future in it?” Wilmot asks, saying Charles’ partner must be of similar station. Charles says he knows that. “And does she?” Wilmot replies. Charles looks at Wilmot and says Jane is smarter than both of them. “That’s true” Wilmot notes with a chuckle. He walks over and claps Charles on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s get a little drunk and shoot some more bottles.”

 

A rider comes to Trent House with a message for Wyndham. He reads it and calls Charles and Wilmot together and says that Phelips believes he can arrange for passage on a ship from Shoreham, which leaves in a handful of days. Wyndham gives them information on how to reach Phelips’ place. Wilmot tells Charles and Jane he will ride ahead to meet with Phelips first and also with the prospective captain. Wilmot clasps Charles’ hand and says “this time your grace, this time we’ll make it.” Wilmot tips his hat to Jane and then gallops off.

 

We cut to Jane packing her belongings when Charles enters her room, asking for permission. “You’re my king” she says a little coyly, and when Charles approaches she pulls him close to kiss him. He reciprocates, but then backs off. Charles trips over his words and Jane interrupts that she knows what he is going to say. “And you’re right, once you get on that boat, our lives will go in different directions. Going…certain places will make it harder for both of us. I just…as long as we were traveling in the same direction, I wanted to enjoy it, while it lasted.” Charles says he felt the same, and the camera holds a shot of the two holding one another quietly.

 

We cut to Wilmot riding to Montacute House, home of Phelips. Phelips (West) confers with Wilmot and says that a coal hauler called The Surprise is due to leave Shoreham in a couple days and is commanded by a Captain Tattersell. They are to meet with him to finalize arrangements, and he does not know of the true purpose. The two ride into Shoreham and meet with Tattersell, who is a grumpy half-drunk of a man. After charming their way past Tattersell’s abrasive personality, they arrange for a deal where he will take on Wilmot and Charles (under assumed names) as passengers to Le Havre, France.

 

The film jumps to Charles and Jane arriving at Montacute House, where Wilmot and Phelips are waiting. Wilmot informs Charles of the arrangements. Phelips says they should not leave anything to chance, so he will arrange for them to stay at the George Inn in Brighthelmstone (present-day Brighton), which is a few miles east of where the Surprise will wait for high tide. Phelips says there are more soldiers in the area as of late, so he knows of some “sympathetic minds” who will be near in the event there is trouble. Charles says he does not need to do that, he does not want people unnecessarily risking danger for him. Phelips softly replies that “for you, your grace, all danger is necessary.”

 

Wilmot goes to talk to Jane, saying that he has never thanked her for all of the help she has provided them. Jane says most people in her position would do the same. Wilmot says not most people, and, after a pause, adds that he knows it will be hard, but that it was the only way it could end. Jane says she knows, that she and Charles have discussed it. Wilmot chuckles and says “he is a good lad, isn’t he.” Jane says “Yes, he is.” Wilmot adds “If there is one thing I know about him, it is that he never forgets the kindness shown to him. While it may be over, it won’t be goodbye. He won’t forget you.” Wilmot leaves and Jane sits down, a bit teary, before brushing the tears away and composing herself.

 

We cut to Charles, Jane, Wilmot, and Phelips riding to Brighthelmstone, where Tattersell is to meet them at the George Inn. They arrive at the inn, Wilmot and Phelips going in first. Charles and Jane soon follow, and when Tattersell sees Charles he recognizes him immediately who he is and gets angry. They try to calm him, and the innkeeper, seeing the commotion, comes over, and he also recognizes Charles, and he falls on his knees, saying that he served Charles’ father. Charles, not wanting there to be a scene, quickly pulls the innkeeper to his feet and says “You served him well, and you can still be of service, by staying discreet.” The innkeeper nods vigorously. Charles turns to Tattersell and says “I need to get to France, and you have a ship. Tell me how much and it is yours.” Tattersell, after a few seconds, says “Triple.” Charles replies “Done” and Tattersell immediately gets friendly and proposes a drink to Charles’ health. Charles, Wilmot, and Phelips oblige.

 

Unknownst to them, a man witnesses the commotion and quietly slips out of the inn.

 

Charles, Wilmot, and Phelips confer, Tattersell having left to return to his ship. His ship is due to depart at dawn, when high tide is. It is currently dusk. Wilmot says he will leave around midnight to make sure everything is ready. He advises Charles to leave a couple hours later. Phelips says he will make rounds to make sure his friends are alert, and then he will come retrieve Jane and help her return to her home.

 

A handful of miles east of Brighthelmstone, the man from the inn comes to a military camp where the Colonel is resting with a company of men. The man tells the Colonel that he has spotted the King, at the George Inn. The Colonel smiles. He rouses his company and tells them to fan out from here to past Shoreham, to look for signs of any ship set to leave. He will take a handful of men with him to the Inn itself.

 

Back at the George Inn, it is midnight, so Wilmot takes his leave, leaving just Charles and Jane upstairs in a room. “Just a couple more hours” Jane says, and Charles nods. He sits down on a bed and Jane sits down next to him. “I don’t know the first thing I do when I’ll get there” Charles says. “Go to my family, of course, but after that… I have no clue.” Jane comments she can say the same about herself when she returns home. She rests her head on Charles’ shoulder and the two sit quietly.

 

We see Phelips riding along on a road back towards Brighthelmstone when he sees several soldiers on horseback riding fast from behind, and he pulls over to the side to let them pass. He silently counts to ten after they pass, and then continues riding, picking up his pace.

 

Back at the inn, Charles and Jane are still sitting together. Downstairs, the door to the inn opens and the Colonel enters, a few men with him. “Where is he?” the Colonel asks the innkeeper and when the innkeeper plays dumb the Colonel shoots him in the leg. The innkeeper goes down screaming and Charles and Jane, hearing this from their room, stand up alert. Charles finds a pistol, gives it to Jane, and tells her to hide. Jane does this. Back downstairs, the Colonel walks up to the bleeding innkeeper and asks him again where the king is, reloading as he talks. The innkeeper to his credit continues to play dumb, so the Colonel sighs and cocks his pistol and aims it at the innkeeper, when Charles’ voice is heard saying “I’m right here.” The Colonel turns to see Charles standing at the top of the staircase.

 

“Your majesty” the Colonel says with an excessively mocking bow, as Charles descends. “I have been waiting for this moment for some time.”  “I am sorry I kept you for so long” Charles retorts sarcastically. The Colonel waves for his men to exit, saying that this shouldn’t be a problem. When the men hesitate, the Colonel snaps at them to get out, and they finally leave. The Colonel gestures for Charles to have a seat and Charles obliges, sitting at a table in the middle of the main room. “Let him go” Charles says, referring to the innkeeper. The Colonel smiles. “No, I don’t think I will”, and he shoots the innkeeper a second time, killing him. Charles looks upset and angry at that, and the Colonel shrugs. He sits down across from Charles.

 

Charles asks if the Colonel will kill him now and the Colonel laughs and says that while he has liberty to do that to other traitors, Cromwell wants him alive for a show trial in London. “But I figure we can first have a friendly chat, like gentlemen, since there may not be another opportunity.” Charles bitterly says that for that to happen, they both must be gentlemen. The Colonel gestures in mock offense, but says Charles is right. “After all, you are royalty, and I am just a killer, albeit a very good one. Lord Stanley recognized that, as the life left his eyes.” At this mention we see Charles’ fists clench on the table, which the Colonel notices and chuckles. “Go ahead, your grace, it would be my pleasure” the Colonel taunts. “You cannot imagine how happy it would make me to rid this country of another of your kind.” The two stare at one another for a few seconds, and then Charles’ hands relax. “Pity” the Colonel says. He asks Charles if Charles ever thought his attempts to reclaim his throne ever had a chance. Charles replies that they still do. “Still?” the Colonel says with genuine surprise. “You think there is a tomorrow?” Charles replies that there are still good, loyal men, and women out there, who will remember. “If not me, then my brother, or my sisters, or their children. We will return.” The Colonel says maybe, “but you won’t be alive when that day comes.”

 

At that point some commotion is heard from outside, following by gunshots. The Colonel half-rises from his chair to turn towards the door, and Charles takes the opportunity to leap over the table and tackle the Colonel, and the two struggle on the ground, punching, kicking, until finally the Colonel pins Charles down with a pulling out a knife. The Colonel’s face is a bit bloodied and, after spitting blood, says “Well, maybe Cromwell just gets a body” and raises his knife, when a pistol cocks. Both the Colonel and Charles look to see Jane at the top of the staircase, pistol pointed at the Colonel. “Get off him” Jane demands resolutely. The Colonel laughs and asks if she even knows how to use that. Jane’s response is to fire the pistol, and the bullet hits the Colonel in the side. The Colonel screams in pain as he drops his knife but the wound is not fatal. Angry, he slams Charles’ head to the floor, stunning him, and gets up and advances up the stairs towards Jane, who fumbles trying to reload the pistol, backing away scared as the Colonel advances near her, and she is unable to complete reloading before he snatches the pistol away, Jane stumbling and falling down. “Let me show you how” he snarls, finishing reloading and pointing the pistol at her on the floor. She no longer looks scared, instead accepting. “Brave girl” the Colonel says as he cocks the pistol, but before he can shoot he gasps, and we see Charles, having stabbed the Colonel in the back with the Colonel’s knife. The Colonel lets out a chuckle of disbelief, and then collapses, dead. Charles, looking a bit beaten and bloody, stumbles over to Jane and helps her to her feet, and on pure impulse the two embrace and kiss passionately.

 

The kiss is broken up by someone entering the inn, Phelips. Charles asks about the soldiers and Phelips says “my friends took care of them.” The three exit to see the soldiers who accompanied the Colonel all dead in the road, with several men, ranging from farmers to noble-looking sorts, on horseback with weapons. Phelips says when he saw the soldiers heading into the village, he grabbed whomever he could quickly. Charles thanks them all for their aid, and one of them says, “don’t thank us until you’re on that boat, your grace. No doubt more will be coming here.” Charles nods and turns to Jane, and says, softly, “this is it, then.” Jane nods and says it is, and both of them have a couple tears run down their faces. The two embrace, Charles saying he will not forget all she has done. The two pull apart, and Charles goes to a horse and climbs on it. Phelips says he’ll make sure Jane gets home safe, and Charles rides off with the other men. Jane watches him ride off, her clothes and face a bit bloody. As predicted, not long afterwards, another troop of soldiers arrives, and Jane and Phelips play the role of scared peasants, saying the soldiers were killed by traitors. The leader asks where the enemies went and Jane points east, down the coastal road, and the soldiers immediately turn that way and gallop off. “One last bit of help” Jane whispers to herself. Phelips says they should be off, she has a long way home. Jane says not yet.

 

We cut to the Surprise, with dawn nearing. Tattersell is finalizing preparations and says to a pacing Wilmot that the ship is leaving at high tide, with or without the king. Wilmot says the king will be here, and continues to pace, until finally a shout is heard and he turns to see several horsemen riding down a cliffside path onto the beach, and one of them is Charles. Wilmot jumps down from the Surprise and when he sees Charles is weary and bloodied, asks if he is hurt. “Nothing that won’t mend” Charles says, and adds that without the others here, gesturing to the horsemen, he would not have made it. Wilmot thanks the riders profusely and says that anything they wish is theirs. The riders simply say “come back, your grace, that’s all we want.” Charles says he will. Wilmot helps Charles climb up the rope ladder to the ship’s deck.

 

Onboard, Tattersell greets him and says he almost missed the boat. Charles says hell could not have kept him. The sun starts to rise over the horizon and the tide is fully in, so Tattersell gives orders to launch, and the Surprise slowly turns out to sea with the tide. As it does, the riders on the beach disperse. Charles leans on the railing, exhausted and with a look of almost disbelief that he made it. Wilmot stands next to him and says “for a while I was not sure we’d make it, but we did.” Charles nods, and turns to look back at the slowly receding coast, and sees something. It is two people standing by horses on a cliffside, a man and a young woman. It is Jane, and we see her, with some tears, but also a smile of contentment, raise a hand in a farewell gesture. Charles, smiling sadly, reciprocates the gesture. The two look at one another from afar for a moment, and then Jane looks at Phelips and says “okay”. Phelips helps her onto her horse, climbs his, and the two ride out of view. Charles stays staring back at the cliff for another moment, and then Wilmot pats him on the back. Charles nods and leaves the railing, Wilmot following. The camera angle changes to a long, overhead shot of the two walking towards the prow of the Surprise, the camera angle then panning up and zooming out to end with a long-distance shot of the Surprise on its way to France, before the shot fades to black.

 

*title cards*

 

Charles kept his promise. Nine years later, after the death of Cromwell and a period of chaos, he is invited to return to Great Britain. Doing so, he sits on the throne as Charles II.

 

He remembers all of those who helped him on his long, perilous journey to safety, and they are generously rewarded for their assistance.

 

Charles and Jane, though eventually finding love elsewhere, remain close friends. They correspond with one another for the rest of their lives.

 

*end credits start*

 

 

[Blankments]

Children of Eden

 

Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Genre: Biblical Epic/Musical
Release Date: April 8
Formats: IMAX 3D, 3D and Dolby
Major Cast:

Lupita Nyong'o as Eve

Chris Pine as Adam

Anthony Ramos as Cain

Ryan Potter as Abel

(Unknowns as young Cain and Abel)

With Ciarán Hinds as the voice of the Snake

And Keith David as the Father

 

Theater Count: 3,907

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for  thematic elements, brief violence, a scene of sensuality and brief nudity.
Runtime: 113 min
Production Budget: $150 million
Director of Photography: Emmanuel Lubezki

Songs by: Stephen Schwartz

Music by: Steven Price

Soundtrack Details.

 

Plot Summary: A retelling of the story of Genesis, seen from the perspective of Eve, the first woman.
 

Plot: 

 

The opening notes to “Let There Be” are heard over the opening logos, which fades to black, until the Father walks forward in the nothingness. When He says “Light”, the black becomes a bright white. As He continues to sing, the aspects of the world He mentions appears in order: from the sun rising among several stars and a blue planet appearing underneath it. Clouds form on the planet as green begins to rise from our viewpoint from the heavens as a comet flies by the camera and all of outer space is formed, with special significance given to the solar system. The Father lands on Earth and as He sings, what He sings about arrives around him, the first of every species. The Father looks around at the animals and recognizing it as good, but not good enough.

The Father walks through a forest on the new planet, trying to figure out how to create someone like himself. Creatures called children. He forms Adam and Eve, still without life, forming also onto them robes like His own. He tells them all they will do; they’ll wish to fly but be smarter than any flyer, and think of things, perhaps more than Him, but most of all, they must worship Him. He then breathes into the children the breath of life, allowing Adam and Eve to look around as the Father leads them to the Garden of Eden. As the song ends and they enter Eden, Adam and Eve hug the Father and the Father smiles, knowing all is good.

The Father explains to Adam and Eve that the Garden of Eden is their home now. Adam says it’s a wonderful garden and Eve calls it perfect. The Father smiles and gives them their names. Eve looks around in genuine happiness but then sees something in the horizon. Pointing to it, she asks the Father what that is, and the Father answers that it’s merely a waterfall. Eve clarifies, pointing above the waterfall. The Father says that that is a hill, and Adam compliments Him on how high up it is. The Father boasts that it is as close as He could get it to the stars. Eve asks Him what’s on top of the hill, and the Father just responds that it is a tree. Eve pushes on saying that it’s glistening. Adam agrees with her, and the Father reluctantly answers the fruit on the tree is glistening. Eve asks if it’s a special tree to have glistening fruit and Adam admonishes her, saying she shouldn’t ask so many questions, but the Father answers her. It’s the Tree of Knowledge, and regardless of the glistening fruit, neither of them may ever eat it or even touch it. Eve asks why, and all the Father says that if she loves Him and this family, neither of them will ever eat of the fruit. Adam promises immediately but it takes Eve a moment to agree to this.

Eve asks again why it was put here if the tree isn’t good for them. Adam tells her to be quiet, but the Father explains that His reasons won’t make sense to her and as such, to stop asking about it. Eve isn’t amused but the Father decides to distract her by offering to her and Adam the opportunity to name the animals. Eve remarks that the animals could be their own children, and the Father thinks about it for a second and says that’s a good idea. The Father says they must name them, and Adam doesn’t wanna do it, saying the Father will be better at it. The Father reiterates that the animals are their children, and thus, they must name them. A sequence occurs where the animals parade in gracefully, appearing as a dance, as Adam and Eve name them, one by one until the end when all the animals have arrived in the Garden, living in peace with Adam and Eve.

The Father tells Adam and Eve it is their bedtime, after a long first day. Eve asks if they can stay up later, but the Father insists it’s time for sleep. After the Father leaves, Adam and Eve kneel down as if in prayer, and thank the Father for letting them have a great day. As they quickly fall asleep, the Father immediately looks at them and believes them to be utterly perfect. He is pleased and the film quickly goes to a montage of Him walking them through the Garden and spending time with them as He sings about how great a father He believes Himself to be. Adam and Eve go back to bed, as the next night hits. 

Over the next few days, Adam and Eve quickly fall madly in love, but Eve is still intrigued by the Tree of Knowledge. One day, Eve takes Adam to the tree and shows that if they walk closer to the tree, the day turns into night, and if they walk away, time returns to the way it was. Adam is confused by this discovery, but Eve is utterly fascinated. She tells Adam to try, and Adam begrudgingly goes closer to the tree, turning the day into night again. He quickly walks back and tells Eve he does not like the mystery of it. Eve says it’s beyond her knowledge, but Adam finds the entire thing disturbing and would rather not go against the Father’s wishes. He would rather make a list for the animals, and invites Eve to help him with it. Eve politely declines, and Adam leaves. 

Eve stares at the Tree and walks away, but runs through the Garden, feeling the mystery completely overtake her (this song is taken notably downtempo to feel more emotional and truly get us in her mind). She runs through the Garden through one long take, seeing a variety of animals but still not feeling content with life, running past things that match the lyrics of the song, until she ends up back at the tree at the end. 

A snake comes out around the tree trunk and gets Eve’s attention by asking her about her questions. Eve says that snakes shouldn’t talk, but the snake says he has some questions for her. What happens to the sun after it sets? Where does music go after you’ve listened to it? What becomes of dreams when you’re not asleep? Eve says those questions are wonderful and wants to know the answers. The snake asks her two more questions: if the Father made the Garden, who made the Father? What is out there beyond the Garden? Eve still is flummoxed, and the snake tells her all the answers will be hers if she eats from the golden fruit, which then rolls in front of Eve. Eve says she cannot eat it; she promised the Father she wouldn’t. The snake points out that if she promised not to do something that would make her smarter, then why would anyone ever insist on such a promise? The snake then leaves, as Eve picks up the fruit. She ponders for a second, and then takes a bite.

Eve looks around in awe, as if eating the fruit has opened her eyes anew. That night, Adam approaches her by the tree, saying he’s been looking everywhere for her. He asks about her day. She talks around it, and Adam quickly deduces that she has eaten from the tree. At that moment, the Father is heard calling for them. Adam says they have to hide among the trees, although Eve doesn’t want to. Adam drags her away, but soon, the Father finds them. He asks Adam why he’s hiding, and Adam says he’s ashamed. Eve confesses that he is ashamed of her, and the Father knows she has tasted the fruit.

Eve admits to it, but also says that she has never felt better after tasting it. Instead, she has so many wonderful new dreams; she wants to ride with horses, and fly with eagles and see like owls do in the dark. The Father just shakes His head as Eve excitedly continues, telling Adam they can have their own children if they want, not just the animals. Ones that are just like them. The Father reiterates that He told Eve not to touch the tree; she promised for the love of their family. Eve says though that now she can see how they could build their own houses or use the wind and river to find new animals. The Father tells her Eve must leave the Garden.

Eve doesn’t understand, but the Father explains that the Garden is a place for innocence and children, and she is a child no more. Eve is at a loss for words, stunned by the Father’s blunt cruelty. The Father then draws Adam aside and offers him the creation of a new wife, one better than Eve, and everything will return to the way it was. Adam iterates that he doesn’t want another wife; he wants Eve, but the Father is steadfast in His conviction in Eve leaving. He tells Adam that if he goes with Eve, he will never see the Father again. Adam begs the Father to not make him choose, but the Father berates Eve, telling her that by making Adam choose, she has caused pain. Adam asks Eve if she would undo her action if she could. Eve picks a fruit from the tree and stares at, telling them she could not go back to the innocence she used to have. Adam continues to weigh his options, until he finally snatches the fruit from Eve and bites it.

Eve begs the Father not to be angry with them. The Father first asks them why they could not resist the temptation. Eve says they still love Him and to ask them not to grow up makes no sense. This makes the Father enraged, as He curses them to live in the wilderness. Eve asks one more question:

Eve: Why did you put questions in me?
Father: Why did you disobey me?
Eve: That’s not an answer!

The Father continues, cursing them bear their own children and to toil in the fields to survive. Adam defends Eve, and the Father says as dust they were, and dust they are, and dust they shall return. A bolt of lightning strikes the Tree of Knowledge as the Garden quickly falls apart through an earthquake and fire. Adam and Eve quickly duck into a cave not far from the tree for protection as the Father disappears. As the Father does not want them to die, they survive the relatively quick destruction of Eden as the animals in Eden evacuate to go into the wilderness. The next day, Eden is gone, entirely ash. Adam and Eve leave the cave and go the charred remains of the tree. Adam breaks off a piece of it to make a walking staff and the two of them leave the Garden forever.

They arrive nearby in a wasteland, as time quickly passes during an original song written for the movie, “Without Father”. They quickly learn how to gather food and plant crops, sweating in the heat of the day. They build a house as Adam pulls out his back while doing it. They have sex for the first time (which is shot tastefully), all the while lamenting about their life without Father. Time begins to move fast as Eve goes through the pain of childbirth not once, but twice, giving birth to Cain and Abel. As Adam and Eve tear up in joy and in fear of the newborn Abel and 2-year-old Cain, outside their house, we see a young Cain and Abel, around age 10 and 8 respectively, come through the field, carrying corn. Adam takes their corn, and prepares an altar for an offering.

After the three males pray and ask the Father to accept their offering, Eve calls them in for supper. Cain asks his father if the Father will ever answer their prayers. Adam says of course he will, but Cain asks when. Adam explains that they are in the wilderness as a punishment, and if they are good and careful and show how much they love Him, one day Father will forgive them and take them home. Abel says he thought this was their home, and Eve tells him he’s right. Adam glares at her, but Cain looks off into the distance and asks Adam what’s above the waterfall. Adam asks what he means, but Eve tells him that it’s just water. Cain asks what’s beyond the mountains and Adam tells him doesn’t need to know it. Abel, reading his father’s nonverbals, tells Cain to stop asking questions. Cain pushes on, asking why Adam won’t let them go past the waterfall. All Adam says that if the Father ever comes to take them back to Eden, they must wait where they are. If they love him and this family, neither of them will ever go beyond the waterfall. Abel promises immediately but it takes Cain a moment to agree to this.

After dinner, Cain sits outside, staring at the mountains with intense longing. Eve sees this and worries about him as he and Abel quickly grows up to be young adults (now portrayed by Ramos and Potter). Cain and Abel stand by the altar, praying as Adam leaves them to pray on their own. Cain tells Abel the time has come for them to leave; they could miles away by nightfall. Abel says he doesn’t plan on going with him. As Abel prays, Cain talks over him, insisting they won’t ever know what life is like unless they leave it. Cain tries to convince him that they are lost in the wilderness, and life will only come to them if they go out and seek it. Abel is convinced by Cain and hugs him.

They begin to pack up their stuff, when suddenly they hear the Father calling their names. Cain and Abel both freeze, for the first time hearing a voice outside their immediate family. The Father walks into the altar, looking a little older than He did in Eden. He is dressed as an ordinary man, but nevertheless the boys instantly recognize Him. The Father asks to look at them, wanting to see His grandchildren in person. Cain remarks that he never thought he’d see the Father in person, and the Father chuckles and says He’s happy to be here. Cain immediately kneels down in front of the Father, saying He must’ve come to take them back to Eden. The Father reiterates he came to see His grandchildren, and remarks that Cain has his mother’s eyes. He then looks at the altar and remarks that it is a good offering, and Abel says it’s his. The Father hugs Abel, thanking him, and then asks Cain where his offering is.

Abel interrupts, saying he must want to see their parents, and the Father tells them He didn’t come to see them. Cain asks why, and the Father simply repeats Himself. Cain tells Him that Adam and Eve have been waiting for years to see Him again, but the Father insists that Cain and Abel are His children now; in them, all His hope is placed. Abel says that Adam said that they would be forgiven and be taken back to the Garden. Cain tells Abel that there is no garden, and asks the Father if he’s right. The Father doesn’t answer, instead complimenting a cooking pot in the altar, saying that Adam must’ve made it, and they should be proud of him.

The Father says He has come to bring good news. He will return soon with wives for both of them, and Cain asks why they can’t choose their own wives. Abel is embarrassed by Cain’s forwardness and thanks the Father already. The Father explains to Cain that he will be given a perfect wife, and then they can start their own family to give Him his first great-grandchildren. Cain says he doesn’t want to give the Father anything, as He has abandoned their family. The Father says to have faith in him, and Cain realizes He appeared to prevent the two of them from leaving. The Father says he just wants to them to be safe, and Cain yells at him, running off with their packed luggage alone. 

Abel is instantly worried for his brother and apologizes to the Father for how he’s acting. The Father tells Abel he must not mention to Adam or Eve that He visited them, and thus, he has no idea why Cain ran away. It must remain a secret. Abel reluctantly promises as the Father leaves. A day later, Adam and Eve have been searching for Cain. Abel tries to comfort his Father, but Adam tells him that he’s worried that Father will finally come for them when Cain is missing. Abel is at a loss for words. Adam panics, but Eve tries to encourage him, telling him he has been the best father he could’ve been for Cain, but Adam rejects this, feeling miserable (“The Best You Could”, an original song). As they are about to give up on the search, Cain runs in, and Eve immediately hugs him and asks him where he’s been. Cain says he has found something unbelievable beyond the waterfall. At first, Adam objects to be shown it but Eve says they will follow Cain to see it. Adam looks behind him in worry as they leave the valley to go beyond the waterfall.

Cain leads them into a clearing that has a giant carved stone at the center. Abel asks what they’re looking at, and Cain answers that it’s a monument of some kind made of stone. Abel doesn’t understand how the stone could’ve made it to the middle of this area, and Eve remarks that people must’ve but them there, and Cain points out that this means that they are not alone. As the three of them get excited, a rumble of thunder is heard in the distance as Adam walks to the rest of his family, clearly not in the same frame of mind they are. He says that since the rain is coming, they best get back to shelter. Cain asks what he thinks of the monument, and Adam says that they will never speak of them again.

(“The Others” follows; this is greatly adapted from “Clash of the Generations” to be much more truncated, and as such the original song is not linked). Adam tells them that he has seen strangers here, who have slaughtered animals brutally and danced and chanted in a disturbing ritual. Cain asks him when he even saw this, and Adam says it was back when Cain and Abel were just babies. Eve looks at him in shock; she has not heard this story either. Adam says that they don’t even know who the Father is of the others, but Cain says he should’ve been offered a choice, not just be told to avoid what’s beyond the waterfall. Adam says he does not want to lose their chance to be reunited with Father, and Cain says that if Adam and Eve would like to wait around and waste their life they can. Cain and Abel can go off and discover what it means to be really a part of people, not just a single family. Cain tells Abel to come with him, and Adam warns Abel that if he leaves with Cain, he will never see Adam again. Cain says that’ll be alright, and looks to Cain. Cain is in deep indecision and begs Abel not to make him choose.

Adam tells Abel that if he goes with Cain, there is no way he’ll ever go back to the Garden. Cain tells Abel that the Father will never come for any of them. Cain says that the Father came to him and Abel, but did not want to see Adam. Eve asks if this is true, and Abel silently shakes his head no. Adam calls Cain a liar, and Cain asks Abel one last time if he’ll come with him. Abel says no, and Cain just says he’ll be better off alone. Cain begins to leave but Adam stands in his way. Cain calls him a horrible father, crushing his spirit constantly and refusing to let him find his way in the world. Adam strikes Cain across the face brutally, and he quickly falls back but stands forth, furious. Cain tells Adam to get out of his way, and Eve begs Adam to let Cain go. Adam refuses, causing the two to get into a real fight, pushing each other and hitting each other. Cain falls and sees a large rock sitting next to the monument. He picks it up and says he’s gonna kill Adam. Eve runs forward and stands between Cain and Adam, begging Cain to stop, as Abel grabs Cain from behind to try to calm him down. Cain continues to try to escape but Abel holds on tighter until Cain finally pulls away from Abel and strikes him across the head with a rock. Abel falls to the ground as Cain beats Abel on the head over and over again with the rock, overwhelmed with anger. Eve screams in horror as Abel lies still and Cain stands up in a daze. He drops the rock as Eve runs to Abel’s unconscious body, and Cain points to Abel and says to Adam that it should’ve been him as he runs off.

Eve begs the Father to let Abel live, but she and Adam quickly grow still, realizing Abel is dead. They begin to carry his body back to their home, as Eve sobs and Adam stares solemnly. Cain is now up a mountain, as he suddenly hears the Father call to him. He asks Cain where is his brother is and Cain asks if he’s his brother’s keeper. The Father curses (only to 1:12) Cain to be a fugitive and have a mark of guilt and shame. A lighting bolt appears through the sky to strike Cain, but as Cain screams he quickly stands up to see a black mark across his forehead, as he runs off with a limp, ashamed.

Several decades later, Eve stands, appearing elderly, leaning on a staff to beg to the Father one last time.

Eve: Father? (beat) Father. Speak to me once more. Just once.(beat) Tell me what happened to Cain. It’s all I want to know, Father… It’s all Adam ever wanted to know. (beat) I know you can hear me. I know it.  (beat) When Abel was killed, I knew Cain was gone for good. But Adam would never believe it. Every day I’d see him, standing in the fields, searching the hills for a sign of Cain coming home. He never came. I don’t know even today whether he’s alive or dead. And you’re not going to tell me, are you? (smiling) No. (takes a breath) We had our second chance with Seth.

A grown-up Seth walks in behind Eve, standing behind her, smiling. As the other characters are mentioned, they too do the same thing.

Eve (cont’d): A wonderful boy. Just like Adam, naming and numbering everything in sight. At seventeen, he upped and disappeared without a word. Scared both of us to death. Came back two weeks later with a girl from some tribe over the mountains. They had seven children in as many years. Two sets of twins! I don’t know how she manages… And then one winter, Adam died. Suddenly, no warning. Just fell over in the fields and didn’t get up. We buried him by the waterfall. Was that the right thing to do, Father? (pause) Father? (taking a deep breath) Three of Seth’s children are married already. I had my first great-grandchild last year. Zorah. I wish Adam could have seen her. We farm the whole valley now, and half the range of mountains to the south. But the whole family comes together once a year, just after harvest time. To remember Adam. And to give thanks to you, Father.

The family all surrounds Eve as she begins to beg once more. 

Eve (cont’d): Father, I know I don’t deserve it, but please. Please just let me see you once more before this ends. Is Cain alive? Please tell me. If I can’t see you, let me see him! (beginning to cry) I’ve missed you Father. I’ve done my best, just please forgive me and my family. If I cannot see you, let Seth and his family.
Seth: Mother, you’re- 
Eve (cont’d): (not hearing Seth) Don’t be disappointed in my family. I’m not, but I know you are harsh. I know you’ve placed your faith in them, but what if they fail you too? What - (pause, as if she hears something.) Father! Is Cain -

Eve looks to the sky in a little anger, but also sadness, as she suddenly staggers to the ground as Seth helps her up to a step. Eve tells her whole family that her Father has called her home. Seth’s wife asks what she means by “home”, and Eve remarks that perhaps the Garden is there, or maybe Adam and Abel… Perhaps even Cain. Who knows?

Eve begins to say goodbye to her family, standing up and going to everyone, either hugging, kissing, or simply holding them by one-by-one. There’s a shot of Cain with his wife, far away, looking off into the distance with a grimace. Eventually, the family joins Eve in her singing as we see the future of humanity play out in an interrupted shot. From Noah’s ark to the cross to the Middle Ages to the Crusades to the imperialism of the Americas to WWII to an endless war that seems to come from the Future. As Eve sings again, she sits again on her step as the light around her grows and her family fades and she says the last word of the song quietly: “Home.” She takes her last shallow breath, briefly smiling, as the film cuts to black.

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by Blankments

[YM!]

@Spaghetti and whoever had to suffer, I had technical difficulties, (change in consciousness for now), sorry for the mistake:

 

TH🍆RSTY

Studio: Endless Entertainment 

Infinite Studios

Gloria Sanchez Productions

Annapurna Pictures

Genre: Comedy/Coming of Age

Release Date: 10/21/Y6

Director: Olivia Wilde 

Producer: Tony Yacenda (Will Ferrell and Adam McKay executive produce)

Writers: Susanna Fogel and Olivia Wilde 

Score: Henry Jackman

Theater Count: 3,120

Budget: $12.5M

Runtime: 105 minutes

Rating: R

Cast:

Yara Shadidi as Riley

Isabella Moner as Maria

Briana Hilderbrand as “Bea”/Beatrice

Madison Iseman as Diana

Rita Moreno as Grandma Alma

Idris Elba as Officer Vin Johnson

Noah Centineo as Aiden

Jimmy Tatro as Zeta

Logan Miller as Javier

Faithe Herman as Erin

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Abbigail

Abby Ryder Fortson as Samantha 

Michael Cera as Slippery Jeffery

China Anne McClain as Megan

Brigitte Lundy Paine as Skateboard Girl/Enid

 

Plot:

Spoiler

We open with a delightful montage throughout history as Riley discussing dating throughout history, showcasing Neanderthal’s tactics of knocking out mates which is basically date rape, arranged marriages mainly for money and royalty which may or may not include incest, Greek orgies and modern day dating which more or less wild thanks to apps such as Tinder, SnapChat and finstas for twerking and nudes.

 

Riley then decides to tell the audience her story, as we cut to Lakewood High School in Geneva, Illinois, a typical American public high school, full of bored teenagers, tired teaching and acceptable but subpar funding. As we see Riley, a high school senior exiting the bus as she greets her two best friends; the drama loving Maria and the snarky and dour goth Bea. Riley jokes that she’s surprised to see Bea in school today as Bea says she mustn’t as she is looking forward to see drama being their hormone addled teens, and a subpar lunch. Maria does note they have a science test today as Bea states she now has a third thing to look forward to.

 

 

As the girls head to a relaxing study hall, the girls settle in their usual spot as we see zoom out to see the study hall is a wild house as the teacher naps (students are playing indoor football, others are playing cards, some are lost in their music, a couple is roughly making out as we see a group of girls gossiping on their phones). During senior year, as well as the majority of high school, the trio has struggled with popularity; as Maria’s strict parents prevent her from having too much fun, Riley is rather shy and Bea has a temperamental attitude and rather a loner. 

 

 

Riley is excited about the on campus visit to Illinois State University, which the girls plan on attending together. Bea is rather apathetic, more focused on her art project while Maria is excited for college as she can finally break free from her parents and meet hotties. Maria takes note and admits that Bea is a good artist and should consider an art degree as the school has a art competition for a scholarship. Bea fires back that she’d go so far with an art degree, maybe $30K a year and living with her parents. As the two have a debate about an art future, they notice Riley staring into space at Aiden. 

 

Riley has a crush on Aiden, a grade school friend of her who’s is the star of the school basketball team. Both Bea and Maria encourage her friend to talk to Aiden but Riley is nervous as it’s revealed she has never been in a relationship nor has she kissed which she finds weird as she’s a senior. Not to mention it’s not like she hasn’t talked to Aiden before.

 

We then cut to a humorous montage of Riley attempting to talk to Aiden leading to funny failures some physically comically like falling down the stairs or freezing up for thirty minutes as Yakkity Sax by Benny Hill plays in the background. https://youtu.be/tNBL5OMeuno

 

The perverted school photographer Javier interrupts the conversation to make lewd comments and joke which cause Bea to politely fuck himself as Jeffrey says every night. Aiden and the rest of the jocks tell Jeffrey to leave them alone as Aiden invites Riley and her friends to the team’s pre national championship party as the team plays against a rival school in Chicago to be state champions. 

 

Later that night as Riley goes through a list of what and what not to say to Aiden as she is advised by Maria to go with the flow. Riley notes that Maria has no trouble talking to guys as Maria says to be herself and take her time. Bea jokes that Maria hasn’t had a relationship longer than a week as Maria says she hasn’t find the right person. As the girls walk to Aiden’s house, the three are confronted by Diana and her one dimensional popular girl posse. Diana has been a bully and rival towards Riley for years, as well as being Aiden’s ex. 

 

Diana says that Riley looks nice as Goodwill finally gotten a sale. Riley asks Diana to let her be but not before Diana warns her to stay away from Aiden if she knows what’s good for her. Bea then tells them off, asking don’t they have to get implants elsewhere. As the party rages, the girls mostly keep to themselves. The guys do cannonballs into one of their pool as Riley drink some beer to loosen herself up. However, when attempting to talk to Aiden, Riley accidentally vomits on him, humiliating herself in front of everyone as she runs off, she bumps into Diana outside who looks at her with odd regret and sympathy until her girl posse arrives, she mocks Riley, not being good for anyone.

 

As Riley returns home, Bea and Maria attempt to comfort her but Riley doesn’t want to hear it. Before a tired and sad Riley heads off to bed, her older sister Megan has returned from college as she explains her problems as Megan attempts to give her good advice saying she should take her time and be confident, and that even if things don’t work with Aiden, she’ll find other guys. Megan also notes that she doesn’t have to anything like send nudes to get a guy’s attention. 

 

As the night progresses, Riley thinks back on Diana’s mean words as well as she considers sending nudes. Debating with herself all night as the score takes a chilling and somber tone, Riley takes nudes of herself and debates clicking the send button. At 3:00 AM, Riley decides not to send it but sneezes and accidentally clicks the send button.

 

Riley realizes her mistake and panics, immediately telling her friends, the two help calm Riley down, as upon learning from last night from Aiden, he forgot to pay his phone bill and was shut off, but will get paid tonight by the time of the game. Gaining an idea, Riley suggest they drive to Chicago in order to retrieve Aiden’s phone and delete the message. Riley does note they’ll be marked absent but Bea ensures her she’s got it. they take Bea’s car but not they only have learners permit as they bring along Maria’s Spanish speaking senile grandmother, Alma as the designated adult. Alma notes the girls are fucking crazy but this could be fun.

 

Meanwhile at school, Diana learns of there actions by scrolling through Maria’s SnapChat as well as the girls being marked absent as Bea forgot and decides to go after them to stop Riley from being with Aiden, calling the police to report truants. We then cut to truant officer Vin Johnson (Idris Elba) who has been called to bring back the girls which he agrees to as he finally gets to bring in Bea, who has ditched school numerous times and outsmarted him numerous times. 

 

As the girls prepare to get onto the highway, they are pursued by Vin as they are forced to take evasive maneuvers as they get into a crazy car chase across the highway. Thanks to traffic though, they manage to evade Vin but crash Bea’s car into a tree, much to Bea’s anger as they wind up in the middle of the woods. 

 

Maria notes there’s loud music in the distance as the girls follow it, as they settle upon a nearby college. As the girls attempt to find a way out, Maria bumps into a cool girl on a skateboard. Skateboard Girl compliments her look, and tells the girl how to find their way out and pass the housing district has buses. Skateboard Girl and Maria have a semi flirty conversation, bonding a bit as Skateboard Girl wishes them good luck. As they find a frat house, meeting the drunken frat leader Zeta who offers the winner of a drinking contest a new car. With encouragement from the girls, Maria competes mainly to get something good on her Instagram and for popularity points. 

 

Maria faces Zeta in a drinking competition and barely wins. Zeta flips out as no one beats him in drinking games as they get into a scrap with the frat boys full of slapstick, but Alma unknowingly manages to get the Camaro as the four get away. After gaining the Camaro, the three drive to Chicago as they drop a supermarket to get Maria who is somewhat inebriated some food in order to help her sober up. 

 

Maria and Alma waits in the car while Riley and Bea goes inside. The girls then decide to fool around and goof off in the somewhat empty supermarket while debating the best thing to eat when drunk. As Maria goes out to get some air, she runs into Skateboard Girl. Embarrassed, Maria tries to explain herself as Skateboard Girl says she seen worse drunks. Skateboard Girl gives her some Advil as she heads off and her number. 

 

We then cut to a trio of rather vulgar Girl Scouts arrive outside the supermarket, the tough as nails Erin, the temperamental Samantha and their cruel leader Abbigail, smoking Smarties candy. Abigail using Erin intimidates a rival troup into leaving, eerily similar to a mob boss. Abigail wants to sell as much cookies as possible to win a vacation to Barbados. The girls then put on a friendly and innocent facade as soon as the adults come and Maria as they sell the cookies via free samples.

 

A semi-sobered Maria manages to eat a decent amount of the cookies, until she’s out of money but left with a $300 bill as Bea and Riley return with fried chicken, junk food and sodas as that’s all they had with $20. The scouts demand the teens pay for the cookies as Erin pulls out a crowbar as the teens escape the scouts and drive away. Abigail demands they go after her but Samantha notes they have a lot of routes left which Abigail reluctantly agrees. Abigail then sincerely tells Samantha that she makes the decisions. 

 

The girls eventually drive with 8 hours before Aiden’s 7:00 game and when his bill will be paid and arrive in Chicago about a half hour away from where the game is held, unfortunately the car runs out off gas. The girls stop at a bus station and take the city bus which if they make the right stop, it’ll take them three hours. Whilst on the bus though, they’re tracked by Vin Johnson once again but escape just in time towards the other exit. Vin sees them and chases them throughout downtown Chicago having many close calls but luckily luring him in the mall and trapping him in the shuttle heading to Milwaukee.

 

As the four find themselves downtown they need decide to sightsee as Riley remembers they need a fee for entering the arena noting tickets cost $50 for everyone. As the four attempt to find ways to make money (Alma suggests they rob someone), the busy crowd intensify and sweeps them inside a museum. Bea notices an interesting art contest today as she oddly wants to go which Riley hestitanly allows due to time concerns and they need the money. 

 

We then cut away to Vin, who got off on the next stop, and calls his fellow officers in the area to search for the teens as he “borrows” a car for police business from a couple having sex inside (the couple argues with Vin telling him to get out as Vin retorts he could arrest them for indecent exposure, the girl offers Vin to join in as Vin disgusted tells them to get out). Bea creates a beautiful psychedelic painting full of eye catching colors using designs she has in her sketchbook, which impressed her friends. Bea wins the competition and the friends win $300.  

 

As Maria’s grandmother goes off to join some other elders, the girls have lunch, Bea admits she skips school to not only do street art but admits her tiredness and weariness of school in general. It is revealed Bea used to be a huge artist during middle school but was ostracized by the majority of her peers, and along with bullying caused her to shut off from her passion due to her depression. Bea also admits that she isn’t going to the same college as she isn’t that interested in the school’s art college. Both Maria and Riley comfort their friend while shocked at the revaluation and a bit hurt, understand Bea’s wishes and support her. 

 

The Girl Scouts are nearby the area to collect profits, spot our heroines as they alongside their troop. Erin states they should let it go but Abigail’s pride prevents that and notes that she’s the damn face and brain behind the operation and they’ll do as she says. Bea’s artwork catches the eye of an artist (Alison Brie) who suggests she take up an art college, and gives her a number to contact. 

 

As the teens stop for a bit, they run into the Girl Scouts who still demand their money. In a game of stakes, Riley gets an idea and offers a bet where if they lose they’ll double the money they owe, if they win, the Scouts must leave them. Riley asks them to take the most valuable piece of art in the museum without getting caught, naturally Abigail accepts, despite her friends protest, however they trick the scouts into stealing Bea’s art who gets them kicked out of the museum. As the Girl Scouts attempt to run away from the authorities as they also note the scouts look young and seem to be skipping school, as they fall from the museum pier and land in the water. Abigail is completely soaked and pissed, swearing revenge. Erin assures her she got the money from them and they can drop it but Abigail exclaims they ruined her hair and humiliated her. 

 

Vin and his men arrive to arrest the teens thanks to his officer posse searching the city for them. Vin attempts to run but is stopped by a security guard, as running isn’t permitted, which results in a humorous speedwalk chase as they get Maria’s grandmother and lose the cops Downtown as they split up and distract Vin in a mirrors house and lock the exit as Vin lets out an overly dramatic anguished yell. As the crew celebrates, Riley finds her wallet was missing, realizing one of the Scouts pickpocketed her wallet. Maria has been texting Skateboard Girl all day as well and is caught by Bea, poking light fun at Maria finding a girlfriend which causes Maria to be overly defensive. 

 

The trio of teens run into a slightly sobered Zeta who actually wanted to apologize for his and his frat brothers behavior. Zeta notes a combination of noting a combination of booze, NyQuil, and pot seemed like a good idea at the time. Zeta says he plans to fix it by doing the one thing he does best; studying biology. Bea is confused as Zeta seems pretty dumb but Zeta laughs and says partying, but he is a biology major. Zeta asks if they can give him a ride to the party as he is wasted. Zeta hands then the keys as the teens under pressure from Riley, despite their misgivings reluctantly agree. Alma threatens Zeta in Spanish which he surprisingly understands. 

 

The five make it to a party in the hills but not before making a detour for Zeta to stop by his dealer Slippery Jeffrey (Michael Cera) which Zeta pays him but is revealed to have stiffed him. As they arrive to the party, Zeta says these guys are on the up and up and not like the frat bros, noting the time Zeta notes they have two hours before the game and only plans to stay for one hour. Everyone has a good time (humorously Alma is a heavy drinker) but Bea who is rather uncomfortable as she doesn’t do to well socially as Maria encourages her to step out of her shell. Skateboard Girl is also at the party too, revealed to be a friend of Zeta. The girls bond with the partygoers as they tell the story of their misadventures as well as just having fun as Maria and Bea play a game of truth or dare which results into Maria kissing Skateboard Girl, which surprisingly turns passionate.

 

Maria is shocked and runs off as Skateboard Girl goes to talk to her. Maria apologizes for the kiss as Skateboard Girl understands, as Maria is overwhelmed by her feelings for her, as Maria reveals that she comes from a harsh Christian family and sort of has to suppress it for school reasons (as not all schools are as progressive). Maria says that if she ever wants to be loved, she can’t have these feeling. Skateboard Girl reveals she had a hard time coming out as a pansexual but understands the strife but encourages her to express herself sexually and accept who she is, otherwise Maria will never be happy. Maria thanks her and asks if Skateboard Girl would like to go out sometime which Skateboard Girl accepts not before giving her name, Enid and kisses her.

 

Riley also forms an unlikely brotherly bond with Zeta who despite being an alcoholic is actually surprisingly caring and Zeta keeps a facade of an irresponsible frat boy in order to keep social status quo and to be more liked. Zeta also gives her advice to be and love herself otherwise she won’t be stuck having to masquerade and become a drunken asshat like him. Slippery Jeffrey comes in with a gun and threatens to kill everyone until he finds Zeta. A shootout happens as the police including Vin arrive who came due to a noise disturbance as Slippery Jeffrey in a drug induced paranoia, jumps off the house and accidentally kills himself. The police then go on arresting spree due to some underage drinkers as the teens, Zeta and Maria’s grandmother barely escape Vin’s clutches but Bea loses her contact card which Vin finds. 

 

Bea and Riley get into an argument as Bea calls out Riley for being somewhat selfish the whole trip when Riley refuses Bea’s plea to head home as well as Maria wanting to make sure Enid was okay. Bea points out this whole trip was about her. Riley says that was the point as she thought they were friends. Bea says they came along to help due to their friendship but points out Riley is unable to see it the other way around for them. Bea and Maria alongside Maria’s grandmother leave as they sever ties with Riley as Bea sadly quotes it was inevitable but they’re cutting to the chase sooner. Unfortunately as the three walk to the bus station, they’re caught by Vin.

 

Zeta drops off Riley to the arena, he thanks her for the help as he’s off to get drinks and wishes her luck in love while also telling her to consider making up with her friends. As Riley attempts to make her way to the arena she is stopped by Diana who warns her to stay away from Aiden for her own good. Riley ignores the threat, as Diana has bullied her for years as a skirmish erupts and the two fight but stop halfway as Aiden tells Diana off, causing her to flee, but not out of embarrassment but almost unease. Riley decides its a good time to confess her feelings which Aiden turns out to share, promising to talk after the game as Riley gets her first kiss. Aiden promises to text her after the game.

 

Just as the players leave, Riley sneaks off into the hotel to retrieve Aiden’s phone. As Riley goes to get Aiden’s phone to delete her messages, she accidentally stumbles upon his nude group chat that he made with Javier, the majority of his team, and some other males at the school and from rival teams. What’s worse is that she finds her picture which meant Aiden paid his phone bill ahead of time and Diana’s nudes, meaning she told the truth about Aiden being bad news. 

 

Riley walks out of the stadium defeated and feeling stupidity and shame as Diana arrives to comfort her. It is revealed that Diana left the relationship not due to her being bored with Aiden but rather Aiden tried to force her into a more sexual relationship on numerous occasions. Riley heard it was Aiden who broke up with her, according to the rumors. Diana also notes that she doesn’t need a relationship to be a better person and to wait until she’s ready which is nothing wrong with. Diana also notes she shouldn’t fell bad for exploring herself, it’s shitty partners that make it bad as she explains that she has had sexual experiences before, that she enjoyed and that sex is good.

 

Riley asks why did she help her or at least try to help her. Diana admits she doesn’t like who she is, and her attitude. Diana felt she had to conform to certain standards growing up but recently after leaving Aiden realized she’s done some shitty things to her peers and is trying to be a better person.

 

Riley notes it’s rather stupid that due to that social status quo they must be enemies, and that the whole basis of popularity is rather archaic (humorously Diana doesn’t understand her but says she gets the gist of it). The two decide to drop the hatchet and be friends as Riley gets a text from Maria realizes they’ve been arrested. Riley and Diana with the help of Zeta, who went to take a nap to stop Vin as they manages to get Vin to stop by putting up a fake 911 call to stop him at a local convenience store as Riley frees her friends whilst apologizing for her behavior and telling the truth about Aiden. Riley also promises to be a better friend. The girls do forgive Riley but Bea suggests they get a little payback on Aiden but should escape as they hop in Zeta’s car. Little do they know, the Girl Scouts are right behind them.

 

 

As the six manage to escape, they are stopped by Vin’s police car as the Girl Scouts troop comes out of the car, lead by Abigail. Zeta attempts to intimidate them but Abigail smacks and subdued him with a crowbar. Abigail is near the point of a sanity slippage as Samantha knocks her out. Erin apologizes for their friend as even though they’re keeping the money, Abigail went too far. Vin arrives in the neck of time, as Erin is revealed to be his niece, in an attempt to avoid punishment the girls act like innocent children. 

 

The four, Zeta and Alma apologize to Vin and explain their predicament as Vin offers to help, noting his high school years were tough to say the least and notes no one got hurt, he’ll let them slide with a warning and a phone call home. Bea protests to this as Vin points out they did a bunch of illegal shit, and this is the most slap on the wrist punishment they can get. Vin agrees to help them take out the scumbags as he has a plan. Vin says he does need to take the girls home as Erin says she can just drop Abigail off, whispering she had a hard day.

 

As the guys head into the locker room after a successful game, they commence locker room talk, debating civilly on whose nudes to leak next as Riley distracts Aiden after he comes out with a kiss as she swipes his phone whilst the girls go the other room and steal all of the phones of the boys involved. Riley then lures Aiden outside where the police are waiting as Vin bursts down the locker room door to catch the rest of them. Aiden is furious but Riley tells him off and says they’re through. Aiden’s attempts to hit her but Riley kicks him square in the balls.

 

As the girls return back to school, despite facing consequences such as being grounded as Vin, are receiving praise for their stories of skipping school (Maria gets two months while the other gets two weeks). Aiden, Javier and the members of the nude cult face some punishment as sadly the basketball year is cancelled but are reprimanded through school. Maria finally gets some of the popularity she craves and comes out, Bea is not only more respected amongst her friends, Diana becomes friends with the girls decided to drop the feud, and Riley has found the most important love; self love and decides to take it slow but still looks for dating options. The girls also decide to affirm their friendship even when they all go their separate ways. The film ends with an embarrassing moments montage of the cast and crew during high school featuring photos, stories, clips, etc.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2019 by YourMother the Edgelord

[Xillix]

He-Man IV: The Sons of the Serpent

Release Date: July 1st, Y6

Studio: Gold Crescent Pictures

Genre: Fantasy/Action

Director: Robert Stromberg

Theater Count: 4,010

Premium Formats: 3D, Dolby Cinema, IMAX & IMAX 3D

Shooting Format: Digital 4.3K (Arri Alexa LF) (Post-converted to 3D)

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1, 1.90:1 (select scenes in IMAX), 1.44:1 (select scenes in full-height IMAX with Laser venues)

Release Image Formats: 2K 3D DCP, 4K DCP, 4K Dolby Vision DCP, 2K IMAX Digital DCP, 2K IMAX 3D Digital DCP, 4K IMAX with Laser DCP, 4K IMAX 3D with Laser DCP

Release Audio Formats: 5.1, 7.1, Dolby Atmos, IMAX 12-Channel

Production Budget: $160 million

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 104 minutes

Major Cast: Lance Garrett (Prince Adam/He-Man), Shailene Woodley (Teela), Dave Bautista (Skeletor), Carrie-Anne Moss (Evil-Lyn), Julianne Moore (Queen Marlena), Liam Hemsworth (Buzz-Off), James Marsden (Stratos), Viggo Mortenson (King Randor), Ed Skrein (Kobra Khan), John Cena (Rattlor), Stephen Amell (Sssqueeze), Taylor Kitsch (Tung Lashor), Dominic Purcell (Webstor), John Tui (Beast Man), Kellan Lutz (Mer-Man), Trap Jaw (Nathan Jones), Justin Long (voice of Orko)

Previous Films:

He-Man (Y1) - $62.4m OW / $169m Domestic / $525.9m Worldwide / 68 Metacritic

He-Man II: The Revenge of Skeletor (Y3) - $74.1m OW / $190.1m Domestic / $675.1m Worldwide / 63 Metacritic

He-Man III: The Horror of Hordak (Y5) - $72.7m OW / $194.2m Domestic / $700.5m Worldwide / 63 Metacritic

 

Plot Summary:

Based on the Mattel toyline and comic/TV franchise Masters of the Universe.

 

Scenes with expanded ratios in IMAX are written in red text.

 

Spoiler

 

The film opens by replaying the mid-credits scene from the end of He-Man III. The evil demonic wizard Skeletor (Dave Bautista) and his minions – Evil-Lyn (Carrie-Anne Moss), Mer-Man (Kellan Lutz), Trap Jaw (Nathan Jones), and Beast Man (John Tui) – arrive at the entrance to the throne room inside Snake Mountain, a huge, jagged peak with an enormous stone snake carved into its exterior as if constricting it. When Skeletor has Beast Man and Mer-Man open the doors, though, they discover the throne room is already occupied by four snake-like humanoids. They stare at Skeletor for a moment, before leaping at him and his minions to attack.

 

Skeletor, still imbued with both his own dark magic and the power he stole from He-Man, casually waves his staff and conjures a blast of energy that knocks the reptilians back. Still, they remain defiant, trying to get back up. With a bolt of purple lightning, Skeletor paralyzes them, leaving them lying helplessly on the floor. Beast Man asks if he can rip them apart, but Skeletor tells him to wait. He wants to know who these creatures are and what they are doing in his palace.

 

“Thissss issss OUR palacccccce,” one of them insists angrily, “built for the glory of our king agessss ago!”

 

“I am the king now,” Skeletor coldly informs them. “I have reigned here for seven hundred years!”

 

“A mere insssssssstant compared to the reign of King Hissssssssssssss,” the serpent replies. “For millenia he wasssssss the lord of thissssss planet… and now that the power of the ssssssssstone isssssss no more, we will-”

 

Skeletor slams the bottom of his staff down on the floor, cutting him off. He demands to know what stone he means – after all, Skeletor is still unaware of the destruction of the castle and the magical stone within it. The serpent, who introduces himself as Kobra Khan (Ed Skrein), explains that the Snake-Men used to be the master race of the entire planet, until a group of human rebels discovered a magic stone of immense power. The humans went to war with the Snake-Men, using the power to their advantage, eventually killing King Hiss and sealing away his Royal Guard – Kobra Khan and the other three, Rattlor (John Cena), Sssqueeze (Stephen Amell), and Tung Lashor (Taylor Kitsch) – in a pocket dimension maintained by the stone’s magic. They were imprisoned in limbo for time untold, and the fact that they are now free means that the stone has been destroyed.

 

Skeletor is upset about the power of Grayskull being no more. After all, he had planned to claim it all for himself in order to conquer the planet; he’s only absorbed a small part of it. But the arrival of the Snake-Men presents a new opportunity. With King Hiss long dead, and Skeletor the new ruler of Snake Mountain, he offers the reptilian warriors a choice – serve him and unite forces to take revenge on the humans, or be destroyed. Understandably, the Snake-Men choose to pledge their allegiance to Skeletor, at which point the dark lord asks them what exactly they were planning to do before he returned.

 

We cut away to our heroes – He-Man (Lance Garrett), aka Prince Adam, his mother Queen Marleena (Julianne Moore), captain of the guard Teela (Shailene Woodley), and court wizard Orko (Justin Long voicing a CG character). They have just found King Randor missing from the royal palace, his guards killed and tied up in spider webs. He-Man is in utter despair until Marlena points out the lack of a body is a good sign – surely Randor has simply been kidnapped rather than killed. Hordak had ordered his minion Webstor (Dominic Purcell) to assassinate the king, but, perhaps, seeing Hordak destroyed along with his flagship, the spider-warrior had decided to keep Randor alive as a bargaining chip. He-Man reasons Webstor will bring Randor to Skeletor, and wants to attack Snake Mountain himself – but Teela and Marlena talk him out of it.

 

Cut back to Skeletor and his minions. The Snake-Men explain that the giant stone serpent wrapped around snake mountain was once alive. It is, in fact, Sarcedon – a massive creature the Snake-Men worshiped as a god of destruction and, allegedly, from which their race is descended. He was the ultimate weapon of the Snake-Men in their war against the humans – until they used the power of the stone to petrify him. Kobra Khan explains they were plotting a ceremony to reawaken Sarcedon and allow him to run wild, destroying all of Eternia – and likely themselves as well. King Hiss was the only one who could control the beast, and with him gone, they were willing to sacrifice themselves to ensure the extermination of the humans as well.

 

Skeletor, confident he has enough magic power to control Sarcedon, directs the Snake-Men to proceed with their plan and instructs his own underlings to help them make the preparations. In order to perform the ceremony, they will need to recover three ancient Snake-Men artifacts that were hidden across Eternia just before their final defeat by the humans. The plan is that Skeletor’s minions will attack the Eternian settlements in the areas near the artifacts as a distraction while the Snake-Men retrieve them. Mer-Man accompanies Rattlor to an oceanside village on the outskirts of the main human-held province of Eternia, Trap Jaw goes with Tung Lashor to the bird people’s floating city-state of Avion, and Beast Man and Sssqueeze head into the Mystic Mountains, the domain of the Andreenid bee-people. Skeletor will teleport them all back to Snake Mountain once their missions are accomplished. As they leave, Skeletor can be seen retreating to his private quarters, where he etches a strange arcane symbol into the ram’s skull atop his staff, performing a dark enchantment with his own blood.

 

The attacks take place more or less simultaneously, and we cut back and forth between the assaults on the Mystic Mountains and Avion. Both locations are still in a shambles from the only-just-halted invasion of Hordak’s armies, and the first stages of the recovery efforts serve as an excellent distraction on their own, allowing the villains to approach unnoticed. The Snake-Men meet minimal resistance as they sneak into dusty old caverns and open hidden passageways to find the artifacts. Meanwhile, the evil warriors accompanying them raise hell in the ruins of the nearby cities. This quickly draws the attention of various soldiers and fighters, including Stratos (James Marsden), the leader of Avion, and Buzz-Off (Liam Hemsworth), the Andreenid ambassador to Eternia’s royal palace.

 

The battles are long and hard, especially since both heroes are still wounded and weary from their fights with Hordak’s minions. There’s lots of punches and kicks and that kind of action stuff, you know. Remember the action scenes from the last two movies? Yeah, same director, so more of that. Eventually Buzz-Off beats Beast Man sufficiently into submission so that the furry freak retreats. Stratos, on the other hand, actually lands a knockout blow on Trap Jaw. Unfortunately for both heroes, the distractions work, and Sssqueeze and Tung Lashor both retrieve the artifacts with little resistance. Skeletor, watching through a magic viewing portal, teleports them and Beast Man back to Snake Mountain. However, when he finds Trap Jaw has been captured, he instead activates a spell that remotely kills him. Trap Jaw’s life force flows through a portal and into Skeletor through his enchanted staff, enhancing his own power. None of the other minions, who arrive in a different part of Snake Mountain, see this, and he tells them simply that Trap Jaw is being held prisoner.

 

He-Man and Teela are waiting around the palace hoping to hear some sort of ransom demand for the king when they are informed of Mer-Man’s attack on the coastal village. Reasoning he may have bent sent to relay a message, He-Man volunteers to go fight him immediately. Teela wants to go with him, but he demands she stay behind to personally guard Queen Marlena in case this is a diversion to capture her as well.

 

Teleported by Orko, He-Man arrives at the village in the midst of Mer-Man’s attack. The amphibious villain tries his best but is quite easily outmatched by the muscular hero, who quickly disarms him. Angrily, He-Man asks what the evildoer knows about the whereabouts of his father – but Mer-Man, truthfully, replies that he has no idea what he means. He-Man refuses to believe him, though, and ultimately becomes so infuriated that he kills Mer-Man. Conflicted about his actions, he quickly departs – to soon to notice the last of Mer-Man’s life force being whisked away through a portal to empower Skeletor. Meanwhile, Rattlor retrieves his artifact from a nearby cave and is teleported back.

 

At Snake Mountain, Evil-Lyn barges in on Skeletor’s private chambers. He threatens to kill her if the news she has is not as important as she says – but sure enough, the message is sufficient. Webstor has made his way to Snake Mountain to re-pledge his allegiance to Skeletor, with a captive King Randor in tow. With Randor being the distant but direct descendant of the great human king who toppled their ancient empire, the Snake-Men want to kill him savagely and immediately as a form of vengeance. Skeletor, though, says Randor will be a powerful bargaining chip. The Snake-Men don’t see the point – after all, they have all the artifacts needed to revive Sarcedon; why bargain with the humans when you plan to exterminate them all? Skeletor assures them, though, that he has a gambit which will allow him to greatly enhance his own dark powers, thus increasing the chance he can easily control Sarcedon so that they can conquer the world instead of just destroying everything, themselves included.

 

He-Man returns to the royal palace just in time to be present when Skeletor magically transmits his ransom message. Skeletor confirms he has King Randor, showing him off, still wrapped and gagged in webbing. He says that Queen Marlena and He-Man must come to Snake Mountain and surrender to him personally, abdicating the throne of Eternia to him. He also claims the recent attacks were part of a plan to recreate the spell he’d previously used to steal He-Man’s power, and that said enchantment is ready once again; as part of the exchange, the hero must also surrender the last of his power to Skeletor, making the dark lord the only one to possess what remains of the power of the ancient stone. If they do not comply, he will kill King Randor.

 

Predictably, He-Man and Marlena agree, and just as predictably, they have no real intention of simply surrendering. As soon as Skeletor closes the magical portal of communication, they begin putting together their own plan. Having learned his lesson in the previous film about trusting his friends and allies to aid him, He-Man calls upon Teela, Orko, Stratos, Buzz-Off, and a small selection of soldiers and royal guards to secretly accompany him and his mother to Snake Mountain, veiled by one of Orko’s magic spells. At the time of the exchange, they will launch an attack to retrieve King Randor and capture or kill Skeletor. There’s a montage of the heroes gathering, going over plans, and He-Man giving a big impassioned speech in which he acknowledges they may be walking into a trap, but that this is their one chance to strike, and that he has faith in his companions and their ability to finally bring peace to the planet.

 

The heroes make their way to Snake Mountain, with all but Queen Marlena and He-Man waiting outside under Orko’s magic veil. Beckoned by Skeletor’s magically-amplified taunting voice, mother and son are led into a vast underground chamber where the villain is waiting for them. He-Man demands to see his father, and Skeletor obliges, summoning Webstor – who drags in the king’s lifeless, mangled corpse, which of course is largely covered up by webbing and shown in shadowy glimpses to avoid teetering into R-rated territory. Skeletor explains his “new subjects” have had their way with him – and are about to meet He-Man’s subjects as well. The villain gloats that Orko’s pathetic magic was never a match for his, and that he saw through the veil easily.

 

Outside, the Eternian heroes are exposed when Evil-Lyn appears and conjures a counter-spell to eradicate Orko’s ineffective veil. The champions are ambushed by her, Beast Man, Kobra Khan, Sssqueeze, Rattlor, and Tung Lashor. A frantic battle ensues, with the Snake Men showing off their powers – Sssqueeze’s powerful extending arms, which he can use to constrict his foes, Rattlor’s hypersonic rattle that can disorient and deafen foes, Tung Lashor’s long, venom-coated prehensile tongue, and Kobra Khan’s ability to spit out acid goo. Caught off-guard, the heroes are overwhelmed and most of the nameless soldiers fall quickly.

 

Back inside the underground chamber, He-Man tells his mother to get to safety, but she is quickly captured by Webstor. The life force of the dying soldiers outside begins to flow into Skeletor through the staff, making him more and more powerful by the second. Skeletor retrieves the Snake-Men’s artifacts and heads outside, beginning the incantation to awaken Sarcedon, and though Marleena tells her son to leave her and stop the dark lord, Webstor steps in to keep the hero from reaching his master.

 

We intercut between the heroes’ and villains’ battle outside of the mountain – the heroes now putting up a better fight, but still gradually losing men – Skeletor’s chanting and continued life force absorbtion, the petrified Sarcedon beginning to “thaw,” and the fight between He-Man and Webstor. While Webstor tries to be crafty with his webs and many arms, He-Man’s sheer power and rage quickly prove too much for him to handle. He-Man kills the arachnid fiend with a stab through the heart. His life-force, too, is drawn to Skeletor’s staff.

 

Finally the ritual is completed and Sarcedon awakens, slithering down from its coiled perch around the mountain. The Snake-Men cheer and declare the doom of the humans and all other races who would oppose them for domination of Eternia. For a moment the huge beast rampages wildly through the wastelands, out of control – but Skeletor is able to channel his newfound power through his staff and take control of the monster. He-Man cuts his mother free of her binds and rushes outside, telling her to wait inside where it may be safer.

 

Skeletor summons Sarcedon to his side like an enormous, evil pet, reveling in his own sinister might. At first the Snake-Men cheer and praise him, but soon he reveals his true plan. Resurrecting Sarcedon was never the endgame. He is drunk on the power of stolen souls, and hungry for more. He will use Sarcedon to wage a great slaughter, absorbing the essence of millions, until he has become a god – then even the great serpent will fall to feed his lust for power, enshrining him finally as the supreme master of the universe.

 

Skeletor turns Sarcedon indiscriminately against the amassed warriors, the monstrous snake charging at the crowd of combatants, jaws wide open. Forgetting their former loyalties, all of the warriors – He-Man, the Snake-Men, Eternians, and Skeletor’s underlings – unite to try and slay the beast. But they are no match for the legendary creature, which, with huge gulps, crushing coils, and devastating tail sweeps, thins the herd rapidly. One by one the fighters are killed – Sssqueeze, Evil-Lyn, Stratos, Tung Lashor, Buzz-Off, Rattlor, and Kobra Khan all falling to the beast in a long, grueling sequence with copious slow-motion and screaming and agony and such. All the while Skeletor grows more and more powerful, gradually transforming into an even more demonic appearance – already-huge muscles bulging, bony horns growing out of his skin, which darkens to a midnight blue, veins popping into stark visibility, a reddish glow enveloping him as he radiates with evil.

 

With no other options, He-Man attempts to confront Skeletor directly while Teela and Orko cover for him and try to occupy Sarcedon. It takes a while with the evildoer expertly commanding the huge reptile, but eventually He-Man manages to sneak up behind Skeletor and destroy his staff with a glowing slash from the Sword of Power. Unfortunately, this does not weaken the dark lord but only results in his control over Sarcedon being broken, allowing the creature to once again run wild.

 

The demonic Skeletor is at this point far, far beyond He-Man in terms of strength and magical power. While Teela and Orko run for their lives from a disoriented Sarcedon, Skeletor delivers a brutal, humiliating beat-down to the prince of Eternia. Once He-Man is thoroughly defeated, he punctuates the thrashing by stealing the Sword of Power right out of his hands, trying to use it to claim the last of the Power of Eternia for himself. But his own cry of “I have the Power” elicits no response from the magical weapon. He-Man taunts him, saying he may be a powerful conqueror, but he will never truly lead Eternia – because a leader must have loyalty to his subjects, something Skeletor could never understand. Otherwise, rebellion is inevitable.

 

And to put a fine point on that, Sarcedon, having come back to its senses, comes barreling through, ignoring Teela and Orko and attacking Skeletor directly. Even with all his new power, Skeletor is caught off-guard and overwhelmed, and after a brief, desperate struggle, the monster swallows him whole, the Sword of Power falling back down next to He-Man. The demonic conqueror remains alive for a bit, trying to fight his way out from within. Sarcedon thrashes about wildly as flashes of magic emanate from its maw, the beast growing weaker, its scaly flesh ripping and tearing. Eventually, it finally collapses dead.

 

From out of a hole in its stomach comes Skeletor. We see only the briefest glimpses of him, but he is covered in thick stomach acid, and suffice to say his head is not the only thing skeletal about him any more. He groans in agony as he tries to drag himself along the rocky ground. When He-Man approaches and wordlessly dispatches him with a swing of his sword, it is essentially a mercy kill.

 

The film ends with He-Man retrieving his mother the queen from inside Snake Mountain, along with the corpse of his father. A mass funeral ceremony is held at the royal palace to honor him and all the heroes who gave their lives in order to finally stop Skeletor – Stratos, Buzz-Off, the various soldiers, even Mekaneck and Man at Arms. With the threat of evil exterminated, the need for He-Man lessened, and Marleena abdicating the throne to mourn her husband and serve her subjects in another capacity, Prince Adam accepts his royal heritage and is crowned as the new King of Eternia.

 

 

[Ezen Baklattan]

The Who's TOMMY

 

Director: Danny Boyle

Composers: Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff

Director of Photography: Bill Pope

 

Cast:

• Sean Berdy^ as Tommy Walker, a deaf and blind young man who begins to feel a passion for pinball.
• *Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Tommy Walker's singing voice
• Lily James as Nora Walker, Tommy's mother.
• Iwan Rheon as Captain Walker, Tommy's father.
• Chris O'Dowd as Uncle Ernie, Captain Walker's creepy older brother.
• Will Poulter as Cousin Kevin, Tommy's abusive cousin.
• Audra McDonald as The Specialist, A brilliant doctor
• Jake T. Austin as The Hawker, A mysterious individual.
• Lizzo as The Acid Queen, An alchemist.
• Millie Bobby Brown as Sally Simpson, A young fangirl
• (unknown deaf child actor)^ as a young Tommy Walker
• *Brady Noon as young Tommy Walker's singing voice

 

*Tommy and Young Tommy communicate through British Sign Language, while Walsh-Peelo and Noon sing in the background as they interpret their sign language.

 

Genre: Musical/Fantasy/Drama

Release Date: August 5th

Theater Count: 3,674 (including Dolby Cinema and IMAX)

Runtime: 116min (1hr, 56min)

Rating: PG-13 for strong thematic material, sexual content, some drug use, and language

Budget: $65 million

 

Based on the rock opera of the same name, Tommy follows a deaf and blind child who begins to take the world by storm when he shows an incredible ability at pinball, but also struggles to grapple with his own personal identity. This interpretation looks a bit closer at disability and how people are not defined by how different they are, but rather how they feel and act.

 

Follow along to the music with this playlist: 

 

 

Spoiler

Sally Simpson (voiceover): “Tommy, I’m dying to know, we all want to know, how can we be more like you?”

 

1940:

 

Through the opening music, (“Overture”) as well as the audio of British WWII propaganda, we see a man and a woman begin to fall in love, meeting near a river for the first time. They are Nora Walker and Captain Walker. They soon get married, but the music and the propaganda become more heavy and intense. Captain Walker is soon whisked away from Nora and is soon deployed into Germany to fight. We see him and other soldiers jump from a parachute to a loud and chaotic battlefield, where the war is going on in full swing. After some combat footage, Captain Walker is taken by German forces to a camp as a prisoner of war.

 

We soon see a man, Uncle Ernie, the brother of Captain Walker, pulls up to the Walkers’ apartment building with a care package for a baby. He goes in to the apartment, which is nicely decorated with much white furniture to see a pregnant Nora Walker. She smiles at the package that Uncle Ernie had delivered for her, and she takes it from Uncle Ernie, carrying it back to her room. However, this happy moment is soon interrupted when two soldiers come to the apartment, informing Nora Walker inform her that her husband is missing in action, and is presumed to be dead. (“Captain Walker”) Distraught by the news, she drops the package that Uncle Ernie delivered, and the sound it makes upon hitting the floor immediately leads to a blackout.

 

1941:

 

The blackout begins to turn away when we hear a baby crying and the text indicating the year. We find out that Nora’s child has been successfully delivered. (“It’s A Boy”) She soon is touched by another man, her new lover. He looks at the child and smiles, and the two kiss one another.

 

1945:

 

Back in the German war camp, we see a distraught Captain Walker, with a bit of a beard, sitting in a corner, until he hears American war planes come in from above, swooping down to attack the Germans. In a matter of time, American soldiers enter the prisoner of war camp to rescue the captured soldiers, informing them that the Germans have been defeated. (“We’ve Won”) The song soon turns to a parade in the Walkers’ Hometown, celebrating the allied victory in World War II. Nora Walker looks out the window in sadness, still believing her husband to be dead. She still talks to her new lover, and she also plays with the now 4-year old Tommy, who seems perfectly happy. They also enjoy the lover’s 31^st birthday. (“31” – changed from 21)

 

However, things are shaken up once Captain Walker comes into the house, finding out that Nora has been dating someone else. Tommy looks on with concern as he notices the increased tension of the adults. Nora Walker touches him in a state of shock, which enrages the lover. He begins to attack Captain Walker, causing Nora to panic, but Tommy to remain limited in emotion. She tells Tommy to look into a mirror so that he cannot see the fighting. Nora tries to settle the fight, but it is too late. Captain Walker fires a gun at the lover, knocking him dead to the ground. After a silent pause, we see that Tommy is looking in the mirror at the body of the lover, still focusing on the mirror.

 

Captain Walker and Mrs. Walker look at Tommy, worried that he will have been scarred by the act. (“What About The Boy”) Mrs. Walker tells Tommy that he did not see or hear anything, and asks him to verify this. When Tommy shows no reaction whatsoever, Mrs. Walker begins to panic, desperately calling out Tommy’s name multiple times, slightly disturbed by her husband’s action. He just keeps staring at the mirror. After one call, the last “Tommy” echoes and the scene darkens, and the image of the family freezes. A 20-year old Tommy then steps out from behind the mirror, while the family is still in a frozen state, and he sings about how he is about to embark on an (“Amazing Journey”.)

 

Later, we see that Captain Walker was found not guilty in the murder of the lover, on accounts that he was acting in self-defense. However, they cannot help but shake the feeling of sadness when they now realize that their child is deaf, dumb, and blind. The song (“Sparks”) begins to play as they drive to a hospital to have Tommy investigated. The equipment and the hospital itself are quite stylized, with a bit of a futuristic vibe. The doctors at the hospital try to visit and fix Tommy for the next six years, through a montage of him growing up and being examined by doctors and nurses, but nothing comes up. Nora soon cries as he watches Tommy still in a blank state, now 10 years old. The scene freezes with Nora crying on her husband’s shoulder, and Tommy looking blankly at the nurses. The 20 year old Tommy appears once more, giving a reprise of (“Amazing Journey”)

 

1950:

 

As Christmas approaches, The Walkers attend a large family Christmas party, passing a large group of carolers on the way. Uncle Bernie and Cousin Kevin, among other family members close to the Walkers, are present. They sing about the excitement of the season, though they lament that Tommy does not understand in the slightest about the meaning of Christmas. (“Christmas”) He spends most of the party just sitting down and looking at a wrapped present. However, much to the surprise of the rest of the family, he reacts when Uncle Ernie begins to play the French horn. He surprises his family greatly, as all of them are in shocked upon seeing Tommy react. His father comes up to him, repeatedly asking “Tommy, can you hear me?” This soon transitions to the scene freezing once again, and the older Tommy trying to reach his younger self. (“See Me, Feel Me”) In this scene, there is also a vision of pinballs floating through the air. The young Tommy enters an imagine spot and feels euphoric.

 

A few weeks later, we see the Walker parents dressed up, likely to go out, but they are concerned about their child. They ponder if it is alright to leave him with Mr. Walker’s drunken and crude Uncle Ernie, soon realizing that there shouldn’t be any problems. (“Do You Think It’s Alright”) As they walk out the door, Uncle Ernie soon comes stomping in. He’s in as messy a state as ever. Uncle Ernie begins to mess around with Tommy, singing with a drunken yet somewhat sinister tone. (“Fiddle About”) He soon drags Tommy up to his bedroom, slams him onto his bed, and then turns out the lights, just as he does one last annunciation of “About.” We are only left with the disgusting thought of what Ernie did to Tommy that night.

 

We then see Tommy standing by the mirror again, more and more thoughts racing in his head, bringing him into an imaginary space unlike any other where he smiles and feels euphoric at the colors that surround him.. As he stands, we see a young man, decorated in rather grungy clothing, come to approach him. This is Cousin Kevin, the cruel and evil cousin of Tommy, whom Mr. and Mrs. Walker have assigned to babysit Tommy that day. (“Cousin Kevin”) Kevin tosses Tommy around cruelly, even throwing him into a trash can and rolling him down the street. He soon takes Tommy, still in the trash can, to a nearby club where Kevin’s friends are. They also begin to pick on Tommy mercilessly. They then decide to see just how “deaf, dumb, and blind” he is by throwing him against a pinball machine, eager to gain laughter out of his failure. Kevin sets him up on the machine, and everyone laughs until a flipper is triggered, causing complete silence.

 

Tommy begins to do incredibly well at the pinball game, causing shock and amazement from the kids. They cast Cousin Kevin aside to cheer on Tommy’s amazing game. This scene includes several quick and frentic shots of the pinball game, very much akin to Danny Boyle’s style. While everyone is distracted by the game, the wall behind the club begins to disappear, and the older Tommy appears once again, this time surrounded by pinball machines. He looks at how he’s becoming a pinball master and gaining the admiration of others. (“Sensation”) The only difference is that the scene does not freeze when the older Tommy appears. Tommy is soon brought back to the hospital by his parents, unaware of his pinball skill but confident that he might be changing, but they do not succeed to find anything else. (“Sparks (Reprise)”)

 

Mr. Walker goes home from a bar that night, still wondering about how he can cure his child. Along the way home, he is stopped by a Hawker in an alley way, who has overhead his upset thoughts about his son. He tells Mr. Walker that there is a way to cure him, with the help of a mysterious woman. (“Eyesight to The Blind”) He will need to meet a woman known as The Gypsy, a bohemian alchemist in the Isle of Dogs, who can provide him with the cure. Encouraged, he returns home and gets his son. “Tommy, you and I are going to go visit someone who can help you.” Mrs. Walker looks on with concern, but doesn’t stop him. The two soon arrive at the dark and sinister vibe that the Isle of Dogs gives off. That is where they finally meet her: The Gypsy. The Gypsy is a chemist and a drug creator who claims that she will be able to heal Tommy through sex and drugs. (“The Acid Queen”) Tommy begins to walk towards her, but Mr. Walker, feeling repulsed, quickly grabs him and runs off.

 

The years pass, and Tommy is now an adult. He continues to play pinball at the club, attracting more and more people in the town as he gets older. As a crowd of people begins to watch him, a group of teens. Cousin Kevin stands in the corner, alone, still impressed with Tommy’s pinball skill, however.

As Tommy plays, he imagines himself in the world of pinball where he truly gets to be free. (“Pinball Wizard”) In one part of the song, Tommy, now a young adult, stands on the rooftop of the club, above the cheers of his fans. Newspapers fly out at this miracle child who is able to communicate his dreams through pinball and arcade games, tabloids becoming excited and interviewers rushing towards the walker Family. The camera zooms out to let the city become a pinball table that Tommy plays on, soon getting a high score amidst a great deal of applause. Tommy’s parents are also watching him play, but they are simply shocked at what he can pull off, feeling completely speechless for the entire scene.

 

1960:

 

Tommy’s skill as a pinball wizard is continuing to grow, and people across the city can’t stop talking about him. However, his parents (now aged slightly with makeup) are still upset about how he is still deaf, dumb, and blind. However, Mr. Walker remembers that there was one last hope for Tommy, a specialist that might be able to truly cure him. (“There’s A Doctor”) Mrs. Walker caves and decides to let Tommy visit him.  They soon go to a very special facility, a bit stylized, where a very intelligent woman, the Specialist, is working on Tommy. She has a team of assistants investigating him with state of the art, and somewhat futuristic, equipment. She tells Nora that his condition seems to exist on a psychological level, and that she cannot do anything to cure his condition. Tommy is the only one who can. (“Go to The Mirror”) While the song plays, however, the younger Tommy appears in some parts, trying to tell his older self to “see me, feel me...” as he is undergoing his treatment.

 

As they go home, the mood is somber, as the parents realize that they might not be able to rescue Tommy. Nora and her husband try to sing to their son, as do various teenagers and people on the street. (“Tommy, Can You Hear Me” – imagine a slower and melancholier version of the song) As soon as they get home, Tommy returns to what he had often done, staring at himself in the mirror. Nora sighs, about to cry, as they realize that the battle might be lost. (“I Believe My Own Eyes”) However, Nora soon realizes that it’s too soon to give up. She stomps towards Tommy and the mirror, feeling angry and stressed. She yells at Tommy with desperation, trying to reach him, until she finally smashes the mirror into several pieces (in slow motion).  After she smashes it, she moves back away, crying.

 

Through a quick flash of Tommy’s life, with some psychedelic imagery and editing, Tommy opens his eyes and sees the light of the room. He looks around with awe, still standing in the same place he was, surrounded by pieces of broken glass. He soon hears various noises around the neighborhood, soon the world. He feels as though he can sense the entire universe, presented through a fast display of several shots. Tommy is still confused and slightly disturbed, but his parents are beyond ecstatic. (“He’s Free”) and people around the entire country, and soon the world, begin to take notice to the Pinball Wizard’s mysterious cure. (“Miracle Cure”) Tommy soon becomes a famous celebrity with several adoring fans, playing pinball across several venues in the continent, gaining several fans and essentially becoming a rock star, taking on music and fame despite his still disturbed stated. He plays pinball by wearing a special helmet that blocks out all other noise and sight to him, so that he can return to his state. His games are set on wildly visual stages, with several fans surrounding him as he plays. He was truly a sensation. (Reprise Medley: “Sensation / Pinball Wizard”) However, it’s ambiguous if his state had truly been revived or not. He feels a closer kinship to several deaf and blind fans versus everyone else, but senses that they have their own desires and dreams.

 

After one show, however, Tommy keeps the helmet on. He feels helpless and confused. The world treated him as something other because of who we was. He begins to use sign language (Tommy’s voice backing up vocals) to sing about his inner turmoil, as he’s been forced to become a celebrity that he does not understand, nor does anyone else. On the television set, we see Mr. and Mrs. Walker watching their son at a concert. While happy for her son, she laments how little time he now spends with them, but she is also troubled by the thought that the murder of her old lover was the incident that caused all of this. Her husband also shares similar emotions. As the family struggles through their inner turmoil, they sing a distant trio about they feel like impostors and failures (“Outside My Skin”) with trippy synthetic elements and bittersweet melodies.

 

The TV cuts to a commercial break, where they see Uncle Ernie trying to sell Tommy merchandise, shamelessly capitalizing on Tommy’s stardom (“Tommy’s Holiday Camp”) As the commercial is finished, it cuts to the studio where it was filmed, where Uncle Ernie collapses, asking for another drink. Meanwhile, another announcer comes on and says that people can now register to come to Tommy’s Holiday Camp, similar to a resort, where they can meet the pinball wizard himself and hear his great wisdom.

 

As people begin to pile in for Tommy’s Holday camp, Tommy does a game of pinball in front of his admiring fans inside an ampitheater. One of them, a teen girl named Sally Simpson, shuffles through the crowd to see Tommy up close. She eventually gets on the stage, shocking many. Tommy, still wearing his pinball helmet, cannot see her. As Sally tries to touch Tommy, he jumps in a startled state and accidentally pushes her off the stage. He removes his helmet and is shocked upon seeing what he had done. An injured Sally is soon taken away by Tommy’s security guards, until Tommy tells them to stop, and that she needs help. Tommy's act of kindness inspires the crowd, and he feels a bit more at peace, bit by bit.

 

That night, Tommy is still shaken by the incident, as his agent (cameo from Pete Townshend!) tells him that he needs to decide what he’s going to tell his fans, as Tommy replies that he knows what he wants to say. As the next day of the Holiday Camp approaches, where Tommy begins to enlighten his fans, there are even more people in the crowd. This occurs in the same amphitheater as the night before (“Welcome”) Tommy glances and sees his parents and younger self in the way back of the audience. Tommy looks at them with some melancholy. Sally Simpson returns to the stage asking Tommy a question, the same as the lead in to the film: “Tommy, I’m dying to know, we all want to know, how can we be more like you?” With cameras close on Tommy and the world ready to listen, Tommy soon asks why anyone would want to be like him. They don’t need to imitate the people they love, but they should rather seek to be their own people. Moreover, he does not want to be defined by his abilities, and that he feels like he has to find his own truth, just as he is asking all of his fans. He sees that everyone, for better or worse, is their own person, and he can't take that away from people. (“The Interview”)

 

However, this was not what the people wanted to hear. They soon belittle and boo at Tommy, disappointed in his answer. (“We’re Not Gonna Take It”) The all file out of the amphitheater, leaving Tommy alone in the dark. He had failed them as a truly spiritual leader, someone who knew what it was like to be deaf, dumb, and blind. As he sheds a few tears, he hears his 10-year old self calling out “See me, feel me…”

 

Tommy looks up and sees his family approach the stage, and Tommy is so happy to see them. They each have things to apologize for, but that is still okay. They hug on stage, as Tommy sees his younger self continuing to sing (“See Me, Feel Me (Reprise)”) Tommy eventually joins him. He has finally been freed from the external pressure of his life and has made peace with his family. Tommy soon sees his old friends and family coming back on to the stage to see him again. (“Listening To You”) Tommy smiles, running out to a cliff overlooking the sea. Tommy was truly free.

 

The end credits are set with stylized animations and The Who’s original recording of “Pinball Wizard”

 

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by Spaghetti

[4815162342]

The Horn

 

Genre: Action/Thriller

Directed By: Jeremy Rush

Cast: Liam Neeson (John Glanville), Norman Reedus (Fraiser), Michael Kenneth Williams (Nick), Finn Wittrock (Kevin), Daniel Dae Kim (Lee), Laz Alonso (Cole)

Release Date: 9/30

Theater Count: 3126

Budget: $40 million

Running Time: 100 Minutes

MPAA Rating: R for intense action violence, strong language, and scenes of torture

 

Plot Summary:

 

Spoiler

 

The Spring Wind is a superfreighter carrying goods from France to India. It's crew includes John Glanville (Neeson), a weathered man with a past in the US Navy, Fraiser (Reedus), a bit of an antagonistic and brusque loner, Nick (Williams), a sharp and savvy technician, Kevin (Wittrock), a young, energetic, and idealistic medi, Lee (Kim), the first officer who is a reassuring force, and Cole (Alonso), a wisecracking freight loader. There are about two dozen people total in the crew.

 

The first part of the film introduces us to the ship and the crew as it journeys through the Mediterranean Sea, Suez Canal, and Red Sea. Lee tries to move the path as far east as possible but is overruled by the captain, who says he will risk pirate-prone waters to save fuel (and the money to buy fuel). We see the crew interact and see that John is a mostly quiet individual who associates with the crew's merriment only occasionally. We see him try to call someone but then hang up before any can answer. We also see Fraiser and Nick get into a scuffle that is broken up quickly, but there is bad blood between the two. We also see through a phone conversation that Kevin has a pregnant wife. After some more character scenes the Spring Wind enters the Arabian Sea and has to go within 100 miles of the Horn of Africa. Lee's fears are proven true when a Somali pirate ship approaches the freighter. Because of company policy, the freighter is unarmed aside from water cannons and other non-lethal tools. The crew uses the water cannons to try and fend off the rafts the Somali pirates use to approach closer while Lee radios for help and is told that a US Navy ship is a couple hours away but is moving fast. Eventually the Somali pirates board and quickly start beating down crew who look like they resist. A few who try to fight back with tools are shot and killed. John grabs a handful of crew members and leads them into a cargo hold and has them lock themselves inside one of the holds with some supplies. He then goes and disables the ship's engines so it can't travel. At that point he is finally found and subdued by several pirates, but not before he lays a beating on a couple. The pirates assemble the crew they found (minus those who are hiding) and are angry about the ship being disabled and that a US Navy ship is coming soon. Because their ship is too small to tow the freighter, the pirates have to leave it. Angry, they execute the captain (putting Lee in charge essentially) and herd the others, about a dozen, into the rafts and take them back to their mother ship, where the crew is tossed into a makeshift prison cell. Cole tries to make light of the situation and John says that the people in hiding will come out soon and let the Navy know what happened.

 

The second part of the film then has the dozen prisoners transported in poor condition to a seaside town where they are stashed in unsanitary cells. Lee tries to keep the crew in good spirits as the de facto leader and Kevin does what he can to tend to the crew's injuries. We see a couple short scenes showing their poor treatment (little food or water) and trying to stay alert. Eventually some pirates barge into the room and beat up a couple crew members badly, one of them dying even with Kevin's efforts to save his life. Afterwards John speculates that the pirates' negotiations for ransom aren't going well so they are taking their anger out on the crew. Fraiser says that if the pirates try to mess with him he'll go down fighting rather than take it. Lee tries to keep order, but the following day some pirates return again and point for a crewman to come with them. The man is unsure and Lee tells the pirates that they won't get a ransom if they mistreat the crew. The pirates answer by shooting Lee, killing him, and then they drag out Lee's body. This shocks the crew and John says enough is enough and they have to escape since they can't guarantee the Navy will save them in time. Kevin as a medic is unsure since the act could get them all killed, but Fraiser is in since he doesn't want to die in a hole in the ground. Nick is also in and says if they get some equipment during the escape he might be able to jury-rig a radio. Cole makes some humor about dying either way to encourage the others to join in. We then see a scene where John lays out the plan, the camera zooming around the pirate compound to show us where they'll go step by step. When asked how he can make up this plan, John says he used to be in the Navy. After a scene of preparation the plan goes into motion when two pirates enter the room and are quickly beaten down by the crew, who takes their weapons. The crew then goes through the plan step by step, quietly subduing a couple more guards and grabbing some needed food, water, and ammo, but then they are discovered and an alarm goes out. A big running shootout happens as the pirates try to stop the crewmen from escaping. Two of the ten remaining crewmen are killed and the others are pinned down, but then John is able to toss a grenade into a fuel storage area and the explosion wipes out a chunk of the base and the pirates and allows the 8 survivors to escape in a pair of small trucks.

 

The third part of the film then follows the 8 survivors as they go on the run. The two trucks run out of gas a few hours after the escape and the survivors have no choice but to travel on foot southwest through the wilderness of southern Somalia towards Kenya. Nick strips the trucks of their radio parts and does what he can to try and cobble together a radio with enough strength to reach the Navy or someone who can help. They have only a couple very rudimentary maps to guide their progress. We get a couple character scenes where John starts to open up to Kevin, who is very anxious about being a new dad and hopes he'll have the chance to see his unborn child. John says a little about how he is estranged from his children because of some bad events in the past. We also see Fraiser and Nick getting tense with one another. Cole is able to break them up before another fight happens. One day on a hill they see several trucks in the distance and think it is a band of the pirates pursuing them out of anger. Sure enough it is the pirates and they try to attack the survivors on the hill. It is a tough shootout but John's planning and super fighting skills leads to a couple pirate trucks being blown up and the rest having to flee. The victory isn't without cost as one of the 8 crewmen is killed and another is wounded fairly seriously (both are nobodies). A couple others have minor wounds but nothing to be bothered about. The crew starts to move out again but the survivors are slowed down by the wounded man, whose condition is precarious no matter what Kevin does. Fraiser complains about the slow pace and comments they would be better off to leave the man behind. We get a couple short scenes of the travel and we get the sense that something is following the group.

 

One night the 7 survivors are camped and Cole who is supposed to be watch falls asleep and the result is that everyone is woken up by the sound of growling and someone screaming. Everyone wakes up to find the wounded man missing but a small trail of blood and torn clothing leading one way. Shouting, they follow the trail and quickly find the torn, dead body of the man, and John sees a glimpse of an animal in the shadows. He says they are being stalked by at least one feline predator, either a leopard or a lion. Everyone else is freaked out by that but John says if they have multiple stand watch with weapons they have nothing to fear. Cole is apologetic but Fraiser says good riddance since they can move fast. The 6 remaining crewmen (the 5 names and 1 last nobody) continue their hike and after a couple short scenes we see they are now close to running out of food and water. We also see hints that they are still being followed. Nick finally gets some sort of radio running and they try to use it. For a brief period they think they make contact but it soon breaks up. Their spirits are raised since with a better signal they could go farther, so John directs them to a tall hill a couple days walk away they can use. With low food and water the hike is hard and finally in the night the predators come again, a pair of female lions. One quickly kills the last nobody survivor and the other menaces Cole, who is frightened and fires wildly with his gun. He misses and the lion pounces and starts to shred him. Fraiser gets a clean shot and kills that lion, but too late to save Cole. The other lion lunges at Kevin and knocks him down but then John tackles the lion and wrestles with it before stabbing it with a big knife, killing it. The group is now down to 4. We also see that some Somali pirates are still trying to pursue a ways off and they heard the gunshots. Kevin is shook up but John calms him and says they need to reach the hill quickly.

 

The 4 survivors trek towards the hill and when they get to the base they see dust trails in the distance, indicating pirate trucks heading their way. John says they have to get a signal and can't move until they do and Fraiser doubts Nick's radio will work, pessimistic about it all. Nick finally calls Fraiser out on his crap and verbally kicks Fraiser's butt. That night John and Kevin bond some more and we learn about why John is estranged and how he can't bring himself to contact his children again. The next morning they climb a good ways up the hill as the dust trails get closer and Nick uses the radio again on an emergency channel and with the signal boost is able to get through to someone in the US Navy. Nick briefly identifies who they are and is told that the Navy's been trying to find them for days now and can triangulate the radio signal if the radio stays on. They keep the radio on and then see several trucks and jeeps near the hill's base. It is the pirates once again. With only 4 men left who are tired, hungry, thirsty, and low on ammo, things look grim. Several pirates attack on foot first but are quickly driven off. A second attack then comes with the trucks and jeeps coming closer, one of the jeeps having a machine gun on top. Nick is wounded in the arm and John tells him to take the radio and climb to higher ground since the radio is giving off their signal to the Navy. As Nick does that, Fraiser says there are too many and he'll even the odds for the others. He grabs two of the three grenades the group has and charges, throwing one each at a different jeep before getting riddled with bullets. The two grenades blow up the two jeeps and some pirates, making things easier. The pirates briefly pull back, giving John and Kevin a chance to check on Nick. Then the remaining pirates attack again, sending a couple guys around the side to flank. Kevin is wounded in the chest and John has Nick drag Kevin back to the radio while he holds off the enemy. Nick does that but then the couple flanking pirates show up. Nick feigns him and Kevin surrendering but then gets the drop on the two pirates and shoots them. Kevin then gives Nick instructions on how to administer life-saving first aid to Kevin. John meanwhile shoots until he down to a few bullets and sees the last grenade and decides to make a last stand. He leaps out from behind cover, running as he throws his grenade, which blows up a truck and a couple guys, and shoots with his gun until he is out of ammo and wounded twice. As the remaining pirates start to advance towards him, a mechanical noise is heard in the distance. It is a pair of helicopters. The surviving pirates panic and run to the remaining vehicles to drive off, but the machine guns on the helicopters destroy the vehicles and everyone in them. The helicopters land as Nick pulls Kevin back down to John and they are met by Navy medics, who start administering first aid. They're all loaded in the helicopters, which fly off as the pilots say they have the survivors.

 

The film jumps to a hospital ship, where John wakes up to find Kevin and Nick by him with a doctor, who says they'll all be ready to go home in a couple days. They then have some visitors: the handful of crew members John hid away and who are ecstatic to see John, Nick, and Kevin all alive. After the reunion John is cleared to go for a walk and he walks onto the open deck and Kevin follows to talk. After some talking, John says Kevin's qualities that make him a good medic will make him a great father. Kevin reminds John that he still has a chance to be a good father but he needs to take it. John agrees and the film ends with him finally making the call he's put off for so long.

 

 

[4815162342]

U.S.S. Seawolf

 

Genre: Action/Drama/Thriller

Cast: Matt Damon (Captain Judd Crocker), Paul Dano (Lt. Commander Linus Clarke), Chow Yun-Fat (Admiral Zhang Yushu), Karl Urban (Lt. Commander Rick Hunter), David Strathairn (The President), Brian Tyree Henry (Lt. Commander Rusty Bennett), and Ed Harris (Admiral Arnold Morgan)

Directed By: Gareth Edwards

Release Date: 6/17 (IMAX 2D)

Release Platform: 3511 Theaters

Budget: $110 million

Running Time: 146 minutes

MPAA Rating: R for graphic violence and strong language and scenes of torture

 

Plot Summary:

 

Spoiler

 

The story takes place in the near future. The new U.S.S. Seawolf is the first submarine in the brand-new top-secret Seawolf-2 class production line.

 

The captain of the Seawolf is Judd Crocker (Damon), a competent, bold, and tenacious leader. His 2^nd-in-command is Lieutenant Commander Linus Clarke (Dano), who is ambitious. The film opens with the submarine deep in the Pacific Ocean and we get a tense scene as the crew tries to maneuver the submarine around a small fleet of surface ships undetected. Crocker calmly guides his crew and when they reach their target location he arms the torpedo tubes and tells Linus to open fire on the sonar target: an aircraft carrier. Linus gives the order and a big sonar ping goes off as Linus, smiling, says “scratch one carrier.” Crocker then gives the order to attack a second ship and the crew barely contains a cheer when sonar has the second ship getting sunk too. Crocker tells Linus “We’ve made our point” and has him turn on the radio. Crocker uses it and says “Attention United States Navy, you now belong to the crew of the U.S.S. Seawolf,” which causes the crew to cheer fully. We quickly learn that this is the final training exercise for the sub. The scene quickly changes into one where Admiral Cameron, head of the Pacific Fleet, officially inducts U.S.S. Seawolf into active duty and congratulates the crew. The crew then goes off to celebrate, with a couple short scenes showing the crew and officers having fun.

 

The scene changes to Washington D.C., where we meet Admiral Arnold Morgan (Harris), the National Security Adviser to the President. Morgan is a very cantankerous and outspoken individual. He meets with Admiral Mulligan, the highest-ranking naval officer in the USA, and they discuss China’s experimental ballistic missile submarine Xia, which is undergoing surface trials in the Yellow Sea. Morgan says they need to know Xia’s capabilities.

 

A few days later, the main officers of the Seawolf (Crocker, Linus, Cy Rothstein, Rich Thompson, and Shawn Pearson) are given new orders for the submarine’s mission: proceed to the entrance of the Yellow Sea and shadow the Xia. They briefly talk about the prospects, Linus being a little anxious, and then go to their stations as the Seawolf casts off from its dock. We get a couple short scenes showing the sub heading out to sea and the crew members daily routines. We also see Crocker pouring over maps to figure out how to best tail the Xia.

 

After several days of travel the Seawolf arrives just north of the Ryukyu Islands, south of Japan. Crocker plans to lie in wait for the Xia to exit the Yellow Sea. They come across a Chinese attack submarine and a surface ship some miles away and power down to avoid detection. Suddenly their sonar detects torpedoes in the water coming their direction. Linus freaks out and wants to consider attacking, but Crocker tells his XO to calm down, saying that they wandered into a torpedo exercise. The torpedoes never activate sonar and zoom right by, proving Crocker right. The tense mood subsides and the crew has a nervous laugh, though Linus is still shaken. Later, Crocker has Linus meet him in his quarters. Crocker says Linus made a reasonable call but he needs to work on his nerves under pressure. Linus says he will and the two talk a little about personal lives. Crocker is married and has two little girls. Linus says that since his mother died his dad leans on Linus a lot for support.

 

That night, Crocker learns from satellite imagery that the Xia has left port and is making a course in their direction. Crocker plans for a stealth intercept in 18 hours.

 

Another person who learns of Xia’s departure is Admiral Zhang Yushu (Yun-Fat), commander of the People’s Liberation Navy. Zhang meets with some senior naval commanders and says that he suspects the Americans will attempt to spy on Xia’s technology and Chinese satellites detected Seawolf leaving Pearl Harbor several days ago. Zhang says it is paramount that Seawolf be discovered. Zhang expresses his frustrations about trying to match the US Navy and says he may consider sinking Seawolf if the opportunity arises.

 

The next day the Seawolf’s passive sonar detects the Xia on the surface at the entrance to the Yellow Sea. The Xia dives and Crocker gives the order to pursue at a safe distance. There is a brief scare when Xia suddenly turns right towards Seawolf, but Crocker has his sub turn as well and slow down to avoid detection.

 

After a few short scenes showing the tracking of Xia, Xia makes a turn for the Taiwan Strait. Linus points out that the Taiwan Strait is too shallow for Seawolf to hide in, so Crocker, with the help of Pearson the navigator, plots a course around the far side of Taiwan where they can hide and wait for Xia to emerge again.

 

Zhang meets with Admiral Zu Jicai, the leader of the Chinese Southern Fleet. Zhang is positive Seawolf will be waiting off the southwestern edge of Taiwan for the Xia, so he devises a plan. He has Zu assign ships to engage in a live-fire war exercise in the area he suspects Seawolf to be. The goal is to frighten Seawolf off, but Zhang says that if Seawolf happens to get sunk by “accident” then even better.

 

The following day the Seawolf detects Xia again and the sounds of the underwater barrage from the “exercise.” Linus is nervous and thinks there’s no way to get through in time. Crocker says they can do it by getting close enough to the Xia to be her shadow. Since the Chinese Navy won’t want to sink its own sub, it’ll create a path for the Seawolf to closely follow the Xia. We then get a tense scene as the Seawolf accelerates enough to get close to the Xia’s baffles and then matches pace as the Xia moves through the exercise zone with underwater explosions occurring on either side of it.

 

In the South China Sea, Crocker and his officers form a plan to complete their mission. Xia is regularly surfacing to receive orders, so at the first opportunity, when Xia surfaces again the Seawolf will slide under the Xia, mimicking its course. Then the Seawolf’s top-model sonar can completely map the Xia’s structure. The next day the Xia surfaces and Crocker puts his plan into motion. Another tense scene unfolds as Seawolf glides less than 60 feet under the Xia as its sonar mapping begins, with lots of uneasy banter amongst the officers in the control room. That part goes well, but the second phase of the mission requires the Seawolf to go to periscope depth and take pictures of the Xia above water. Seawolf does that and Crocker begins taking pictures with the periscope. However, as he finishes he sees several Chinese sailors on the surface deck of the Xia pointing in the periscope’s direction. Crocker orders the Seawolf to dive. After some thought, he orders the Seawolf to go at a slow, silent pace heading towards the Chinese coastline. Linus objects, saying it’s heavily risky. When Zhang gets word of the sighting he orders a massive naval manhunt for the Seawolf.

 

The Seawolf sneaks north and is out of danger. Crocker sends confirmation to his superiors via satellite that the mission is a success. He receives a satellite signal giving him a secondary mission: spy on the Chinese destroyer Xiangtan, which has prototype weapons and a towed sonar array. By coincidence, Zhang suspects the Seawolf has evaded to the north, so he orders the Xiangtan to engage in a search operation in that general area.

 

Back on the Seawolf the officers have a late dinner together and then most of them go to bed, with Linus having control of the sub. During his watch, sonar picks up the Xiangtan. Linus decides to go to periscope depth and slide around to the Xiangtan’s stern to take pictures. Master Chief Stockton advises Linus to wake up Crocker, but Linus says he can handle it. Linus judges the distance to be about a mile and gives the order to go behind the Xiangtan. The Seawolf does that, but as it does so its propeller gets caught on the cable on the towed array, the cable wraps around the propeller, and forces the Seawolf to a halt. The sudden shift in momentum wakes up Crocker and he barges in as Linus is trying to figure out what happened. Crocker immediately takes the periscope and realizes Linus had set it to low power. Instead of being a mile away, the Seawolf was only 500 yards away. Linus breaks down and says he is so sorry. Crocker gets in contact with the engine room and learns that the main engines are offline. The emergency motor still works but it is very slow and noisy, so any chance of a stealth escape is gone. Crocker says they have to surface to inspect the propeller and says at least they’re in international waters.

 

On the Xiangtan, Colonel Lee orders his men to have weapons ready to prevent the Americans from cutting the cable loose. He also sends word of the encounter to Shanghai. Stockton leads an attempt to get to the propeller on the surface but Chinese machine guns open fire and force him and his team to return inside. With no way to escape now, Crocker sends an emergency message to Pearl Harbor detailing the situation. Soon enough, the Xiangtan launches helicopters to land people to weld hooks and metal plates onto the Seawolf’s hull so it can be towed. Linus is still a nervous wreck and the other officers say they have to destroy all important documents. Crocker says they are now prisoners of the Chinese Navy.

 

Zhang gets word of the Seawolf’s capture and is overjoyed about the complete treasure trove of equipment and information that has fallen into their hands. He sets up plans to have the American crew detained and questioned about the technology.

 

On the Seawolf, all photos taken of the Xia and Xiangtan are shredded. All of the special photographic and analysis equipment for those photos and measurements is destroyed. The passport of Linus Clarke is shredded. All of this is tossed into a torpedo tube and vented into the ocean.

 

Morgan is woken up by a phone call from Mulligan. Mulligan says Seawolf has been taken by the Chinese, apparently by force. Morgan is angered by the news, and then Mulligan says Linus Clarke is on the crew and Morgan’s profane rant suddenly stops. Morgan tells Mulligan to meet him at the “big house.” Morgan hangs up and makes a phone call of his own where he convinces someone to wake “the man” up and have him in his office. Morgan dresses at lightning speed and drives rapidly to his destination: the White House. Mulligan gets there seconds later and the two go straight to the Oval Office where a sleepy President (Strathairn) waits, asking what the problem is. Morgan says that the Seawolf has been captured by the Chinese, then adds “your son is on the crew.”

 

On the Seawolf, Linus is now wearing dogtags indicating that he is Bruce Lucas. Crocker broadcasts to the crew that, as many of them know, Linus is the President’s son, and the Chinese cannot know about this since it would give them leverage. He tells them that Linus is now Bruce Lucas and the crew needs to stick to that story. He quickly meets with his officers and says that they’ll likely be interrogated about Seawolf’s technology. He tells the officers they need to make sure the crew supports one another. Crocker then goes to the reactor to meet with the Chief Engineer. In a conversation we learn that the Seawolf has a fail-safe in its cooling system that only Crocker and the Chief Engineer know about. When turned on, the fail-safe disables the secondary cooling systems, so if a reactor problem occurs nothing will activate to stop it.

 

We return to the earlier conversation between Morgan, Mulligan, and the President. The President is shocked and asks for details. Mulligan quickly summarizes what happened and says Linus will now be under his alternate identity. The President asks what happens now and Morgan says they’ll try to resolve things diplomatically to get the sub and the crew back. The President nods, clearly in shock. Morgan tells Mulligan to get back to the Pentagon and get a brain trust together. After Mulligan leaves, Morgan sits with the President and the two talk about Linus and how he’s the only family the President has left.

 

The Seawolf is towed into Canton’s harbor and the crew exits the submarine. They are roughly herded by guards, led by Commander Li, towards trucks. At the trucks, Li informs them they are all under arrest for bringing weapons of mass destruction so close to China. Crocker, Linus, and other main officers (Rothstein, Pearson, Thompson, and Stockton) are taken to a particular truck. The trucks go to a detention facility and Crocker’s group is taken to a particular cell block. In that block, Li tells them that he expects them to cooperate fully with interrogators. When Crocker says the Geneva Convention protects them, Li says the Geneva Convention does not apply here.

 

Zhang holds a meeting of the senior Chinese naval officers. He says that there is the danger of a major international incident since they effectively stole the Seawolf when it was in international waters. Zhang says the Seawolf holds the means for China to modernize its navy and they must do whatever they can to unlock its technology. Zhang says that the only way to do that is to “vigorously” interrogate the crew, during that time they have to stall the US. The crew is to be held at a jail on the island of Xiachuan Dao until Zhang can find an appropriate jail deep in China’s interior. Zhang outlines a plan that will allow them to hold onto the Seawolf for as long as possible, as well as ensuring the crew “disappears” when no longer useful.

 

Back in D.C., Morgan is talking with Mulligan and some other Navy officials. They all agree that there is no way the Chinese will voluntarily return Seawolf or its crew. The President is still stricken by the news of Linus’ capture. Morgan says the President is very dependent on Linus ever since his wife died. Later Morgan meets with the Chinese ambassador, Ling Guofeng, and tries to play hardball, but Guofeng stalls well enough to frustrate Morgan heavily.

 

We see a scene of Crocker’s group quietly talking to one another in their cells when suddenly Li enters with several guards, followed by Zhang. Zhang tells Crocker that he and his crew are entirely at Zhang’s mercy and advises Crocker to cooperate. Crocker refuses to do so under the Geneva Convention. Zhang makes the offer a second time, saying that no one in the US will help them. Crocker again refuses, so Zhang has several junior crewmembers brought into the cell block. Zhang gives Crocker a third chance, and again Crocker says no, so Zhang has a guard shoot one crewmember. Zhang says he is prepared to shoot fifty of the crew if it’ll force them to cooperate. He is about to order a second shooting but Crocker yields and says he will advise his men to cooperate. Zhang thanks him for his cooperation and departs with the guards and junior crewmembers. After they leave, Linus, the other officers, and Stockton tell Crocker he did the right thing, since no one will follow his “advice.”

 

The meeting of the Joint Chiefs and key Cabinet members occurs. The President says he will take no active role because of his conflict of interest. The committee begins to discuss possible ways to resolve the crisis. Immediately any attempt to use military force to enter Canton to take back the prisoners or the Seawolf is dismissed because of the requirement for immense military force and essentially starting World War 3. The Secretary of State points out that China is unlikely to submit to threats. Likewise, any direct military attack to compel the Chinese to return the sub and crew is deemed a failure since China would just kill the crew. After some more discussion, they hit onto a plan: destroy the Seawolf. If a bomb is dropped onto the reactor casing of the sub, it would cause a reactor meltdown that would essentially render the submarine and a small area in Canton Harbor radioactively poisoned for decades. The plan requires for the prisoners’ location to be pinpointed and within a couple hours of the bombing rescued by Special Forces. Morgan calls Admiral Bergstrom, commander of Navy Special Forces, and summons him to DC.

 

During the six-hour interval, Morgan and the President talk a bit and Morgan assures him they’ll get Linus and the rest of the crew back. Six hours later Bergstrom arrives at the White House and the meeting begins again. The plan is fleshed out more and goes like this: First the location of the prisoners needs to be ascertained. Then, a Navy fighter will fly low below radar and slingshot a laser-guided bomb straight onto Seawolf’s reactor. Then during the confusion, a Special Forces team will extract the prisoners.

 

The meeting breaks up and Morgan confronts the big problem: locating the prisoners. Morgan and Bergstrom talk and Bergstrom says his Navy SEALs are excellent but he won’t send them into the middle of Canton to attack a military jail since it’d be a suicide mission. Their best hope is for the Chinese to move the prisoners somewhere close to the coast. Bergstrom says he’ll assemble a crack team of SEALs and he knows a couple clutch men to lead the mission.

 

We get a couple short scenes showing the Seawolf crew sulking in their cells, trying to make the best of the situation as they fume over the death of one of their own. We then see them herded out of their cells to a convoy of trucks, which go southeast out of the city. As Zhang and Li oversee the departure, Zhang assigns Li to command the prison holding the crew and says he must isolate the weak ones and break them.

 

Back in DC, Morgan meets with Ambassador Guofeng. In that meeting, Morgan is surprisingly courteous and diplomatic and plays along with Guofeng that the Chinese are only interested in helping. Guofeng leaves pleased.

 

Bergstrom picks the two SEAL commanders he thinks will be key for leading the mission: Lt. Commanders Rick Hunter (Urban) and Rusty Bennett (Henry). Rick, a southern gentleman from Kentucky, will be the overall leader, while Rusty will lead the initial recon team to scout out the crew’s location once the Navy finds it. Both men promise to personally pick the best SEALs they know to be a part of the mission.

 

The trucks arrive at a small dock at the coast and the prisoners are herded onto a ferry that proceeds along the coast southwest. We see a couple short scenes of the crew on the ferry, trying to figure things out, and then the ferry arrives at the island of Xiachuan Dao. As the prisoners are herded into their cells, Commander Li and several interrogators discuss their plans and indicate a few men who they think will crack easily. One is Linus.

 

Morgan, Mulligan, and a couple others are in a meeting and learn that the CIA managed to track the prisoners to a ferry that left the Chinese coast near Hong Kong. After some thinking, Morgan orders for the search to concentrate on a stretch of islands from Hong Kong past Macao.

 

We get a couple scenes at the Xiachuan Dao prison showing the crew trying to stay in good spirits, with Crocker having a chat with Linus about him needing to stay strong. Then Chinese guards come in and take Linus and Rothstein away for interrogation, with Crocker screaming that he’ll kill them if the two officers are harmed. We see Rothstein’s interrogation first, with Rothstein staying completely silent as he is asked questions. When told that no one will know if he talks, Rothstein replies “I’ll know.” Frustrated, the interrogators have him severely beaten. We then see Linus, who looks petrified. Li has Linus waterboarded, and Linus falls unconscious before he gives in.

 

We see a few short scenes showing Rick and Rusty going to various naval stations where the SEALs are based and personally recruiting a number of elite warriors they know very well. All of the men are eager to join a top-secret mission and share a humorous camaraderie with the two commanders.

 

Though the jail hasn’t been found yet, the whole SEAL team, 64 soldiers (a lot for a SEAL mission), has been assembled and is being flown out to Okinawa and then helicoptered to a waiting carrier battle group. During the flight the SEAL team members shoot the breeze and crack jokes, most of them not clued into the precise details of the mission yet until they’re past the point of no return. Rick and Rusty go over the few details they know for certain with a couple other officers and say speed and surprise are the key.

 

We see a second interrogation with Linus, who is wracked with fear. Linus refuses to talk at first, but the interrogators waterboard him again and this time he cracks, saying he’ll tell them what they want to know. The interrogators are pleased and say he (thinking him Bruce Lucas) will go with Li to Canton where he’ll show him some of the Seawolf’s technology. Li is pleased, since a second attempt to interrogate Rothstein did not go well and the officer ended up dying from injuries.

 

Morgan gets a call saying there’s been a development. Morgan meets with some Navy and CIA officials and is shown satellite photos taken of Xiachuan Dao that shows lots of activity around some buildings, and Morgan decides they’ve found the prison. Morgan immediately barges into the Oval Office to interrupt a meeting and gets the President alone to tell him the news. The President is relieved and asks Morgan to get his son back.

 

The SEALS all arrive on the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan. Rusty takes his handpicked recon team into a briefing room where they are joined by Rick and the carrier battle group commander. With Xiachuan Dao now discovered, Rusty’s recon team will transfer to a waiting submarine, the Greenville, and travel to the island, where they’ll infiltrate. Their job is twofold: figure out the layout of the prison and the guard patrols, and learn about any firepower/communications the prison has. The plan is for the recon to complete within 24 hours, with a few men staying behind to coordinate the assault landing.

 

We see a short scene of Linus helicoptered back to Canton where he is taken onboard the Seawolf. He is taken on a tour of some systems with some Chinese technicians and he answers their questions about how they generally work. For his “good behavior” he is fed well and given nicer accommodations to sleep in, isolated from the rest of the crew.

 

We then see Rusty’s team transfer to the Greenville, a couple short scenes showing their restlessness, and then their infiltration onto the island. Once on the island Rusty’s team hikes north along the marshland, there’s a little banter about fighting gators and crocodiles that keeps the mood light enough. Eventually they find a good spot overlooking the prison and take notes about its exterior. Then a situation happens when a Chinese guard going to take a #1 walks directly into a clump of grass where a few SEALs are hiding and he has to get quietly taken out. They obscure the blood on the ground and take the body to a beach where they bury the body and stage the guard’s gun and clothing to make it look like he took a swim but drowned.

 

With the recon otherwise concluded, Rusty takes the bulk of the team back off the island to the waiting Greenville while a few remain behind to keep a watch over the planned assault beach. The plan is for the assault to happen that night, Sunday night.

 

After another altercation in the prison, Stockton is put into solitary confinement and beaten. The rest of the Seawolf crew whisper about not having seen Linus or Rothstein in some time and speculate that they could be dead. The mood of the prisoners is taking a turn for the worse. Crocker does his best to keep spirits up, but he too looks worn down from his rough physical treatment.

 

At a fleet headquarters, Zhang hears about the missing guard and the assumption he drowned. Though it’s the most likely explanation, Zhang is uneasy and orders subordinates to begin preparing to transfer the prisoners to Chongqing on Monday.

 

In D.C., Morgan learns that Phase 1 of the plan is ready to proceed, with a CIA agent in Canton using a laser targeting device to pinpoint the location on the Seawolf for the guided bomb to hit. With only a few hours before Phase 1 begins, the President is feeling very shaky and prays alone in a chapel in the White House.

 

Back on the Ronald Reagan, Rusty briefs the entire SEAL unit about the main details of the recon mission. Rick then takes over and says that within 2 hours they’ll transfer to three submarines: The Greenville, the Cheyenne, and the Hartford, which will take them to within a few miles of Xiachuan Dao for insertion. Rick tells the unit that they’re the best in what they’re trained to do and they’re going to bring the Seawolf crew home.

 

7 hours later, an F/A-18 Hornet fighter is loaded with a single precision-guided bomb and takes off from the Ronald Reagan. The fighter flies only 200 feet above the ground at high speeds and executes the plan perfectly, reaching Canton and doing a sudden turn up that flings the bomb up and away, its guidance system picking up the laser targeter and setting a course for the bomb to fall. No one sees the bomb fall and it crashes into the Seawolf’s reactor area before exploding. The thick hull of the sub contains the explosion, but the internal damage to the reactor area is extreme, destroying its cooling system. And, because of the sabotage done by Crocker and the Chief Engineer, the secondary systems fail to engage, resulting in the reactor spiraling towards a meltdown. The reactor core overheats and melts through the hull of the Seawolf and drops into the water of Canton Harbor. This results in two things: First, the water of the Harbor cools the core and prevents a total meltdown. Second, the core being directly in the water essentially turns a chunk of the Harbor, and the Seawolf itself, into a radioactive death zone as the Chinese onboard the sub and in the nearby dockyard flee as far as they can.

 

Zhang quickly receives the news and is stunned, thinking that his scientists screwed things up. He has no option but to sink the Seawolf in the harbor and quarantine a section of it. Shaken, he suspects sabotage may be involved and calls Li and orders him to harshly interrogate Bruce Lucas (Linus) to see if the officer lied about something.

 

The SEAL team lands on Xiachuan Dao and quickly moves into position.

 

Morgan is waiting in his office with the President when he receives word of a major nuclear episode in Canton harbor, which confirms that Phase 1 is a success. The President is relieved, but still very shaky since now the trickier Phase 2, the prison rescue, has to occur.

 

The SEAL plan goes into action. Rick gives the go order and Rusty leads the team that silently takes over the watchtowers, quickly killing all the guards. Another group then scales the prison walls and stealthily takes out the two main patrols around the wall. Rick gets a confirmation signal from that group and the gives the order for the next step, with multiple groups simultaneously tossing satchel charges into the radio hut and the HQ building, resulting in several large explosions. Another group tosses gas bombs into an identified civilian dormitory that will knock the civilian workers out. Finally, a last team shoots anti-tank missiles at the patrol boat and the two helicopters, destroying them. The exterior of the jail is now in SEAL hands.

 

Zhang, feeling uneasy, tries to contact the jail but gets no response. He becomes very alarmed.

 

Inside the jail the Chinese guards are rushing about panicking. Crocker is relieved, and tells the men in his cell block to be patient just a little longer. Li, who is waterboarding Linus, halts the torture session and gives an order for the guards in his area to rush to the defense. The door to Crocker’s cellblock is then blown open and machine guns kill the few Chinese guards in the hall. Rick then enters and has some light banter with Crocker through the bars of Crocker’s cell. The SEALs blow open the cell doors and Crocker says a couple of his men have been moved to an interrogation wing of the prison and he can guide them in. Rick is reluctant since there could still be resistance but Crocker insists so Rick gives him a pistol. As the bulk of the SEAL team escorts the crew out, Crocker leads Rick and several others to the interrogation wing of the prison. The wing is deserted and all but one of the rooms are checked with no one present. At the last door, Crocker shouts “Linus!” and hears a muffled cry in response. The SEALs blow the door open and quickly kill the two guards inside. Li is also in there with Linus and tries to surrender but Crocker rushes him, slams him to the ground, and beats him up. Crocker then gets up to walk away, but Li then tries to draw a weapon, so Crocker quickly shoots Li dead. Linus is freed, being heavily in shock. Crocker hugs him and says they’re going home and for the first time in a while Linus looks relieved. Rick leads them outside to rendezvous with the rest of the SEALs and the crew.

 

Zhang, now positive that the Americans have attacked, realizes the only way to avoid losing face is to destroy the American rescue team. Zu tells him that the chance of success is minimal and Zhang replies he doesn’t care, so long as some of the Americans are killed. He orders the Xiangtan, the destroyer that the Seawolf collided with, to go to Xiachuan Dao. Zhang says he must salvage some pride.

 

At the landing beach the Seawolf crew is getting loaded into several rafts with engines. It took some time to get back to the beach and with several crewmembers needing stretchers that will require more trips to take everyone back to the submarines. The severely injured or shaken, such as Stockton and Linus, are among the first to be taken off. Between Rick, Rusty, and Crocker’s guidance the initial trips go smoothly, and as the rafts go back and forth the tension remains high. Crocker and Rick talk a bit and Rick asks how bad it was in the prison. Crocker says some of his men are severely battered because they refused to talk. He also tells Rick about how the Seawolf got tangled in its collision while he was off-duty. Crocker says that there’ll definitely be a board of inquiry into what happened and hopes it doesn’t go farther, for the sake of the officers on duty at the time.

 

Back in D.C., Morgan gets a call and after a few seconds thanks the caller and hangs up. He tells the President that Linus is safe and is heading back to the carrier group right now. The President is relieved and Morgan decides to go to the Pentagon to coordinate the final steps of the rescue. The President meanwhile decides to go to a nearby church in the afternoon hours and spends some time there in silent reflection.

 

As the last raft leaves to head to the Greenville, the Xiangtan nears the island. The ship’s orders are to immediately attack any US ship or sub it finds. Colonel Lee is reluctant to carry out the orders, but decides he must carry out his duty. The final rafts get loaded into the Greenville and it heads away, but it can’t dive yet because the water is shallow. The Xiangtan locates it on radar and gives chase. The Xiangtan fires several shells at the Greenville, which begins to dive, but before it does so one hits and damages its top. The Greenville isn’t in danger of sinking, but it now moves noisier. Crocker helps give the Greenville’s commander some advice on how to stay as silent as possible as it escapes towards a pair of US frigates not far away. With Crocker’s guidance, Greenville slides under the frigate Kaufman and matches its speed, so it stays directly underneath, which mostly hides it on sonar. With this done, the group flees east; with Xiangtan pursuing, Lee hoping Greenville either surfaces or shows itself on sonar.

 

Lee contacts Zhang to let him know of the developments and Zhang, close to losing it, berates Lee for failing to sink the submarine and orders him to do whatever it takes.

 

Meanwhile the other submarines have reached the Ronald Reagan and offload the crewmembers. Linus is escorted to a secure room where he has a conversation with his dad. The President is thrilled to hear his voice and says Linus was very brave. Linus thanks his dad, but his facial expressions betray feelings of guilt. Meanwhile Morgan and Mulligan debate what to do about the Xiangtan. They agree that they can’t sink the Chinese ship unless it fires on the Greenville or another ship. Morgan figures out that because the Xiangtan has normal fuel, it’ll eventually run low and have to turn back or go for the kill.

 

Eventually Lee reaches the same conclusion as Morgan. He figures out the general area of the Greenville and, after some hesitation, fires a pair of torpedoes. The torpedoes immediately appear on sonar and the two US frigates in the area return fire, each firing an anti-ship missile that reaches the Xiangtan in seconds and blows it up. The Greenville deploys decoys and after some tense seconds, the torpedoes zoom by harmlessly. We see the Greenville finally meeting up with the Ronald Reagan and transferring the Seawolf crewmembers and SEALs onboard to it. There is a joyous celebration by both groups now that all of them are safe and sound.

 

The President is thrilled and wants to go to Hawaii to meet his son on the Ronald Reagan, but is convinced by Morgan that it’d be political suicide since the media would follow the President and would inevitably find out what happened and would create a global stink. Morgan is a bit concerned about the President’s state of mind. He later talks with Ambassador Guofeng and the Chinese Ambassador agrees that the best thing for both countries is to pretend this never happened.

 

Crocker tries to talk to Linus about his time at the prison but Linus is distant, but finally Linus blurts out that he broke during the torture and told the Chinese information. Linus is ashamed and breaks down crying, and Crocker, understanding, tells him that everyone eventually breaks under torture and the Chinese have lost all of their data with the Seawolf gone. Crocker reassures Linus that everything will be fine.

 

Meanwhile, Zhang is resigned to the fact that he will likely lose his job, at least, and goes to the government headquarters in Beijing to metaphorically fall on his sword. We last see him being escorted by a pair of guards into the meeting chamber where the Chinese Politburo awaits him, his fate uncertain.

 

Back in D.C., Morgan is told that the Navy will convene a board of inquiry to figure out what went wrong with the Seawolf in its collision and a court-martial of one or more people may be possible. The President is worried about the news since while as commander-in-chief he has the power to publicly order the Navy not to open an inquiry, to do so is political suicide.

 

We then see a few short snippets of the Board of Inquiry, with Crocker, Linus, and other officers and crewmembers knowledgeable about the collision giving some testimony. We see that Linus is doing anything he can to avoid responsibility. Afterwards Crocker tries to talk to Linus and Linus says he didn’t deserve this and he won’t let them bury his career.

 

We then learn that the board of inquiry recommends that both Crocker and Linus be court-martialed for gross negligence. Morgan tries to tell the President that it’s the only way to clear the air for the story to go away, but the President is furious. The President shouts that he will not have his only child undergo public humiliation and says he will strike down the ruling for Linus. Morgan says if he does so then multiple of his naval leaders will resign in protest. The President doesn’t care and gives the order, and within thirty minutes gets several resignations faxed to his attention. The President is satisfied, but Morgan tells him that though he got what he wanted, there’s no way the Navy will fully convict Crocker and there’ll always be questions about what really happened. Morgan says he would normally resign, “but someone has to be the fucking adult in this oval room”.

 

We then see a phone conversation between the President and Linus and we learn Linus helped push his dad to the decision. Linus is grateful, but his tone indicates he may have second thoughts. The President says it doesn’t matter anymore and Linus will have a future. Linus agrees, but his voice indicates he is unsure.

 

We then jump to the end of the court-martial for Crocker. Because of the loss of the Seawolf and Linus being stricken from the proceedings, the court-martial has to convict Crocker of something, so, with pressure from the President, they convict Crocker of negligence by being away from his post in the face of the enemy. Crocker is stunned, but the court-martial board, knowing Crocker is not the one ultimately at fault, is somewhat lenient on the punishment, and issues a letter of reprimand and a recommendation that he not command a submarine in the field again. This preserves Crocker’s career and rank, though any chance of advancement via normal progression is essentially gone. Crocker is consoled by his family and when they walk out of the courtroom, they are approached by Morgan. Morgan tells Crocker that it is a goddamned shame what happened in there. Crocker doesn’t disagree, and says he is considering resigning, rather than let the Navy wipe someone else’s shit on him. Morgan says he understands that, but adds that there are many in the Navy who know it wasn’t his fault, and they’ll find a place for him, perhaps in the Pentagon, where he could end up doing a lot more good than being behind a periscope. Crocker says he will think about it.

 

The film cuts to some time later, with Crocker living on the family farm, though it is unclear whether he is retired or on leave. His wife tells him that they have a visitor and Crocker goes onto the porch to see who it is, and it is Linus. Linus says he’s sorry about Crocker having to take the fall for what happened and he doesn’t know if he can stay in the Navy. Crocker says he understands but tells Linus that they both should have been in the courtroom and he won’t forget how Linus, instead of taking responsibility, let his dad clean up his mess, so others could pay the price. Their friendship for now, perhaps forever, is over. Linus is shaken and Crocker without saying anything more returns inside. Linus stares at the door for a moment, and then goes back to a waiting car, which drives away from the house, the camera watching it leave before fading to black.

 

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by 4815162342

[Blankments]

Duck Hunt

 

Director: Carlos Saldanha
Genre: Animated Comedy
Release Date: November 23
Formats: 3D and Dolby
Major Cast:

Kumail Nanijiani as Snickers the Dog
Eden Sher as Sharon the Duck
Lil Nas X as Bartholomew the Dog
Rachel Bloom as Kerry the Duck
Ron Cephas Jones as Spot the Dog
Ben Schwartz as Larry the Canary
Jim Gaffigan as the Wild Gunman
With Christopher Plummer as Hogan the Hunter
And Scarlett Johansson as Mrs. the Duck

 

Theater Count: 3,956

MPAA Rating: PG for scary moments and brief crude humor.
Runtime: 84 min
Production Budget: $80 million
Music by: Henry Jackman

 

Plot Summary: A duck and a dog form an unlikely friendship in this adaptation of the hit video game!

 

Plot: 

 

Hogan the Hunter frequently goes out with his dogs, Spot, Snickers and Bartholomew to go duck hunting. Snickers is an orphan who was adopted later, but Bartholomew is the heir to the duck hunting, from his father, elderly dog Spot. Spot is proud of Bartholomew, but finds Snickers to be embarrassing. Named after his amicable nature, Snickers frequently tries to chat with the ducks after they’ve been shot, and when Hogan misses his shot, he chuckles, happy for the ducks to escape.

Nearby, Sharon the Duck lives with a community of ducks in a tree. Sharon has always wanted to talk to the dogs, believing they could be good friends. Her sister, Kerry, warns her against this, saying the dogs are dangerous, and have never been good for them. Sharon dreams of reuniting with their long lost mother, who they believe to be on the other side of the forest. However, with Hogan and his dogs frequently patrolling the grounds, loving the art of duck hunting, it is impossible for them to even leave their nest. Yet, since Sharon believes their mother is also looking for them, they also refuse to leave their nest, since their mother won’t know where they are if they leave. Kerry tells Sharon frequently not to get her hopes up about their mom, but Sharon’s reliable optimism makes it so she never really registers those comments.

Hogan takes his dogs out, very excited. Spot says that Hogan has found a tree that he believes is full of ducks. Snickers is excited; there’s certainly no way all the ducks will die before he gets a chance to make friends with them! Meanwhile, Sharon and Kerry’s tree gets evacuated, after a look-out sees Hogan and the dogs heading their way. Kerry says she’s gonna go and Sharon should come with. Sharon doesn’t want to leave home, but tells Kerry she will try to catch up with her. Kerry warns Sharon that she doesn’t plan on coming back, saying Sharon is now old enough to catch up with her, or choose to be on her own. Kerry also warns her not to try to make friends with the dogs, since the dogs will be happy to eat her.

Hogan arrives at the tree and shoots out a warning sign. Sharon is scared for a second, but stays in the tree. When no ducks come out, Snickers chuckles, and Bartholomew, immediately angered by Snickers’ rudeness, begins to bite at Snickers. Spot cheers on Bartholomew; this isn’t an infrequent occurrence and he always enjoys seeing Snickers get put in his place. However, Hogan does not want his dogs to fight and he hits Bartholomew. Bartholomew whimpers but then Snickers laughs again, unable to control himself. Spot loses it and goes to bite Snickers’ neck. Snickers yelps as Hogan again tries to remove Spot from Snickers, but Spot bites his hand. Hogan, being an older man, falls to the ground in pain, and when Spot sees he’s bit his master, he immediately blames Snickers for it, saying it’s his fault. Snickers runs off, whining, thinking that Spot and Bartholomew are gonna try to hurt him. Sharon has watched this whole scene from her nest.

Sharon goes to comfort Snickers, who is pacing sadly a bit away. Snickers is happy to see Sharon, since he says he’s always wanted to meet a duck. Sharon says she’s always wanted to meet a dog, and asks him about the Hunter. Snickers says he’s never liked hunting, but Hogan was a good master. He doesn’t know where his home will be now. Sharon is sympathetic, but says she lives nearby in a nest, but she’s supposed to meet up with her sister. Snickers says he’ll go with her to find her sister and the two are fast friends. From afar, Bartholomew sees a duck fly off with Snickers walking underneath her. Bartholomew wants to go after her, but Spot says to wait with their master first; Snickers can wait.

Hogan is taken to the hospital where he is told he needs to stay for a few weeks because of his age. Spot is taken to be put down for biting his owner; his last words before leaving the hospital room to Bartholomew is for him to get rid of Snickers. Meanwhile, Hogan is worrying about Snickers. He decides to go on Craigslist to look for someone who could track his dog. He hires the Wild Gunman, who comes to his hospital room. The Wild Gunman is a local chain of people who dress up for birthday parties so that way kids can pretend to be cowboys, but Hogan believed the ad to be a real bounty hunter, and was charmed by the affordable prices. The Wild Gunman also brings his pet canary, Larry, who always sits on his shoulder like a parrot. The Wild Gunman is a bit iffy about taking the job, but when he discovers all he needs to do is find a dog, he’s happy to take Hogan’s money. Hogan hands the Wild Gunman his trusty rifle and allows him to take Bartholomew to track Snickers. Larry flies around Bartholomew, being cheerful, but Bartholomew swears to avenge his father and kill Snickers.

As they go through the forest, Snickers and Sharon decide to have a race, which Sharon pretty easily wins. Snickers says he’s always wanted to fly, and through an amusing montage, Sharon tries to lift up Snickers and fly with him. Eventually, Snickers does a running start with Sharon attempting to lift him behind him and they take off, flying all around the forest. Snickers laughs with glee and Sharon smiles.

The Wild Gunman enters the forest, feeling extremely in over his head. It’s worth noting that the Wild Gunman exists essentially as comic relief throughout this entire film; as in, if he’s not mentioned to be doing something in a scene that involves him, he’s likely be doing something very stupid in the background, like trying to start a fire with metal rods, or trying to fish with his bare hands. Anyway, Bartholomew and Larry make a pretty good team, if a pretty good team would be Larry not shutting up while Bartholomew attempts to sniff. Unfortunately, Larry’s favorite place to perch is Bartholomew’s nose, which really messes up his tracking. Bartholomew is frustrated, until they accidentally come across Kerry, who is feeding at a pond. After assuring her that Bartholomew won’t hurt her (after all, he’s not duck hunting at the moment), Larry immediately tries to flirt with her, saying that they were destined to be together. Come on, Larry and Kerry; it’s perfect! Bartholomew broods until he discovers Kerry mentions she’s looking for her sister, who has always wanted to see a dog up close. Bartholomew asks her if she’s looking for her sister, and Kerry says yes, she was gonna have her sister try out living on her own, but she realized about twenty minutes later that was a horrible idea, and has been looking for her since. Bartholomew offers to track her for Kerry. Although a bit suspicious, Larry’s charms convinces Kerry to trust Bartholomew.

Snickers asks Sharon where they’re going, and Sharon admits she and her sister, Kerry, never set up a meeting spot. Instead, she’s gonna attempt to go to the opposite end of the forest to find her mom. Sharon herself is on a duck hunt. Sharon asks Snickers about his mom, and Snickers says he’s an orphan who never met his mom, but he had a mean adopted dad named Spot. Sharon says she thinks her mom will be nice enough that she’d share with Snickers. Snickers says he’d like that and soon enough, they’re at the edge of the forest. Sharon gets nervous, ready to see her mother. Snickers tells her she’s been ready for this all her life, and Sharon says it feels it was almost too easy to go there. She calls for her mother and in flies a duck who is very clearly older and related to her. Sharon smiles with glee, happy to her see her mom, but the duck replies that that’s it’s Mrs. the Duck to her!

Mrs. is very rude to Sharon, saying she left her for a reason; she wanted to have fun with other ducks and ducklings were dragging her down.Sharon says she’s dreamed her whole life of meeting her, and Mrs. gives her a sad look, saying she remembers when she was like her, wanting to find her mother. It’s a tough world for a duck, and she’ll learn that soon if she’s hanging out with a dog. Snickers is confused, and Mrs. explains that no matter what Snickers says, dogs hunt ducks, and no friendship will ever change that. Sharon asks if she wants to see Kerry, and Mrs. takes a second to remember the name. Mrs. says that if Kerry left Sharon, Sharon shouldn’t expect to see Kerry again. After all, ducks need to be alone, they don’t fly in flocks. Snickers tries to correct Mrs., but Mrs. sneers at him and flies off, telling Sharon not to follow her.

Sharon is crestfallen. All her life, she’s been looking for her for her mom, but her mom never wanted to see her. Worse off, she might never see Kerry again too, because she was more concerned with finding her mom. Snickers gives her a peptalk, saying that Sharon is the best duck he’s ever seen, and from what he’s heard about Kerry, there’s no way she’ll abandon the best duck ever. Sharon asks what will happen if they don’t find Kerry, and Snickers assures her he will stick around. Sharon is the best family he’s ever found yet. They decide to head back in the opposite direction of the forest, to try to find Kerry now.

Unfortunately, almost immediately Kerry finds them. It’s unfortunate because the Wild Gunman is there to capture Snickers, while Bartholomew tries to eat Kerry. Larry saves her life, but breaks a wing. Bartholomew laughs maniacally, saying that since his father is gone, he doesn’t think any of them deserve to live. The Wild Gunman, who has been comically trying to set up a tent, suddenly sets a lantern underneath the tent and the sleeping bag he accidentally tied to it, making a hot air balloon-esque machine. As it takes off, he panics and grabs the caged Snickers and yells at Bartholomew and Larry to get on. Bartholomew rolls his eyes, but jumps on top of Snicker’s cage while Larry attempts to fly to his owner, but instead winces his pain. The Wild Gunman screams in funny sadness, but is too far away to save Larry. 

Kerry thanks the heavens that they are somehow safe, but Sharon looks to the tent-balloon in the air. Kerry tells Sharon not to even think about saving a dog, being relieved her sister is back, and Sharon asks her if she knew about their mom. Kerry awkwardly answers that yes, she knows her mom wanted them both abandoned at a young age, but Kerry was willing to be responsible since she loves her sister. Sharon thanks her, and then tells Kerry she needs to save Snickers. Kerry sighs, knowing her sister’s determination to be unstoppable. She asks what she can do to help, and so does Larry.

Bartholomew sneers at Snickers, saying that when they land, Snickers is gonna be ripped in half by his bare teeth, and Snickers whimpers in fear. However, Kerry quickly flies in carrying Larry. The Wild Gunman gets overjoyed to see Larry, and tries to move the tent-balloon to grab him. Unfortunately, there’s obviously no steering mechanism in a tent-balloon and as such, the balloon falls over, dumping the three of them out, and falling quickly to the ground. Kerry and Larry look at each other, a little terrified. As they’re free-falling, Bartholomew quickly opens Snickers’ cage. Snickers looks at him in shock, not knowing why he saved him. Bartholomew explains: he’s gonna use Snickers’ body as a pillow so that way he can survive the fall while avenging his dad. Snickers isn’t sure if physics works like that, when the Wild Gunman quickly flaps open his hat to make a parachute for himself. Snickers decides he doesn’t know how physics works. However, Sharon flies in and grabs Snickers, attempting to fly with him. Unfortunately, Bartholomew’s claws are sinking into Snickers’ body, causing him great pain. Sharon also doesn’t have the strength to carry two dogs, and it looks like all is doomed.

BAM! Sharon looks down and sees a ton of flying fur and smoke around Snickers. Snickers looks in shock as we go to the ground, where we see Larry lifting Hogan’s rifle, which was left at the campsite. Kerry aimed and pulled the trigger, shooting Bartholomew and instantly killing him. This time, the ducks (and canary) hunted! With the weight of Bartholomew quickly eradicated, Sharon is able to easily fly Snickers safely down. Kerry quickly hugs Sharon, but they bring in Larry and Snickers for a group hug. The Wild Gunman looks at the sweet scene, and immediately feels awkward, deciding to leave. He gets a phone call from Hogan, where he awkwardly breaks the news that a duck has decided to keep Snickers after killing Bartholomew. Hogan screams into the phone in anger, but the Wild Gunman hangs up, deciding to go work a birthday party.

Sharon and Snickers now hang out non-stop, being best friends. Kerry and Larry are dating, as Larry gets used to life in the forest. When they decide to celebrate a month since Larry and Snickers joined their family, they decide to go on a flight together to the top of the tallest tree since Larry’s wing has healed. Sharon carries Snickers up to the highest branch to stand on, as the four of them look out on the sunset, huddled together for warmth. Snickers laughs, and the other three join him in glee. They are a family now, and they are very happy.

The credits roll, which are animated with charming 8-bit sprites for the normal credits, but 80s-esque traditional animation for the cast cards as they retell the events of the movie. An original song by AJR, “Forest Dwellers”, that uses chiptune elements with a saxophone as well plays over them.

After the credits, Hogan, still in the hospital, has purchased something from the Internet to hunt the nefarious duck the Wild Gunman told him about. He boots up the robot, who introduces himself as a Robotic Operating Buddy who only wishes to help his master. Hogan sends R.O.B. (voiced by Ben Mendelsohn) out into the forest.

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by Blankments

[Blankments]

Broadway Selects: The Band's Visit

 

Director: David Cromer & Lorenzo Thione

Genre: Musical/Drama

Release Date: January 7

Major Cast:

Katrina Lenk as Dina

Tony Shalhoub as Tewfiq

David Morse as Larry Slade

Pomme Koch as Itzik

Ari'el Stachel as Haled

Samir Shukry as Camal

Etai Benson as Papi

Adam Kantor as Telephone Guy

Andrew Polk as Avrum

Bill Army as Zelger

Rachel Prather as Julia

Jonathan Raviv as Sammy

Sharone Sayegh as Anna

Kristen Sieh as Iris

Alok Tewari as Simon

Ossama Farouk, Sam Sadigursky, Harvey Valdes and Garo Yellin as the Band

 

Theater Count: 2,369

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language and thematic content.

Runtime: 105 min

Production Budget: $500,000

 

Plot Summary:  A filmed version of the Broadway revival, recorded in May 2018, during Tony Shalhoub's brief return to the role.

 

Plot: 

 

In 1996, the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra, just arrived in Israel, are waiting in Tel Aviv's central bus station. They expect to be welcomed by a representative from a local Arab cultural organization, but no one shows up. The group's leader, the quiet Colonel Tewfiq Zakaria, eventually decides the group will take the bus and instructs the younger, adventurous officer, Haled, to purchase the group's bus tickets. At the ticket office, Haled asks the clerk for a ticket to the city of Petah Tikvah, but due to his Egyptian accent, she misunderstands him and sells him tickets to the isolated desert town of "Bet Hatikva".

The scene shifts to Bet Hatikva, where the residents bemoan the boring and monotonous lives they lead in the desert ("Waiting"). When the band arrives in Bet Hatikva, they approach two cafe workers, Papi and Itzik, to ask for directions to the Arab cultural centre for their performance the next day. Unsure who these men are and what they're asking about, they get the café's owner, a charismatic woman named Dina. Tewfiq again asks for directions to the cultural centre before Dina realizes they think this is Petah Tikvah, and explains that this is the wrong place, and they must have taken the wrong bus ("Welcome to Nowhere"). Dina tells the group that the next bus does not arrive until the next day. One of the band members looks for a phone to contact the Egyptian embassy, but Dina tells him that the only pay phone in town is guarded over, every night, by a man who obsessively waits for his girlfriend to call him, even though it has been months. Dina offers the band a meal and a place to stay for the night, and Tewfiq reluctantly agrees. In her kitchen, Tewfiq asks her about her background, and she tells how she was once married, and nothing in real life went as she had idealistically and naively thought ("It Is What It Is"). She asks Tewfiq the same, and he tells of a wife and son in Egypt.

Meanwhile, Itzik allows the band member Simon to stay with him, his wife, their baby, and his father-in-law, Avrum. During dinner, Simon asks what happened to Avrum's wife, and Avrum says she passed away. When Simon asks when she passed, he is silenced; Avrum says it is healthy for him to talk about it. He tells the story of how he met his wife many years ago at a club and remembers how music had been the foundation for their entire relationship. Itzik and Simon are touched by the story, but Itzik's wife continues to eat silently, avoiding all interaction during the meal ("The Beat of Your Heart").

That night, everyone makes plans to go out. Papi is invited on a double date with his crush but suffers from anxiety about going out with her. Haled tags along. Dina offers to show Tewfiq around Bet Hatikva, which he again is reluctant to accept. At dinner, Dina asks Tewfiq about what style of music his band plays. After he claims they stick to traditional Arab music, she mentions how as a child she would listen to music on Egyptian radio stations, from the likes of Umm Kulthum, and movies starring Omar Sharif. Tewfiq quotes one of the movies in question and they bond over the shared memories ("Omar Sharif").

At the roller skating rink, Haled watches from afar as Papi continues to ignore his crush and clumsily skate. After Papi defuses a brief altercation between Haled and one of the guards at the rink, Papi explains his romantic anxieties to Haled ("Papi Hears the Ocean"). After accidentally causing his crush to slip on her skates and fall down, Papi is petrified yet again. Haled helps to boost Papi's confidence, which leads to Papi and his crush finally embracing each other ("Haled's Song About Love").

After their dinner, Dina takes Tewfiq to "The Park", which is just a bench in the middle of Bet Hatikva. She asks him what it is like to have an orchestra and play music for people. He initially stutters, but after she asks him to sing, he begins to show her what it's like to be a conductor by allowing her to mimic his arm motions as he sings (“Itgara’a”). Despite not being able to understand his Arabic lyrics, she remains mesmerized by him and wonders if his visit to Bet Hatikva was meant for her by fate ("Something Different").

Itzik sings his son to sleep ("Itzik's Lullaby"), but in frustration with his lack of ambition in life, his wife leaves. Simon is initially concerned, but Itzik tells him that this happens often and she always returns. Soon, she does, and their son begins to cry. Simon is able to soothe the infant by playing his original concerto on his clarinet. Itzik and his wife reconcile, and Simon says goodbye to Avrum before going to bed.

Dina finally asks more about Tewfiq's life. When she approaches the topic of his son, he reveals that he and his son never quite got along, which has bothered Tewfiq to this day and was the likely reason of his son's suicide. He also tells how his wife ended her life, as well, due to the heartbreak. Now visibly distraught, Tewfiq resists Dina's romantic advances as Haled arrives with news that the bus will be there in the morning to take them to Petah Tikvah. Tewfiq starts to leave the room, upset, while Dina solemnly recalls the meaning of their relationship ("Something Different (Reprise)"). Once Tewfiq is gone, Haled jokingly compliments her eyes, and she kisses him forcefully.

Distraught, the 'telephone guy' questions his devotion to his loved one as he continues to wait by the pay phone. He and the citizens of Bet Hatikva long for the presence of a meaning to their lives as they anticipate the return to normalcy ("Answer Me"). Suddenly, just as 'telephone guy' gives up hope, the phone rings and he speaks to his girlfriend for the first time in months.

The following morning, the band gathers by Dina's cafe before they prepare to board the next bus. As they begin to board, Dina hands Tewfiq a piece of paper with "Petah Tikvah" on it to ensure he doesn't forget.

Later that day, the band makes it to the Petah Tikvah's Arab cultural centre. Once they are in their places, Tewfiq begins to conduct, and the stage cuts to black.

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by Blankments

[Blankments]

Broadway Selects: Network

 

Director: Ivo van Hove & Lorenzo Thione

Genre: Musical/Drama

Release Date: August 26

Major Cast:

Bryan Cranston as Howard Beale

Tony Goldwyn as Max Schumacher

Tatiana Maslany as Diana Christensen

Joshua Boone as Frank Hackett

Alyssa Bresnahan as Louise Schumacher

Ron Canada as Edward Ruddy

Julian Elijah Martinez as Harry Hunter

Frank Wood as Nelson Chaney

Nick Wyman as Arthur Jensen

Barzin Akhavan as Jack Snowden

 

Theater Count: 2,214

MPAA Rating: R for language and sexual  content.

Runtime: 130 min

Production Budget: $500,000

 

Plot:  A filmed version of the Broadway revival, recorded in May 2019. Howard Beale, news anchor-man, isn’t pulling in the viewers. In his final broadcast he unravels live on screen. But when ratings soar, the network seizes on their newfound populist prophet, and Howard becomes the biggest thing on TV. (This closely follows the 1976 original film with added elements of projections and huge set; a detailed plot description will not provided as everyone deserves to watch that original movie unspoiled.)

Edited September 24, 2019 by Blankments

[Blankments]

3:38 AM

 

Director: Stephen Susco

Genre: Found-Footage Horror

Release Date: August 12

Major Cast:

Unknowns

 

Theater Count: 3,029

MPAA Rating: R for some violence, language and disturbing images.

Runtime: 81 min

Production Budget: $3M

 

Previous Film: 3:37AM - 7.9M/15.2M/21.2M (OW/DOM/WW)

 

Plot: A man wakes up in the middle of the night, and he looks at the clock, seeing it is 3:38 AM. He then hears a creek outside of his apartment. He gets up, and begins thinking about whether he should check it out. He eventually decides to check it out. He leaves her apartment, and sees the apartment next to his is door open. He goes inside, and finds that the old lady living there is stalking him. Out of nowhere, an old lady comes and chokes him while gagging him. He wakes up in his bed, and looks at the clock, and it is still 3:38 AM. He gets up, and goes into his closet and pulls out a baseball bat. He goes next door, and sees the lady who previously gagged him sleeping. He hits her with the baseball bat, and she wakes up, looking at him in terror. He grabs a gun sitting on her nightstand and shoots her. He then wakes up in his bed again, and sees that it is still 3:38 AM. He tries to call the police, but is put on hold. When the police finally pick up, he explains the situation. The police come over and arrest the lady. The man smiles, but then wakes up in bed again, and the time is still 3:38 AM. He then goes next door, where the door is still open. He goes inside, and finds the apartment completely vacant, until he hears screaming. He jumps out the window. Cut to the clock, still showing 3:38 AM turn to 3:39 AM.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Blankments

[SLAM!]

 

Studio: New Journey Pictures

Director: Rob Letterman

Genre: Family

Release Date: 3/11/Y6

Theater Count: 3,425

MPAA Rating: G for General Audiences

Runtime: 1 hr 30 min

Production Budget: $30 Million

 

Major Cast

Jacob Tremblay as Timmy Turner

Kaitlyn Dever as Vicky

Jon Hamm as Mr. Turner

Jennifer Garner as Mrs. Turner

Mike Moh as Mr. Crocker

Daniel Huttlestone as Chip Skylark

Julia Buttlers as Chloe Carmichael

Connor Corum as Chester

Lonnie Chavis as A.J.

with Kathryn Hahn as Wanda

with Charlie Day as Cosmo

and Arnold Schwarzenneger as Jorgen Von Strangle

 

Spoiler

We open with scenic shots of a small suburban town in Middle America called Dimmsdale. Timmy Turner (Jacob Tremblay) rides in the backseat of a car, feeling a little mopey, as his parents (Jon Hamm & Jennifer Garner) drive him to his elementary school. They ask him if he’s excited for another day of school. Timmy tells them that he is not excited.

 

They eventually get to the school, and Timmy gets out of the car and walks onto the campus. His parents enthusiastically say goodbye as they wave off.

 

We cut to class with Mr. Crocker (Mike Moh)—a very authoritarian educator who dishes out Fs like Mansa Musa dished out gold to the Egyptians. Timmy is not amused. We eventually cut to Timmy’s lunchbreak, where he’s sitting with his friends Chester (Connor Corum) and A.J. (Lonnie Chavis). They share their woes with one another and drown their sorrows in cartons of chocolate milk. They look across the cafeteria and see a girl with a hairband—Chloe Carmichael (Julia Butters). Chester and A.J. explain that she is an overachieving student who seemingly has it all, and they tease Timmy for having a crush on her—of course, Timmy denies this.

 

School lets out, and Timmy searches for his parents’ car, but doesn’t find it. A timeworn sudan pulls up in front of him, and a young woman—Vicky (Kaitlyn Dever)—opens the door to the passenger seat. She blows a bubble from a piece of bubble gum right in front of Timmy.

 

Vicky: Are you Timmy Turner?

Timmy: Um… Yeah.

Vicky: I’m Vicky. I’m your babysitter. Get in and I’ll drive you home.

 

Timmy gets in the car, and Vicky drives him back to his house. We cut to the inside of the house, where Vicky continues to show indifference and callousness towards Timmy. Timmy does his homework while Vicky listens to generic pop music, browses social media, lounges on the couch, and smacks her gum extremely loudly. When Timmy politely asks if Vicky can stop chewing her gum so loudly, Vicky annoyedly suggests that Timmy do his homework in his own room. When Timmy explains that he prefers to do his homework in the living room, Vicky accuses Timmy of talking back to her and threatens to chase him up the stairs with a rolling pin—she’s kidding, but Timmy doesn’t think so. And so, Timmy runs up the stairs and into his own room to get away from Vicky.

 

Timmy sits alone on his bed and slumps. He cut to his frowning face as superimpositions of his parents, his teacher, and his babysitter surround him on the screen. Timmy feels alone and helpless…

 

…At least until he hears a gentle knock on the window.

 

He turns towards the window, and we cut to two bright balls of light—one green, one pink. Timmy opens up the window like any curious boy would, and the two balls of light fly into the room. The lights float up towards the ceiling, grow bigger, and suddenly change form into two small creatures… they look like adults that are the size of a child, and… they have wings? And small crowns floating above their heads? And black sticks with a yellow star attached on one end? What are these things?!

 

The creatures introduce themselves as Wanda (Kathryn Hahn) and Cosmo (Charlie Day)—Timmy’s very own Fairy Godparents! And they’ll grant Timmy any of his wishes! Timmy’s shocked and elated at the same time!

 

Wanda asks Timmy what his first wish is, and Timmy thinks long and hard before ultimately asking for a chocolate milkshake. Now, Timmy expected the kind of cheap milkshake in the cellophane cups that fast food places give you—but the Fairy Godparents really go above and beyond his expectation, because they raise their wands, and an artisan chocolate milkshake with whipped cream, a cherry, a sleek metal spoon, and a glistening glass container appears in midair. And Timmy realizes that his wildest dreams can come true!

 

When they ask him what he wants to wish for next, Timmy stops for a moment and thinks. He opens the door of his room, and the three characters listen in on a phone conversation that Vicky is having with a friend of hers—she goes into detail about how she doesn’t want to be babysitting Timmy and that she’s only doing it for the money. Timmy closes the door and explains to Wanda and Cosmo that Vicky’s been really mean to him. Timmy officially wishes for Vicky to be nice to him.

 

We cut to Vicky, who’s having her phone conversation with her friend, when all of a sudden, her expression changes from a jaded one to an overenthusiastic one. She drops her phone and stands up onto her feet with a wide smile.

 

We cut back to Timmy, who is making all sorts of wishes—that his homework is completed so he doesn’t have to do, that his room was organized so he doesn’t have to clean it… that kind of thing. Then Vicky calls him downstairs for dinner. He goes downstairs and sees that Vicky is cooking dinner. She enthusiastically greets Timmy, sits him down at the table, and hands him a plate of food. Timmy is delighted that Vicky is being nice to him, but to him, something seems off about her. It doesn’t seem like Vicky is a real person.

 

Timmy excuses himself and goes up to his room, where he paces around in thought for a moment. He decides to undo the wish, and the two fairies do so. His parents come home, and Vicky leaves, but not before calling Timmy a ‘twerp’.

 

****

 

The next day at school, on the playground, Timmy watches his friends Chester and A.J. from a distance. He asks Wanda and Cosmo if he can tell his friends about his new Godparents. They tell him that, if Timmy were so foolish as to tell another human soul about Wanda and Cosmo, the Godparents would promptly be branded as fugitives by the higher-ups of the fairy world. So that’s not something Timmy is allowed to do. As the bell rings and the kids begin to walk back to class, Timmy tells Wanda and Cosmo about Mr. Crocker, and he wishes that the teacher would stop giving him Fs and only give him As.

 

The Godparents grant this wish, and the “poof” acts as the transition between the playground and the classroom. Mr. Crocker enthusiastically gives Timmy an A, much to the amazement of the other classmates.

 

The classmates funnel out of the classroom, and Mr. Crocker locks the door. He recognizes that he just did something abnormal. He blames the Fairy God Parents. But the way he says this out loud makes it seem like he’s crazy.

 

At lunch, Chester and A.J. congratulate Timmy for getting his best grade in Mr. Crocker’s class so far. Timmy laughs nervously. Suddenly, Chloe comes up to the table and demands to know how Timmy got an A on the assignment. “Something fishy’s going on,” she said before walking away.

 

Vicky picks Timmy up from school again, and we cut to Timmy in his room. Cosmo and Wanda talk to Timmy about the day, and about how Timmy needs to be careful making wishes. Suddenly, a ball of light appears outside Timmy’s window. Cosmo and Wanda fretfully tell Timmy to let the fairy in. Timmy does, and the ball of light morphs into the sergeant fairy Jorgen Von Strangle (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Jorgen Von Strangle tells Timmy that he has to be careful with his wishes, because the people in his town are beginning to realize that something is amiss. He tells Timmy that, if anyone finds out that he has Fairy Godparents, his right to have them will be revoked.

 

Timmy goes back to school the next day. On the playground, he sees Chloe from a distance and sighs. He mumbles to himself that he wishes Chloe had a crush on him. Cosmo and Wanda grant the wish, and Chloe runs up to Timmy to tell her that she likes him. She runs off while giggling.

 

At lunch, Chester and A.J. ask Timmy if he wants to go to the fair with them, but Timmy declines because he has homework. Later that day, Chloe pulls Timmy aside and asks him if he wants to go to the fair with her. Timmy says yes. We cut to Timmy and Chloe having fun together at the park. During the scene, Chester and A.J. see Timmy and Chloe riding the Ferris Wheel together, and they’re sad about it. Mr. Crocker also spots them on the Ferris Wheel with a telescope, and he tells himself that, because Chloe had previously disliked Timmy, it means Timmy simply must have Fairy Godparents.

 

Vicky is also at the fair with British high school jock Chip Skylark (Daniel Huttlestone). Vicky tells Chip that she really enjoyed going to the fair with him, and she asks Chip if he wants to go to the prom with her. Chip laughs in her face and tells her that he doesn’t want to go to the prom with her—he was just dating her so he could tell people he had a girlfriend. He tells Vicky to call an uber and walks off like a true douchebag. Vicky yells some truly iconic insults at Chip.

 

The next day, during lunch, Timmy goes to sit with Chester and A.J.. But the friends tell Timmy, “We don’t want you to sit here. Why don’t you sit with Chloe?” Timmy turns and sees that Chloe is waving at him. Chester and A.J. reveal to Timmy that they saw him at the fair with Chloe. Timmy tries to apologize, but a student faculty member comes up and tells Timmy that he needs to attend an emergency family meeting with Mr. Crocker.

 

In the meeting room, Mr. Crocker is facing Timmy and his parents. Mr. Crocker lays out his theory with a lot of flamboyant hand movements—that Timmy has Fairy Godparents, precisely because his life has suspiciously gotten a whole lot better. Mr. and Mrs. Turner laugh really hard at the suggestion that Timmy has Fairy Godparents. That’s preposterous, they say. That’s a conspiracy theory on par with Tupac Shakur still being alive, they say. Mr. Crocker begins to act like the teacher from The Incredibles as Timmy and his parents begin to leave.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Turner continue to laugh about Mr. Crocker as they drive Timmy home. Timmy looks outside the window and notices that Vicky’s car is in the driveway. Vicky is wiping tears from her eyes. We cut to inside Timmy’s house, where Vicky cries exaggeratedly about Chip rejecting her as a prom date. At an opportune moment, when Mrs. Turner is distracted by the task of making dinner, and Mr. Turner is distracted by the next door neighbor who is aggressively claiming that they are the better gardener, Vicky pulls Timmy aside and tells him that she’s been noticing how he’s been much more fortunate than usual, and that if there’s anything he can do to help get back at Chip, that he do it. Timmy tells Vicky that he’ll see what he can do, and he goes to his room.

 

Timmy talks to Cosmo and Wanda about how Vicky’s been mean to him in the past, and that he shouldn’t have to stoop down and do her any favors. Cosmo and Wanda tell Timmy that it’s the right thing to do, and that’s enough to convince Timmy that he should do something. So Timmy makes a wish.

 

We cut to Chip at a teen hang out get-together. Chip asks a girl if she wants to go to the prom with him. The girl says no. Chip’s all like, “Well, that’s fine, I can just ask another girl to the prom.” Chip asks another girl to the prom, but the second girl rejects him, too. Very politely, may I add—she says “No thank you.” Chip asks a third girl to the prom, but she says no, too. Chip becomes increasingly desperate. He asks girl after girl if they want to go to the prom with him, but they all respectfully reject him. Chip falls to his knees and is like, “Why won’t anyone go to the prom with me?!” Then it becomes a song number called “Dateless”, where Chip sings about how none of the girls want to go with him to the prom. It’s a riveting song number.

 

In his room, Timmy brainstorms ways that he can get back the friendship of Chester and A.J.. He decides to wish for world peace. Wanda frantically asks Timmy not to wish for world peace, but Timmy insists. They grant his wish. Nothing happens at first, but suddenly, a rift appears in the sky, and a bunch of fairies with wands that look like Cosmo and Wanda start pouring out of it. They go around Dimmsdale and start turning people into giant mushrooms. Mr. Crocker is driving to his house, mumbling to himself about how he was almost fired, and when he sees all the fairies, he rejoices that he was right about the Fairy Godparents, and as he rejoices, the fairies turn him into a mushroom. Chip stumbles away from the house where there is the teen hang out get-together, and he notices the fairies and asks if he can wish for a prom date; he, too, is turned into a mushroom. Mr. Turner is still arguing with the next door neighbor about who is the better gardener, but the next door neighbor is turned into a mushroom. Mr. Turner says that he wins the gardening war because there’s a giant mushroom in his next door neighbor’s yard; but he, too, is turned into a mushroom.

 

Jorgen Von Strangle comes to Timmy and urges him to wish for everything to be back to normal. So he does, and everyone is turned back into humans. Timmy tells Cosmo and Wanda that he’s gonna stop making wishes for a while.

 

Outside, Vicky is walking outside when Chip comes running up to her. Chip tells Vicky that all of the other girls have rejected him for the prom, and that Vicky is his only hope left for him to have a date. Vicky accepts Chip to be her date to the prom.

 

At lunch, Timmy has a talk with Chester and A.J. and apologizes for what he did. They forgive him, and they’re friends again. Timmy stares back at Chloe, who is simply minding her own business—she doesn’t have a crush on him anymore. In the final scene, Cosmo and Wanda high-five each other.

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by SLAM!

[Rorschach]

Underneath the Triple Tree, 

 

                                              there is a man who waits for me

 

                                                                                                      and should I stay or should I go

 

                                                                                                                                                           my fate’s the same… either way...

 

Borrasca

 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Studio: Lager Pictures

Based on the Novella by C.K. Walker

Directed by Fede Alvarez

Writers: Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayuges, and C.K. Walker

Producers: Christopher Lager, Maria Lager, Mike Flanagan, Sam Raimi, and Robert Tapert

Director of Photography: Chung Chung-hoon

Music by Disasterpiece

Cast:

Quinn Lord as Sam Walker, Greyson Russell as Kyle Landy, Annalise Basso as Kimber Destaro, Charles Dance as Sheriff Killian Clery, Vincent Kartheiser as Jimmy Prescott, Andrea Riseborough as Kathryn Scanlon, Jenna Fischer as Meera Daley (nee McCaskey), Chris Sullivan as Owen Daley, Raffey Cassidy as Whitney Walker, with Don Johnson as Thomas Prescott, and Karl Urban as Mr. Walker

 

Minor Cast/Cameo Roles:

Frances Fisher as Ann Destaro, Jess Weixler as Mrs. Walker, Jeremy Shada as Phil Saunders, Dylan Minnette as Mike Sutton

 

Release Date: July 22, Y6

Theater Count: 3,602

Format: 2D, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX

Budget: $30 million

MPAA: R for disturbing acts of violence and grisly images, strong drug/alcohol use, sexual content, graphic nudity, and language throughout

Running Time: 141 minutes

 

Synopsis: 

Sam Walker moves to the town of Drisking, Missouri one summer and quickly befriends two other kids, Kyle and Kimber. They take a trip to a strange treehouse, where you are supposed to carve your name on the tree or "you'll disappear". When Sam's sister, Whitney, actually does disappear a few months later, he passes several lonely years wondering what happened to her. When more people start disappearing suddenly, the three take it upon themselves to find out what's happening to all the disappearing people what connection the disappearances hold with the mountain outside of town.

 

Plot: 

 

Spoiler

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rcAAhM2eKzhrx1cJAVb0Z-4ev-ZqzBzW7G4klBhQtH0/edit?usp=sharing

 

Special thanks to @Spaghetti for assisting in the production of this film.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Rorschach

[Ezen Baklattan]

 

Director: Marjane Satrapi

Writers: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara

Composers: Jonny Greenwood

Director of Photography: Pawel Pogorzelski

 

Cast:

• Alison Brie as Lisa Frank
• Jesse Eisenberg as James Green
• Tom Hiddleston as Peter Max
• Abby Ryder-Fortsom as a young Lisa Frank
• Lisa Kudrow as Rhonda Rowlette
• Marsai Martin as the Narrator

 

Genre: Drama/Dark Comedy/Biopic

Release Date: October 14th

Theater Count: 2,746

Runtime: 94min (1hr, 34min)

Rating: R for language, sexual content, and drug use

Budget: $20 million

 

A subtly surreal adaption of Lisa Frank's life story, from her artistic childhood to her tumulous war with husband James Green for the company.

 

Spoiler

 

We open on several vintage Lisa Frank commercials, set to poppy 80s and 90s music. The juxtaposition of the joyous and peppy feel of the ads is juxtaposes with quick flashes of work in a draconian office, with padlocks on doors, urgent policy updates view newsletters, and poor severance pay. We also see through photographs that the company has extensive layover. The CEO of the company in the early aughts, James Green (Eisenberg) seemingly rules the company with an iron fist, and the montage shifts towards the extremes of sweet 90s nostalgia and flashes of the corporate nightmare, building up in an almost terrifying fashion.

 

One girl from a mock commercial (Martin), tells the audience that this story is going to be a sad tale of corruption, capitalism, and the dangerous side effects of living your dream, especially when putting your trust in the wrong people. (In her somber speech, still acts just as she would in a typical 90s toy commercial)

 

Cut to a court hearing where we see a woman arrive after doing makeup extensively in the courthouse bathroom (Brie). She arrives inside, feeling awkward and uneasy, but sees Green glaring at her from the other side. “I just wanted to make people happy. I got caught up. But you turned the thing I love most in this world into a nightmare. And for that I can’t forgive you.” The two stare bitterly at each other, as a judge begins to proceed over lawsuits pressed against Lisa Frank Industries and particularly James Green. The words begin to blur out as Frank and Green listen to the judge.

 

As the words blur, we transition to a fancy dinner party in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. A young Lisa Frank (Ryder-Forston) is drawing in her coloring book as her parents mingle with guests. The girl loves art and keeps looking through various things, particularly bright colors and cute animals. She soon notices a show about Peter Max (Hiddleston) on TV, and we see him making his bright, surreal art. Suddenly, Max begins to talk to her through the TV, and he encourages her dreams and aspirations, taking her through a magical, Mary Poppins meets Yellow Submarine trip through a surreal art world. Lisa is blown away, wanting this to be her life.

 

Through a colorful montage (without showing Frank’s face), we see her grow up and create several colorful pieces of jewelry, stickers, school supplies, and art, soon beginning her own company at age 24, Lisa Frank Inc., the early history of the company narrated by the young girl from earlier in the same peppy style. She did need some help to run the company, soon finding it in an unexpected way.

 

Through a romantic comedy style scene, with some awkward moments to show the stinted surreal dialogue, Frank (now played by Brie again) meets with James Green (both aged down). They begin to go on several dates. Green has a strong industrial eye with Frank finds exciting as she tries to start building up her own company. Through 80s style music, they begin to fall deeply in love, soon getting married in 1994. Clearly, they see something in each other, which is a bit surprising. We cut to a few contemporary employees (faces covered with Lisa Frank stickers) as they talk about the abusive behavior that they would face under James Green’s leadership of Lisa Frank Inc.

 

The next few scenes focus on the bumpy relationship between Frank and Green, as he begins to work his way into the culture of the company. He doesn’t bother remembering names and even calls her workers vaguely insulting nicknames while also yelling at co-workers he perceives to be doing a poor job. Frank expresses concern in this, but Green proves himself to be impressively manipulative and tries to charm Lisa Frank with her loving expressions and desire to help out the company. Frank is eventually persuaded to let James Green become a CEO.

 

Enter a new face, Rhonda Rowlette (Kudrow), the EVP of LFI. She took on a fiery, righteous personality and was immediately smitten with Green. Rowlette and Frank bond over drinks, talking about their art, while Rowlette remarks that she sees a powerful direction in Green. At work, we hear the narrator speak to Rowlette and Green’s relationship in the office, working closely together. Rowlette was almost the Lady Macbeth to Green’s Macbeth, and much of their intimacy went under Lisa Frank’s nose. While they did not (certainly) have an affair, they began to rule the company with an iron fist while pursuing their own means, even doing cocaine at the office. We cut to a darkly funny moment where an unhinged Green and Rowlette berate a presenter for doing a poor job.

 

However, Frank and Green seem to be deeply in love, though their relationship was a rollercoaster of verbal abuse and shouting matches and deep, romantic love. At one point, Peter Max appears in Frank’s television set again, as she expresses concern with the direction she’s taking the company. Frank remarks that a woman has certain roles in the world and that she trusts her husband. She’s pregnant with her first son and wants to be there for him. She also needs to make sure that the company will be in good hands, admitting her plan to trust Green with the CEO position and move away from the company. Max feels flabbergasted, but accepts Frank’s decision, knowing he is only an imaginary figment.

 

We cut to photographs showing Frank’s sons growing up into the 90s, while Frank’s popularity continues to blossom. She maintains an up-and-down relationship with Green but is happy to have her kids, Forrest and Hunter (The narrator points out that they share the name of two of Frank’s main characters) and loves them dearly. As the company grows, she shies away from the public light, constantly denying requests for interviews and tries to focus on being a mom. She also ignores more and more word of the sickening environment that James is creating at the company, but tries to hold on and convince herself that everything is perfect.

 

Returning to a childhood Lisa Frank, we hear her parents (their faces are obscured) talking about a woman’s typical role, and how some girls are not necessarily fit to be in such leadership positions. Lisa proposes an idea for her dream company, wanting to sell her art. Her father sees her corporate ambitions and tries to fester them, convincing her to build something with merchandise, toys, theme parks, movies, and a big iconic brand that people will remember her by. Cutting to Lisa Frank watching the TV, she rustles through the channels to look at various pieces of abstract art on TV, cutting into various unicorns.

 

Peter Max suddenly appears beside her, and she talks about the balance of what kind of art she wants to make, and what kind of girl she wants to be. “Everyone says that girls can only do certain things, but I sometimes like doing those things. But I want to make people happy and show them something cool! What do I do, Peter Max?” Max smiles, telling her that she has to give herself the otpin to do what she wants and not let external pressures bring her down. She has to be her own person, and she should be the one to tell her story. Frank gets nervous at that prospect, and Max awkwardly retorts that she can also decide how many people want to hear it. “I don’t give a flying fuck, it’s your life.”

 

Frank slowly begins to tend to her home life while Green tries to manage publicity for the company, suddenly going on and correcting his “bad” behavior but doing so in a disingenuous manner. Rowlette pressures him to try and correct his behavior due to high turnover rates, but a montage reveals that she could be just as guilty. Frank actually comes into visit the company now that her sons have gotten older, making sure that everything has been running smoothly.

 

Green is wickedly pleased to see that Frank, perhaps subconsciously, has begun to pick up on her husband’s behaviors. She yells at a woman (to the point of panic and tears) for botching a sales call while checking in. During a few more moments of hostility, these are shown outside the decorations of cute, color animals and rooms full of Frank’s merchandise as the culture of the company shows its ugly outside. Frank has had a terrible day, taking a hit of cocaine with Green at the end of it. Frank and Green feel aggravated with each other, but they soon begin to make out at home and soon have passionate sex in their mansion, as shots show off their affluent wealth.

 

Green continued to do Cocaine and terrorize his employees as Frank’s mental health began to deteriorate due to stress and uncertainty in the early-00s. Green and Rowlette’s affair seemed more explicit as well, as Rowlette was all too happy to help him ensure his policies were followed, though even she would be abused. Eventually, Green’s affair became explicit after Frank found pornography on his computer as well as some lewd emails with Rowlette. After confronting Green, causing him to attack their kids, Frank had had it, but she was also just as scared as she was angry.

 

2005. The operatic music swarms the chaotic momentum of the workplace as Green and Frank are revealed to be getting a divorce. Green and Rowlette force workers to choose sides, especially as Frank tended to the company more, feeling more sobered and on edge. A few co-workers mentioned that Frank seemed to have wanted this for some time, but aren’t sure why it took her so long to do the right thing.

 

The young girl narrates the next scene as if it were a Ken Burns documentary that her parents watch. A war escalates for control of the company, which included Green trying to manipulate workers into joining his new company while also spying on their emails and stealing computers. Frank was soon terrified of her husband, trying to protect her kids and also filing a restraining order after Green moved out. This was a major victory in what looked to be a long grueling war. But either way, the company was fractured. Dreams of theme parks, tv shows, and more were cast to the way side as the fight of their life began.

 

Frank and Green (both aged up considerably via makeup) went to trial against each other in 2005, where Green tried to officially oust him from the company, just as in the opening scene. The tension between the two is gigantic, and her children look on with shock and terror. Green argues that he was the true mastermind behind the company and did so much more than Lisa Frank is claiming. He also even tries to get Lisa Frank disbanded, claiming that Frank shouldn’t be trying to take back what is now his company. There is extreme trepidation in the court ruling, but eventually, Frank and Green are officially divorced, and Green is outed as the CEO of Lisa Frank Enterprises, Frank stepping back into the role.

 

The narrator explains that not only was company culture still in a bad place, especially with Frank occasionally slipping into her ex-husband’s style of behavior, but it would be a long courtroom battle still with even more trials:

·        2006: Frank battled Rowlette after she was fired, suing for $2 million, while Frank later claimed that Rowlette’s husband, Jerry, stole five truckloads of company property and embezzled corporate money. Green also sought $17 million to repay a loan for his private jet.

·        2008: Green sued frank again, also about the jet. He also tried to take back the company by stirring up trouble between LFI and Greenbean Investments, which owned the property. Jerry sued again, but that was dismissed.

·        2009: Green, working in cahoots with Greenbeans, tried to use Frank’s own sons against her to rope them into the company and have them evicted. They were 13 and 9 at the time. Long story short, it failed.

 

As hellish as the nightmare they had been though, times were changing for the company away. The shift towards digital media was causing physical sales to decrease, though the brand still held notoriety online. (Cut to a slideshow with some online memes of Lisa Frank), but while the company was still slowly losing its luster, Frank held on tightly. It’s evident that Green’s toxic influence kind of rubbed off on Frank, and the company didn’t quite recover.

 

She eventually would do an interview in 2012 where she did not show her face, keeping details of her life hidden but talking up the luster of the company and her own dreams. She admits that she wasn’t a very good boss, but made a life for herself and trying to get by as she can, but still feigns confidence and a strong, feminist image. At her house, as her kids begin to leave for college years in the future, Frank pulls out several of the merchandise items from her company vault, holding it very closely.

 

She and Peter Max (who comes out of her imagination once more) share one last conversation on if the journey was all worth it, and if she got to live her dream. Frank wanted to make people happy and give them something bright. She thinks that ultimately…she did. Frank clings to Peter Max and they hug, laughing and crying. She remarks how she never got to make a movie, but wants to see what it might be like.

 

They venture into another animated world, done in the style of Lisa Frank’s iconic art. They walk through a rainbow road and see many of her characters, all smiling and joyous. As Frank and Max walk along, we see this post script:

 

James Green and Rhonda Rowlette now work for Green’s new company, which sells Christian merchandise. Green claims to have found god.

Lisa Frank Industries is still in business and is riding a wave of 90s nostalgia. However, it now has six corporate employees.

 

Lisa Frank remains anonymous and has little public presence. When she would buy things with her credit card and the staff took noticed, she commented, “Isn’t it funny that we have the same name?”

 

The end credits feature Lisa Frank art with characters simulating the different roles of filmmaking (like writing and editing), set to this song:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2019 by Spaghetti

[Blankments]

Espionage Project

 

Director: Jaume Collet-Sera
Genre: Action
Release Date: January 14
Formats: IMAX and Dolby
Major Cast:

Tom Cruise as Chris Child

Matt Damon as Bartholomew McDonald

Rami Malek as Brian Banks

Jeremy Renner as Jake Jarnell

Gerard Butler as Jack Crumble

Sterling K. Brown as the Head of Homeland Security

Clark Gregg and Denis Leary as the Contacts

Robert Forster as the President.

 

Theater Count: 3,854

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, and sequences of intense action and violence..
Runtime: 98 min
Production Budget: $130 million
Music by: Michael Giacchino

 

Plot Summary: After letting the president get kidnapped under their own watch, two government agents go on a rescue mission to fix their mistake.

 

Plot: 

 

Brian Banks and Jack Crumble are the two best spies in the CIA. They’re partners, and we are introduced to them by seeing them stop an assassination attempt on the prime minister of Britain. They then chase down the assassins in a car chase through London. Meanwhile, Chris Child and Jake Jarnell are the best FBI agents ever, and they are partners together as well. We see them in London as well, as they have found a bomb triggered to blow up Big Ben. They quickly untie the bomb, and throw it into the bay, causing a cool explosion behind Buckingham Palace.

The leader of the SIS, Bartholomew McDonald, publicly reprimands the United States for their terrible management of agents. Brian and Jack are both pissed off at Chris and Jake and vice versa. They both maintain that if the other team wasn’t in England, they wouldn’t be on probation. The head of Homeland Security gives the four of them the job of protecting the President of the United States at a banquet. Jack and Jake have gotten over their hatred of each other, but Brian and Chris still don’t like each other at all. In fact, they get in a huge argument at the banquet, and they begin fighting each other in hand-to-hand combat.

While this is happening, only Jack and Jake are protecting the President. Some men jump from the roof, and kidnap Jack, Jake, and the President while all the guests are distracted by the two agents fighting. A chef breaks up the fight and then the two of them notice the missing President, and they find a card left on the stage where the President was standing. Realizing that they’d be arrested for treason as soon the government realizes they let the President be arrested under their watch, they run away.

While in their car, Brian scans the card for DNA samples, but instead finds a message saying that Jack and Jake are now a part of the “Espionage Project.” Brian asks Chris if he knows what that is, and Chris doesn’t. They hear sirens and look behind them. There is a parade of thirty police cars following them. An officer with a megaphone says they are under arrest for losing the President of the United States. Chris looks around while driving, seeing they are reaching a drawbridge that is going up. He speeds up to Brian’s terror, and tries to make the jump.

They make the jump, and dodge several cars coming their direction. Brian says that Chris only bought them two minutes of time, and Chris comments that he knows where a helicopter is. Brian is surprised, but Chris continues driving toward the helicopter. Suddenly, gunshots come out, and Brian grabs a pistol. He shoots the police officers in the arm exclusively, not wanting to actually hurt them. The police officers won’t relent the chase, but Chris and Brian reach the helicopter, which is tailored to Chris’s fingerprints. They get in, and take off.

Chris smiles, flying the helicopter easily. However, Brian points out they aren’t out of the woods yet. There are four helicopters chasing them and they are right behind them. Brian tells Chris to open the door, and Chris says there’s no way that is going to happen. Brian hits the button that opens the door anyway, and flies out. He grabs onto the landing rods with one hand, and begins shooting his pistol with the other. He shoots down each of the four helicopters, and then knocks on the door. Chris rolls his eyes and opens the door. Brian jumps in.

Chris says they’ve got to figure out what’s going on. Brian pulls out his phone, and decides to surf the web to see if there’s any information out on the President’s kidnapping. Brian reads that McDonald has retired as head of the SIS and is starting a new private contracting business, tentatively called the “Espionage Project.” Chris says he knows they’re gonna have to take him down, since that must mean he has Jack, Jake, and the President. Brian says they are going to need some weapons.

The two fly all the way over to Egypt, where they meet up with two men only known as the Contacts. The Contacts are good friends with Chris, and they reveal that the Espionage Project is a plan to bring the world’s greatest spies together as McDonald’s personal army. The Contacts supply Chris and Brian with guns for their infiltration of McDonald’s home, and also a private plane to take to his English estate.

The two agents fly there in style on the private jet, but then find that two engines giving out right by the estate. The plane crashlands and Brian and Chris survive. Jack and Jake run up to them and overtake them, and bring them to McDonald. McDonald says he knows that they are trying to clear their name, and he will let them. After they are done being brainwashed, he will let them rescue the president, and clear their names, giving the Espionage Project great publicity. McDonald leaves Brian and Chris with Jack and Jake to guard them.

Immediately Chris breaks himself free, and fights Jack while Jake protects Brian. Brian breaks out too and he fights back-to-back with Chris. They win, knocking out the two of them. They leave, and walk down the hallway to fight McDonald and save the president. McDonald sends numerous thugs down the hall to get rid of them, but Brian and Chris just shoot them down. After twenty minutes of this, they reach McDonald and beat him up.

They rescue the President, who says he knows what’s been going on, and that McDonald will pay for his crimes. McDonald just smiles and presses the self-destruct button. The President runs ahead to McDonald’s own helicopter, and Brian and Chris pick up Jake and Jack. They take off the helicopter just before the entire mansion explodes. They arrive back in Washington D.C. declared as heroes for rescuing the president, and Jack and Jake are un-brainwashed. The President affirms that the Espionage Project will never see light of day, and now Brian and Chris are great friends.

 

Edited September 21, 2019 by Blankments

[Blankments]

AJR: Neotheater

 

Director: Spencer Hord
Genre: Concert/Visual Album
Release Date: March 11

Major Cast:

AJR as themselves

 

Theater Count: 2,656

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language and disturbing images.
Runtime: 79 min
Production Budget: $2 million

 

Plot: The band AJR is captured by aliens and put on display in an alien zoo. Their popularity quickly puts them in the neotheater; the largest intergalactic amphitheater. Near the beginning the aliens tell AJR that they must grow up in order to get out, and as they play through the album Neotheater, it takes the band through the past, present and future of the band, while they also play their most popular song, "Sober Up." At the end, the aliens let them return to Earth, believing them to have matured as artists, and AJR decides to move on in life, performing "Burn Down the House" as the finale.  

[Blankments]

Double Chronomance

 

Director: Jason Reitman
Genre: Sci-Fi Comedy
Release Date: May 27
Major Cast:

Tom Hanks as Bob Willis

Al Pacino as Tom Jones

Matthew Perry as Bobby Willis

Dominic Cooper as Tommy Jones

Anna Faris as Julia Meyer

Karen Gillan as Jane Foreman

Cameron Diaz as Jen Foreman

Emma Thompson as Darla Garfield

Mikey Day as Young Newton

Brian Posehn as Older Newton

With Michael J. Fox as Todd Jones
With Christopher Lloyd as Future Newton

And Michelle Pfeiffer as Older Julia

 

Theater Count: 3,761

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, some intense action, and some sensuality.
Runtime: 103 min
Production Budget: $75 million
Music by: Rob Simonsen

 

Plot Summary: Two lonely old men go back in time to play matchmaker with their younger selves, but then fall in love in the past.

 

Plot: 

 

The film opens with Bobby and Tommy at a bar. They are drinking away their sorrows when their nerdy friend Newton comes in the room, and talks to them for a bit. The topic of careers comes up, and Bobby reveals he was just laid off. Tommy says he’s never had a job, and then orders another beer. Newton looks at them like they’re crazy, and then leaves, saying his life is great, since he’s recently got a girlfriend and he just got accepted for a job at a major research lab. Bobby and Tommy look at each other, and they begin talking about how they wish they weren’t alone in the world. They suddenly hear, “You guys need to get laid. Trust us.” They turn around, and see their future selves, Bob and Tom. Bobby and Tommy promptly pass out.

Cut to Bobby and Tommy at a bar. They are drinking away their sorrows when their nerdy friend Newton comes in the room, and talks to them for a bit. The topic of careers comes up, and Bobby reveals he was just laid off. Tommy says he’s never had a job, and then orders another beer. Newton looks at them like they’re crazy, and then leaves, saying his life is great, since he’s recently got a girlfriend and he just got accepted for a job at a major research lab. Bobby and Tommy look at each other, and they begin talking about how they wish they weren’t alone in the world. The two head back to their apartment, which is revealed to be shared by the two of them, as Tommy tries to overcome his alcoholism.

A montage begins, showing Bobby getting a job as a high school janitor, allowing him to support the two of them. Tommy overcomes his alcoholism after five years, and then the two of them begin going out on double blind dates. They meet plenty of crazy people, but none of them are compatible. On one date though, they go out with Jane and Julia, two nice women who love them as well. They go on a few dates, but then Jane and Julia break it up, with Jane revealing she is married, and with Julia revealing she is engaged. After some initial heartbreak, Bobby and Tommy move on, and Tom gets a job as a bartender.

The years pass, and about twenty-five years after the incident at the bar, the two men, now going by Bob and Tom, are bitter and alone, just working through the days. They run into their old friend Newton, who looks completely different thanks to plastic surgery. Newton is revealed to have married Julia, much to Tom’s chagrin. Newton then invites Bob and Tom over his house while Julia is out of town. After some deliberation, Bob and Tom decide to go, just because there’s free food. After they have cheeseburgers, Newton reveals something big to Bob and Tom. He has invented a time machine which he plans to use to fix history’s greatest disasters. Newton says that he is telling Bob and Tom this because they were only his only friends ever. Bob and Tom call bullsh*t on Newton.

Suddenly, a man wearing only boxers pops out of thin air and lands on the dining room table. The man stands up and claims to be Newton from the future. The future Newton says that he has come back to tell Bob and Tom that time travel does work, and that they better have enjoyed the cheeseburger. Future Newton then disappears, with Newton commenting that it must be a new model. Bob and Tom then come up a great idea. They ask Newton if they can use his time machine to go back in time to make their younger selves find love. Newton is apprehensive, and he warns them that once they go back in time, they won’t ever be able to back to the present time of Year 30. Bob and Tom don’t care, saying that there’s nothing in the current time for them now.

Newton takes them down to his basement, leading them to his time machine. Newton warns Bob and Tom that despite the appearance of his future self, they will be the first ever time travelers, so it’d be nice if they could leave him a note saying what time travel is like. The two shrug and agree and then they go into the time machine. Newton says that he’ll send him back to the day he got the big promotion, since they’ll know where to find their past selves. Newton asks if they are ready, and then they are sent back.

Cut to the basement, twenty-five years prior. A couple is watching TV on a couch when suddenly Bob and Tom materialize right behind it, wearing only underwear. The couple stops and looks at Bob and Tom. The man reaches for a club, but then suddenly, a stun gun falls out of the sky into Tom’s hands. Tom stuns the two of them, knocking them out to Bob’s shock. Bob then notices a note in his own handwriting attached to the gun saying to leave the note in the safe in the upstairs bedroom, so that way Newton can send the stun gun back. Bob and Tom are confused, but they decide just to leave it as a weird time travel thing.

They go upstairs to the bedroom and find the safe. They leave the note in the safe, and then steal two suits from the upstairs. Tom then runs downstairs and steals the keys out of the man’s pants. They then run out and steal the car, heading to the bar. They arrive at the bar, seeing Newton exit. They run in, hearing their younger selves complain about being lonely. Bob and Tom tell them that they need to get laid, and then Bobby and Tommy pass out. Annoyed, Bob and Tom carry their younger selves back to Bobby’s car, with Bob taking the keys. They then drive back to the apartment and take their younger selves up to their bedroom.

Cut to Bobby waking up, as the doorbell rings. The doorbell continues ringing, as Bobby looks around the house to see everything is exactly where it should be. Bobby figures that the experience of seeing the two older men in suits must have been a dream. Tommy is very knocked out, so Bobby goes to open the door. A man walks into the house that introduces himself as Todd Jones, E.R.A. (Evil Recognition Agency) Cop. Bobby spit-takes and says that’s an incredibly stupid name for an agency, and Todd explains it used to be C.R.A. with Criminal, but the criminals they arrested kept calling them C.R.A.P.

Tommy wakes up, and hears Todd and Bobby talk. Tommy rolls off the couch, and heads to the bathroom to put on some new clothes. He opens the door, and sees Tom and Bob asleep in the bathtub. He shrugs, and closes the door. Cut back to Todd and Bobby. Todd explains that some fingerprints were found at a house where a couple was assaulted, and they match up to his and Tommy’s. Bobby explains that there was no way he and Tommy were there, and then calls up Newton to vouch for him. Newton does, and Todd leaves, saying he’d be back later with a search warrant.

Bobby knocks on the bathroom door, and Tommy says he’s getting dressed. Bobby says he needs to see him now, and Tommy opens the door with only boxers on. Tommy walks out, and then Bobby sees Bob and Tom. He freaks out, waking them up, and asking them what they are doing in his apartment. Bob says it’s his apartment, and then Tom reveals they are their future selves. Tommy sees the resemblance and says it must be true, but Bobby puts up a fight, asking Bob when he lost his virginity. Bob answers by saying he is still a virgin, which causes Bobby to realize that it is actually his future self.

Bobby asks why Bob and Tom are in their house, and Bob and Tom explain that in the future, they never got married and are lonely. All they have in the future is each other, so they want to try to make sure that that future doesn’t happen. Tommy says that it sounds terrible, but he’s fine with being alone, so Bob and Tom can go back to the future whenever they want. Tom then tells his younger self that is impossible for them to go back to the future, but since they know absolutely nothing about time travel, they’re hoping that if Bobby and Tommy fall in love, they’ll immediately go to a future where they are married with kids.

Bob says that the future selves must have some idea on who Bob and Tom will fall in love with, and they answer they do have a slight idea, but that Bobby needs to get to his job interview, and Tommy needs to get to therapy. Bobby looks at the clock and sees that their future selves are right. Bobby and Tommy run out quickly, and then Bob and Tom get to work. They pull out the phone book to look up Julia and Jane’s numbers, remembering that they fell in love with them five years after this date, but they were already taken. They hope to beat their other potential husbands to the punch by doing this.

Bob calls up Julia, but her mother, Jen, answers. Bob tries to charm over Jen, and he is forced to pose as Bobby’s father. Bob asks if Bobby can go out with Julia, and Jen answers that he’d like to meet Bob in person at a coffee shop. Tom then calls up Jane, but her mother, Darla, answers. Tom cuts to the chase and asks Darla to meet him at the coffee shop. Darla, taken aback by the rudeness, refuses, but then Tom charms her over.

Tom and Bob then bike to the coffee shop, using Bobby and Tommy’s bikes. Tom and Bob wait at the same title, and meet with Jen and Darla. Darla reveals that her daughter is currently dating someone, and Jen reveals that her daughter is studying her abroad. Tom and Bob look at each other, realizing they went to the past for no reason at all. However, then Jen and Darla start making the moves on them. Jen and Darla say that Tom and Bob’s phone calls made them believe in men for the first time since their divorces. Tom and Bob look at each other, and decide to take the women out to a movie.

Meanwhile, Tommy has just finished therapy, and he heads out to hail a cab, when he is tackled by Todd. Todd explains that the time stream is getting messed up thanks to their future selves. Tommy is naturally confused, but Todd explains that he knows about their future selves and he is a time cop from Year 45. Tommy is still confused, so Todd just knocks him out. Todd then goes to Bobby’s workplace, and then walks up to Bobby. Todd asks him to come with him. Bobby says no, he’s in the middle of work, so Todd punches him, knocking him out. The coworkers look at Todd weirdly, and then they all walk away.

At the movie theater, Bob and Tom look at their respective partners. However, when the movie ends, Jen and Darla act ashamed. Bob and Tom ask what’s wrong, and they answer by saying they need to actually get to know the men, before going on a date in a dark room with only popcorn as companions. Bob and Tom then set up a more romantic double date for the next day, and then say goodbye to the women, telling them they had a great time. The women head out to their car, when Todd suddenly teleports in front of them, grabs them, and then teleports away.

Bob and Tom don’t see this and are currently victory dancing at their new love. Tom says they should just give up on helping their past selves, since they’ve found love. Bob agrees, saying they don’t want to mess up the timeline too much anyway, because who knows what would happen. Suddenly, the bathroom door opens, and out walks Todd. Todd says he’s a time cop, and he noticed they’re in the wrong time. Todd tells Bob and Tom to come with him peacefully, or else they will regret. Bob and Tom look at each other laugh. Todd doesn’t get what is funny, and Bob explains that time travel was just invented, so how could there be time cops. Todd says he doesn’t care what they think, and they need to come with him. They refuse, and then Todd says, “Okay, You’re asking for it.”

Todd teleports away, and suddenly, Bob’s and Tom’s left pinkies disappear. They begin freaking out, asking each other what happened. Todd teleports back in, saying that he just cut off Bobby’s and Tommy’s left pinkies. Todd darkly threatens there’s more where that came from. Bob and Tom still refuse to leave, saying they can cut off their noses if he wants to, but they are in love. Todd says he has Jen and Darla in captivity and if he has to do it the hard way, he’ll send them back to be eaten by dinosaurs. That convinces Bob and Tom to go with Todd.

Todd teleports them to his time-truck, explaining that by Year 45, Newton has fixed that time travel can go both ways, but however, channeling it through a vehicle causes time to appear as a highway. He says they’ll be in Year 25 in 25 minutes and then throws them in the back with Bobby, Tommy, Jen, and Darla. Bobby and Tommy aren't bleeding from the amputation, and Bob and Tom excuse it as future technology. Jen and Darla slowly are figuring it out, and then Jen asks if Bob and Tom are future versions of Bobby and Tommy. Bob says yes, they are, but they need to find a way to get out of this.

Tommy says just leave it to him, and then he knocks on the window separating them from Todd. Todd opens it, and then Bobby punches him impulsively, saying that he was not able to finish his anger-management program at therapy. Todd, shocked, doesn’t notice Darla kicking the window open with her high heels. Bob, Tom, Bobby, Tommy, Jen, and Darla all jump over into the driver’s seat, which causes the vehicle to swerve on the time highway. Todd tells them they all need to get in the back, and no matter what happens, they can’t swerve off the highway.

Suddenly, another guy drives by in another time truck. It’s Normal Newton with Older Newton and Future Newton, saying that Tommy told him one night that he would invent time travel and he would need to save him. Everyone turns to Tommy, and he says he doesn’t know what the Newtons are talking about. Newton explains it hasn’t happened yet to him, but Future Newton says it will happen to Older Newton soon! Todd, still incapacitated thanks to the punch, is unable to stop Jen, Darla, Tom, and Bob from jumping over to Future Newton’s time truck. However, Todd closes the door on Tommy and Bobby, and then turns to smile at Older Newton, and then he promptly drives off the highways.

Suddenly, Tom and Bob begin fading away, much to everyone’s confusion. Future Newton explains that when you drive off the time highway, you essentially remove all chances at a stable timeline unless you are rescued. Jen asks if there’s any way they can save Tom and Bob, and Older Newton says that if they had a piece of DNA from the two of them that’s not on the fading Tom and Bob, then they could track them through the time stream. Darla notices a hair in her pocket that fell off of Tom during their sex. Darla hands it to Young Newton, who implants it in the time truck.

The time truck immediately goes off the highway, and lands in the dinosaur times. They suddenly see Todd’s time truck in front of them, slowly fading. They then notice their own truck begins fading. Future Newton deduces they have only five minutes to catch up to Todd’s truck, or Tom and Bob will disappear from time itself. Older Newton says then they will all die within ten minutes if they don’t save Tommy and Bobby. They suddenly jump ahead to the Revolutionary War, as they drive through Paul Revere’s horse. Jen begins freaking out, saying they’re going to mess up history. Future Newton tells her not to worry, the fading away represents them never physically being in the time period. Tom is now extremely confused, but Young Newton tells him not to think about it.

The chase continues to the Roman Empire, where they finally end up catching up with Todd. Tom and Bob jump over onto Todd’s time truck, but Todd refuses to let them in. Future Newton looks at his two younger selves, and tells them that when Tommy and Bobby are back on board with Tom and Bob, to press the purple button on the stirring wheel. Future Newton then jumps over onto Todd’s windshield, causing him to spiral out of control and crash. Tom and Bob are almost completely faded away, along with Tommy and Bobby, of course. However, they make into the Newton’s time truck with thirty seconds to spare. Jen calls over for Future Newton to join them, but Future Newton is attacked by Todd. Future Newton tells them to leave, since he’s lived a long life. Jen and Darla refuse to let that happen, but the Newtons look at the Toms and the Bobs, and then press the purple button.

They all land in front of Tommy and Bobby’s apartment building with the time truck. They all look at the Newtons and they shrug, saying that they’ll think the sacrifice was worth it eventually. Older Newton says to Tom and Bob that it is not safe for them to stay in the past, and to get in the time truck. Tom and Bob refuse to go without Jen and Darla, and then Tommy and Bobby ask them to please leave. Jen and Darla say that over the time truck chase, they were genuinely worried about losing Tom and Bob, and that they will go to the future with Older Newton, Tom, and Bob. Tom then goes over and whispers to Younger Newton about Julia, who is revealed to have been his new girlfriend. Tom tells him to treat her well, as she was his first love.

Older Newton, Tom, Bob, Jen, and Darla all go to the future, and land in Older Newton’s house. Bob and Darla have a passionate kiss, followed up with Tom and Jen. We then see Tom, Bob, Jen, and Darla have a double wedding, with Newton and Julia attending, with Julia commenting that Jen looks a lot like her dead mother. Newton says he doesn’t see the resemblance. Back in the present, Tommy remembers to tell Younger Newton to have Future Newton rescue them, but Newton rolls his eyes at them, sadly saying that thanks to what happened, he's gonna have to get plastic surgery. Tommy and Bobby then go out to a bar, and Bobby wonders how everything turned out. Tommy says they’ll find out in about twenty-five years, and then they smile. THE END. Cut to credits with original song by Owl City, "Time and Time Again" with outtakes.

 

Edited September 21, 2019 by Blankments

[Blankments]

Spring Awakening

 

Director: Dexter Fletcher
Genre: Musical
Release Date: November 4

Format: Dolby

Major Cast:

Harry Styles as Melchior Gabor

Cailee Spaeny as Wendla Bergmann

Algee Smith as Moritz Stiefel

Auli'i Cravahlo as Ilse Neumann

Charles Melton as Hanschen Rilow

Halle Bailey as Martha Bessell

Mena Massoud as Ernst Robel

Noah Galvin as Georg Zirschnitz

Ethan Slater as Otto Lämmermeier

Dove Cameron as Thea

Brianna Hildebrand as Anna

With Jonathan Groff as the adult men

And Lea Michelle as the adult women

 

Soundtrack:

 

 

1. Mama Who Bore Me - Cailee Spaeny
2. Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise) - Girls
3. All That's Known - Harry Styles
4. The Bitch of Living - Boys
5. My Junk - Company
6. Touch Me - Company
7. The Word of Your Body - Cailee Spaeny, Harry Styles
8. The Dark I Know Well - Halle Bailey, Auli'i Cravahlo, Boys
9. And Then There Were None - Algee Smith, Boys
10. The Mirror-Blue Night - Harry Styles, Boys
11. I Believe/The Guilty Ones - Cailee Spaeny, Harry Styles, Company
12. Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind - Algee Smith and Auli'i Cravahlo
13. Left Behind - Harry Styles, Company
14. Totally Fucked - Harry Styles, Full Cast
15. The Word of Your Body (Reprise) - Charles Melton, Mena Massoud, Company
16. Whispering - Cailee Spaeny
17. Those You've Known - Algee Smith, Cailee Spaeny, Harry Styles
18. The Song of Purple Summer - Auli'i Cravahlo, Full Cast

 

 

Theater Count: 3,883
MPAA Rating: R for strong language, a scene of graphic violence, sexuality, graphic nudity and lewd humor - all involving teens.
Runtime: 133 min
Production Budget: $40 million
 

 

Plot Summary: In late 19th-century Germany, teenagers confront their sexuality in a society that refuses to discuss it with them. An adaptation of the Tony award-winning Broadway musical.

Plot: 

 

Wendla Bergmann, an adolescent in late 19th-century Germany, laments that her mother gave her "no way to handle things" and has not taught her the lessons she is meant to know as a young woman ("Mama Who Bore Me"). She tells her mother that it is time she learned where babies come from, considering that she is about to be an aunt for the second time. Her mother cannot bring herself to explain the facts about conception clearly to Wendla, despite knowing her daughter is reaching puberty. Instead, she simply tells Wendla that to conceive a child a woman must love her husband with all of her heart. The other young girls in town – Martha, Thea, Anna and Ilse – appear to be similarly naïve and are upset about the lack of knowledge presented to them ("Mama Who Bore Me" (Reprise)).

 

At school, some teenage boys are studying Virgil in Latin class. When Moritz Stiefel, a very nervous and anxious young man, sleepily misquotes a line, the teacher chastises him harshly. Moritz’s classmate, the rebellious and highly intelligent Melchior Gabor, tries to defend him, but the teacher will have none of it, and hits Melchior with a stick. Melchior reflects on the shallow narrow-mindedness of school and society and expresses his intent to change things ("All That's Known").

Moritz describes a dream that has been keeping him up at night, and Melchior realizes that Moritz has been having erotic dreams which Moritz believes are signs of insanity. To comfort the panicked Moritz, Melchior, who has learned sexual information from books, tells Moritz that all of the boys at their age get these dreams. Moritz, Melchior and the other boys – Ernst, Hänschen, Otto and Georg – share their own sexually frustrated thoughts and desires ("The Bitch of Living"). Moritz, who is not comfortable talking about the subject with Melchior, requests that he give him the information in the form of an essay, complete with illustrations.

All the girls, save Ilse, are gathered together after school and tease each other as they fantasize about marrying the boys in the town. Martha admits that she has a crush on Moritz, but is made fun of by the other girls. At the top of the list is the radical, intelligent, and good-looking Melchior ("My Junk"). Moritz has eagerly digested the essay that Melchior prepared for him, but complains that his new knowledge has only made his dreams even more vivid and torturous. Melchior tries to calm and comfort his friend, but Moritz runs off in frustration. All of the boys and girls express their desires for physical intimacy ("Touch Me").

Searching for flowers for her mother, Wendla stumbles upon Melchior. The two reminisce on the friendship they once shared as children and share a moment while sitting together in front of a tree. Each of them considers what it would be like to give in to their physical desires for one another ("The Word of Your Body"), but they do not do so. Meanwhile, at school, Moritz sneaks a look at his test results and is thrilled to learn that he has passed his midterm examinations, and tells the other boys. They are ecstatic, save the skeptical Hänschen. However, the teacher and schoolmaster, who claim they cannot pass everyone, decide to fail Moritz anyway, deeming his passing grade still not up to the school's lofty standards.

Martha accidentally admits to her friends that her father abuses her physically and sexually and that her mother is either oblivious or uncaring. The other girls are horrified to hear this, but Martha makes them promise not to tell anyone, lest she end up like Ilse, a friend from childhood who now wanders homeless and aimless after her similarly abusive parents kicked her out of the house ("The Dark I Know Well"). Later, Wendla finds Melchior again at his spot in the woods and tells him about Martha's abuse. Melchior is appalled to hear this, but Wendla convinces him to hit her with a switch, so that she can try to understand Martha’s pain. At first Melchior is determined to do nothing of the sort, but reluctantly complies. He gets carried away in the beating, taking his own frustrations out on Wendla and throws her to the ground. Disgusted with himself, Melchior runs off as Wendla is left lying on the ground, weeping. Alone, Wendla finds that Melchior has left his journal on the ground. She picks it up and takes it with her.

Moritz is told he has failed his final examination, and his father reacts with disdain and contempt when Moritz tells him that he will not progress in school. Rather than attempting to understand his son's pain, Moritz's father is only concerned with how the others in town will react when they see "the man with the son who failed." Moritz writes to Melchior’s mother, his only adult friend, asking for money to help him flee to America; she tenderly but firmly denies his request and promises to write his parents to discourage them from being too hard on him ("And Then There Were None"). Devastated by her refusal, and feeling he has few choices left, Moritz contemplates suicide.

In a stuffy hayloft during a storm, Melchior expresses his frustration about being caught between childhood and adulthood ("The Mirror-Blue Night"). Wendla finds him once again, telling him she wants to return his journal, and each apologizes for what happened in the forest. Melchior, disappointed in himself from the night before, urges her to leave. Wendla ignores this, instead suggesting they run in the rain until they "get soaked to the skin". Before long, they begin to kiss. Both of them nervous, they continue to entangle themselves and then hesitate – sensing that what they are doing is something very powerful. Wendla is not entirely sure of what they are about to do but is certain that it is unlike anything that she has known before and she gives explicit consent. They continue and then have sex in the hayloft ("I Believe"). All at once, the song comes to a crescendo, Melchior penetrates her, Wendla cries out and darkness falls. Wendla and Melchior are finishing their moment of confused intimacy in the hayloft; they reflect on and discuss what has just happened. ("The Guilty Ones")

Moritz, having been thrown out of his home, wanders the town at dusk, carrying a pistol when he comes across Ilse, a childhood friend of his. Ilse, who it is implied has feelings for Moritz, tells him she has found refuge at an artists' colony, and they reminisce in some childhood memories and "remarkable times". She invites him to come home with her and join her in sharing some more childhood memories, and maybe something more. Moritz refuses and Ilse does everything she can to change his mind ("Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind"). After affirming to Ilse that he truly wished he could go with her, Moritz refuses and Ilse leaves – distraught and upset. Realizing that Ilse was his last chance to escape the fate he's set out for himself, Moritz quickly changes his mind and calls after her, but it is too late – she is gone. Alone and believing that he has nowhere to turn, Moritz shoots himself.

At Moritz's funeral, each of the children drops a flower into his grave as Melchior laments the passing of his friend while touching on the factors that led to his death, including the way his parents treated him ("Left Behind").

Back at school, the schoolmaster and teacher feel the need to call attention away from Moritz, whose death was a direct result of their actions. They search through Moritz's belongings and find the essay on sex which Melchior wrote for him. They seize the opportunity to lay the blame of Moritz's death on Melchior, and although Melchior knows that he is not to blame, he knows there is nothing he can do to fight them and is expelled as a result ("Totally Fucked").

Elsewhere that night, Hänschen meets up with his shy and delicate classmate Ernst. Ernst tells Hänschen about his plans to become a pastor after school, and Hänschen shares his pragmatic outlook on life. He is amazed with how Ernst has remained so innocent despite the horrible things happening around them. They kiss and Ernst reveals that he loves Hänschen. ("The Word of Your Body (Reprise)").

Wendla has become ill, and her mother takes her to visit a doctor. He gives her some medication and assures them both that Wendla is suffering from anemia and will be fine, but takes Wendla's mother aside and tells her that Wendla is pregnant. When her mother confronts her with this information, Wendla is completely shocked, not understanding how it could have happened. She realizes that her mother lied to her about how babies are made. Although she berates her mother for leaving her ignorant, her mother rejects the guilt and insists Wendla tell her who the child's father is. Wendla reluctantly surrenders a passionate note Melchior sent her after they consummated their relationship. She reflects somberly on her current condition and the circumstances that precipitated it, but resolves with optimism about her future child ("Whispering").

Meanwhile, Melchior's parents argue about their son's fate; his mother does not believe that the essay he wrote for Moritz is sufficient reason to send him away to reform school. When Melchior's father (Callum) tells his wife about Wendla's pregnancy, she finally agrees that they must send Melchior away, which they do without telling him that Wendla is pregnant.

During this time, Melchior and Wendla keep contact through letters, delivered by Ilse. At the reform school, Melchior gets into a fight with some boys who grab a letter he has just received from Wendla and use it in a masturbation game. As one of the boys reads from the letter, Melchior finally learns about Wendla and their child, and he escapes from the institution to find her. Meanwhile, a very terrified and clueless Wendla is taken to a back-alley abortionist by her mother.

When Melchior reaches town after a few days, he sends a message to Ilse, asking her to have Wendla meet him at the cemetery at midnight. Ilse, however, can take no action, as Melchior "hasn't heard" about Wendla. She shows Anna, Martha, and Thea the letter. They are equally horrified, and decide not to tell Melchior what has happened. At the cemetery, Melchior stumbles across Moritz's grave and swears to himself that he and Wendla will raise their child in a compassionate and open environment. When Wendla is late to the meeting, Melchior begins to feel a little uneasy. Looking around, Melchior sees a fresh grave he had not noticed before. He reads the name on the stone – Wendla's – and realizes that Wendla has died after a botched abortion. Overwhelmed by shock and grief, he takes out a razor with intent to kill himself. Moritz's and Wendla's spirits rise from their graves to offer him strength. They persuade him to journey on, and he resolves to live and to carry their memories with him forever ("Those You've Known").

Led by Ilse, everyone comes together with Melchior to sing about how although the adults may still call the shots with their uptight and conservative views, they will not last forever, and the seeds are already being planted for a new, liberal minded, progressive generation ("The Song of Purple Summer").

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by Blankments

[Ethan Hunt]

Dog Models 

 

Studio: Hunt Productions 

Director: Kirk De Micco 

Genre:  Animation/Family

Release Date: February 4th 

Theater Count: 3007

MPAA Rating: PG

Runtime:92 minutes 

Production Budget: 50M

Cast:

Justin Bartha 

Jeremy Renner 

Lucy Liu 

Plot Summary: 

 

The movie follows a bright young chihuahua model (Justin Bartha.) The chihuahua teams up with an schnauzer agent (Jeremy Renner) who helps him land a spot at a big modeling event (basically a dog show.) There the chihuahua falls for a mysterious maltipoo (Lucy Liu). Distracted by the maltipoo the chihuahua does rather poorly in the competition. the schnauzer is upset with the chihuahua after this and quits as his agent. the chihuahua goes unemployed for a long time until he finally runs into the maltipoo again who says kind words to him and convinces him to follow his dreams.  she helps him get hired and he has a very successful career. at one of his final events he runs back into the schnauzer and thanks him for giving him a chance