Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two. Two years after Kate Pierce (Darby Camp) helped Santa Claus (Kurt Russell) save Christmas, Belsnickel (Julian Dennison), an enemy from Santa’s past, uses her to sneak into Santa’s Village and cause chaos. To stop Belsnickel, Santa and Kate must pay a visit to Santa’s old home, while Mrs. Claus (Goldie Hawn) and Kate’s friend Jack (Jahzir Bruno) work to repair the damage to the village.

The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two is a family Christmas adventure starring Kurt Russell. The sequel picks up with the Pierce family two years after the events of the original movie, as Kate contemplates running away from home. Part Two expands the world of The Christmas Chronicles, showing more of the North Pole and revealing the details of Santa’s past. The movie has plentiful action and a healthy sense of adventure, but only a mediocre plot.

The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two doubles down on the fantasy elements introduced in the first movie. The North Pole, Santa’s elves, and the magic of Christmas all get more screen time, along with a host of gadgets created by Belsnickel. The upshot of this is that the movie has plenty to work with when it comes to action and comedy. Along with a generous CGI budget, this gives Part Two the same sense of family-friendly adventure as the first one.

Unfortunately, the film is hampered by a lackluster story. Where the first Christmas Chronicles was a heartfelt movie about a brother and sister coping with the loss of their dad, the second one treats its emotional arc as an afterthought. Part Two tries to spin a story around Kate coming to terms with the changes in her family, but the conflict isn’t developed well, and it never feels central to the plot.

The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two is still a fun enough movie to please fans of family-oriented fantasy adventures. Its production values, its imagination, and Kurt Russell’s performance as Santa go a long way towards making it an enjoyable experience. But ultimately Part Two lacks the charm, the originality, and the heart of the first film. Give it a shot only if you don’t mind the lack of substance.

For another creative take on Santa Claus, try The Santa Clause. For a holiday adventure with even more CGI-fueled action, try The Polar Express.

[6.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11057644/). I give it a 6.5 for a light adventure hurt by an uninspired story.

Today’s quick review: The Polar Express. On Christmas Eve, a boy (Daryl Sabara) who’s beginning to doubt the existence of Santa Claus gets invited to ride the Polar Express, a magical train that’s bound for the North Pole. Under the watchful guidance of the Conductor (Tom Hanks), the boy and his new friends (Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, and Eddie Deezen) embark on a journey full of wonder and adventure as they race to reach the North Pole on time.

The Polar Express is a family animated Christmas adventure based on the picture book of the same name. Tom Hanks stars in a variety of roles in a story about a young boy who rediscovers the spirit of Christmas. The Polar Express is an imaginative adventure with a gorgeous art style, innovative CGI, and a surprising amount of action. The movie puts its own spin on classic Christmas fantasy, resulting in a fun but insubstantial watch.

The Polar Express has solid craftsmanship in general, but it often feels contrived. The premise works well enough on paper, but spinning it into a full-length story takes some doing. The Polar Express uses a few different techniques to flesh out the plot and pad its run time: subplots for the boy’s friends, over-the-top action sequences, and the odd musical number. But although these diversions are entertaining, none of them feel essential.

Give The Polar Express a shot when you’re in the mood for a Christmas movie with plenty of spectacle. The exaggerated nature of its world and story will appeal more to younger audiences than older ones, and there are places where the movie is transparent about stalling for time. But even with these flaws, The Polar Express is a light movie with a wholesome story and impressive art, making it a solid pick for lenient viewers.

For a modern Christmas adventure in the same vein, try The Christmas Chronicles. For an animated fantasy adventure with a similar premise, try Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland. For a more dramatic family adventure that uses a similar style of CGI, try The Adventures of Tintin. For an uneven animated fantasy adventure about a boy on a similar journey, try The Pagemaster.

[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338348/). I give it a 7.0 for a charming story and lavish visuals.

Today’s quick review: Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms. In 184 AD, the Yellow Turban Rebellion throws China into chaos as the violent rebels clash with Imperial troops. Seeing the bloodshed around them, Liu Bei (Doug Stone) and his friends Chang Fei (Michael McConnohie) and Kwang Yu (Gregory Snegoff) swear an oath to restore peace to the land. But to do so, they must overcome mighty armies, political intrigue, and years of hardship.

Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms is a Japanese animated historical war drama based on the Chinese epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Great Conquest tells the true story of a pivotal period in Chinese history, when the waning power of the Han Dynasty led to the outbreak of rebellion and civil war. The movie follows a sprawling cast of warlords, generals, and commoners as they fight to determine the future for their country.

Great Conquest is notable for its scope. The movie manages to condense years worth of power struggles, shifting alliances, and pivotal battles into two hours of run time, all while telling a comprehensible story. The subject matter is compelling, with nuanced characters to follow and a story that’s hard to predict. Finally, the art style, although a little stiff, does a good job of capturing the look of the time period and the scale of the battles.

Great Conquest has a handful of flaws, though, most of them related to its ambitious subject matter. Even in its condensed form, the story is complex and hard to follow. The need to cover so many significant events in so little time means that some of them are cut short, summarized by the narration rather than given full dramatic weight. The result is a movie that sometimes feels more like a history lesson than one continuous story.

The movie is also missing the personal touch that many war stories and historical dramas have. Liu Bei is the closest the story has to a protagonist, but even his personal desires come second to the ebb and flow of war. The script and presentation style are not geared toward getting an emotional response from the audience. Most of the movie’s impact comes from the raw facts of its story rather than their presentation.

Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms requires a hefty investment from its viewers, especially ones who are unfamiliar with its source material. Those willing to keep track of its many characters and their ever-changing alliances will be rewarded with tales of bravery, cunning, honor, and betrayal. Those looking for a lighter or more personal story may want to look elsewhere.

For a live-action movie about political drama in historical China, try Curse of the Golden Flower, Shadow, or Hero. For a Chinese war drama with touches of comedy, try Little Big Soldier. For a lighter and more romantic animated movie set during another period of tumult in Chinese history, try Like the Clouds, Like the Wind. For a fantasy epic featuring battle on a similar scale, try The Lord of the Rings.

[6.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0295583/). I give it a 7.0 for a credible adaptation of impressive source material.

Today’s quick review: Like the Clouds, Like the Wind. In 17th-century China, Ginga (Ryoko Sano), a cheerful country girl, travels to the capital to become the wife of the new Emperor (Emiya Ichikawa). There, her coarse manners and upbeat personality set her apart from the other candidates. But as the selection process comes to an end, the Emperor faces betrayal from within when his stepmother (Ikuko Tani) conspires to overthrow him.

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind is a Japanese animated historical drama. The movie depicts a fictionalized period of unrest in Chinese history, as seen through the eyes of a country girl who dreams of becoming the Empress. The core of the story is Ginga, whose kind heart and rough exterior are a breath of fresh air in the tense, formal world of court politics. Her unique perspective gives the movie both some comedy and some emotional heft.

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind strikes a fascinating balance with its tone. The story itself is a drama, with all of the war and intrigue of historical China. But the presentation skews closer to a comedy or adventure, with a cheerful main character, a charming art style, and sanitized violence. The result is a rarity: a story that has some gravity to it, but whose dramatic weight isn’t overwhelming.

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind is a worthwhile pick when you are in the mood for something bittersweet. The movie is not as shocking or action-packed as other stories set in historical China, but its likable main character and generally light tone make it a pleasant experience. Approach with caution if you are looking for either a pure comedy or an intricate drama.

For an action-oriented tale of war and political intrigue set in historical China, try Curse of the Golden Flower, Shadow, or Hero. For a beautiful animated fantasy adventure with a similarly nuanced heroine, try Spirited Away.

[6.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185429/). I give it a 7.0 for a balanced story built around a charming main character.

Today’s quick review: Project A-ko. A-ko (Stacey Gregg), a teenager with superpowers, and her friend C-ko (Julia Brahms) are new students at Graviton High. B-ko (Denica Fairman), a spoiled girl in their class, becomes jealous of their friendship and uses an array of machines to challenge A-ko, hoping to win away her best friend. But their fight gets interrupted when an alien spaceship attacks Earth looking for the girls.

Project A-ko is a Japanese animated sci-fi action comedy. At its core, Project A-ko is a slice-of-life high school comedy about two troublesome girls and their stuck-up rival. A-ko and C-ko are cheerful and oblivious, more worried about getting to school on time than B-ko’s machinations to win C-ko’s friendship. At the same time, A-ko’s superhuman strength and speed turn her into a destructive whirlwind, fueling the movie’s action and comedy alike.

Project A-ko’s best feature is the way it has fun with its premise. A-ko’s powers open up a wide range of cartoonish action, from her racing to school at super speed to her acrobatic duels with B-ko’s machines. Most of the humor comes from the gap between the characters’ priorities and what’s going on around them. A-ko and C-ko are focused firmly on the day-to-day details of their lives, and both B-ko’s attacks and the alien invasion are afterthoughts.

The qualities that make Project A-ko fun also make it an odd watch. The movie is casual about world-building, starting with a semi-futuristic setting and going from there. A-ko’s powers and B-ko’s mechanical expertise are never properly explained; they’re just treated as facts of the universe that the viewer is expected to simply accept. To the movie’s credit, its enthusiasm and sense of humor help it gloss over some of these issues.

Give Project A-ko a watch when you’re in the mood for a colorful, action-packed romp with a minimum of plot. Its freewheeling sci-fi story won’t appeal to everyone, and its comedy relies more on goofy situations than sharp writing. But for anyone willing to roll with the punches, Project A-ko’s light tone and lavish action sequences make it a fun pick.

For an action comedy that expresses ordinary interpersonal conflicts through larger-than-life battles, try Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. For a superhero comedy with a similar tone and a more grounded story, try Ant-Man or Shazam!.

[7.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091794/). I give it the same for unabashed fun.

Today’s quick review: Prime Rose. When the space fortress Death Mask breaks apart and falls from orbit, the impact sends two Earth cities—Dallas and Kujukuri—10,000 years into the future. Gai Tanbara of the Time Patrol travels forward in time to investigate the incident, accompanied by his younger brother Bunretsu. There they find Emiya, a young noblewoman, fighting to free her people from the conquering Groman Empire.

Prime Rose is a Japanese animated sci-fi fantasy adventure based on the manga by Osamu Tezuka. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where war and slavery are the norm, the movie follows two brave heroes as they fight for peace and justice. Prime Rose features Tezuka’s signature blend of cartoonish art and relatively mature conflicts. However, the movie’s jumbled story and shaky production quality make it a mediocre pick.

Prime Rose is a fanciful movie filled with colorful characters, bizarre creatures, and a smorgasbord of science fiction ideas. The movie takes a loose approach towards world-building, taking what it likes from time travel stories, post-apocalyptic fantasy, and the trappings of Ancient Rome. The result is an imaginative setting but not a very cohesive one. The elements of its world are individually promising but don’t work very well together.

The same goes for its story. The movie is caught between its initial premise, a time travel adventure where a bold agent investigates an inexplicable occurrence, and the story proper, a battle for freedom in a desolate quasi-fantasy land. Along the way, Prime Rose indulges in lengthy tangents that take the story even farther afield. Technically, Prime Rose tells a complete story, but it does a poor job of focusing on what is important.

How much you get out of Prime Rose will depend on your taste in adventure. At its best, it is a charming romp with a creative vision and a story that picks from a wide range of ideas. Fans of Osamu Tezuka’s style may find that it’s worth a watch for that alone. But viewers looking for a tense sci-fi epic or a thrilling adventure yarn will find that the film’s storytelling isn’t up to the task.

For a more polished adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s work, check out Metropolis. For a similar flavor of fantasy adventure with more adult content, try Conan the Barbarian, John Carter, or the last segment of Heavy Metal.

[4.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2575990/). I give it a 5.5 for good creativity held back by a poorly structured story.

Today’s quick review: A Wind Named Amnesia. A global event wipes the memories of everyone on Earth, causing civilization to collapse and reducing the survivors to animalistic behavior. Wataru (Adam Henderson), a survivor who was able to re-learn some of what he forgot, sets out across America to pass along his knowledge to anyone who will listen. He’s accompanied on his journey by Sophia (Denica Fairman), an enigmatic woman with her own plans.

A Wind Named Amnesia is a Japanese animated sci-fi movie set in the aftermath of an inexplicable calamity. The movie follows Wataru and Sophia across what’s left of the United States as Wataru searches for survivors who are willing to learn. A Wind Named Amnesia aims to be a reflection on humanity, progress, and what would happen if the slate were wiped clean. However, its loose story and shallow commentary leave something to be desired.

A Wind Named Amnesia does little to capitalize on its promising setup. The story is a loose series of episodes where Wataru and Sophie encounter the scattered survivors of the calamity, most of them ignorant, feral, and unreceptive to Wataru’s teachings. Wataru is a weak protagonist, an idealist who puts almost no thought into how to rebuild civilization. As a result, his journey comes across as naive and hopeless rather than inspiring.

A Wind Named Amnesia also strikes out with its commentary. The ruined world Wataru sees is less a testament to the folly of mankind and more a result of wiping out all of human progress in a single day. As such, the points the movie tries to make feel arbitrary. Instead of saying something general about the human condition, they are limited to bizarre hypotheticals involving mass amnesia, psychics, and a single road trip across the United States.

Fans of philosophical science fiction many want to give A Wind Named Amnesia a try. Its premise makes for an interesting thought experiment, and it is handled competently enough to be worth a watch for an interested viewer. But in general, the movie misplays its hand, undermining its speculative value with contrived scenarios and its emotional impact with an aimless story. Casual viewers may want to steer clear.

For a more successful movie about restoring hope to a post-apocalyptic world, try The Book of Eli or Children of Men. For a bleaker story set in a similarly desolate world, try The Road.

[6.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108570/). I give it a 6.0 for an interesting setup whose execution misses the mark.

Today’s quick review: Spriggan. As a Spriggan, Yu Ominae (Christopher Patton) protects ARCAM, an organization that hunts the secrets of a prehistoric civilization. After an attack on one of his friends, Yu travels to Turkey, the site of ARCAM’s latest excavation, in search of answers. There he fights Colonel MacDougall (Kevin Corn), a psychic boy working for the U.S. Machine Corps, for control of Noah’s Ark, an ancient device of unknown purpose.

Spriggan is a Japanese animated sci-fi action adventure. The film chronicles one incident in the ongoing war between two clandestine organizations that are fighting for control over ancient technology. The action pits Yu, a teenage soldier with enhanced strength and agility, against a team of cyborgs and soldiers led by MacDougall. Lofty speculation, grounded conflict, and kinetic action make Spriggan an entertaining piece of science fiction.

Spriggan strikes the right balance with its story. It has high stakes and a sense of mystery to hook the viewer, but the conflict grounds out in concrete fighting. The result is an action-packed adventure that reaches the same speculative heights as other science fiction, but without being as abstract or confusing. Spriggan also feels like a single story set in a larger world, although this leads to a steep learning curve for the viewer.

Give Spriggan a shot if you’re a fan of action-oriented science fiction. Its fights are violent and energetic, its characters are well-matched with each other, and the overarching plot manages to be speculative without being incomprehensible. Steer clear if you’re sensitive to violence or are looking for a more personal, philosophical sci-fi story.

For mature animated sci-fi with deeper philosophical underpinnings, try Ghost in the Shell. For an anime movie done in a similar style with more of a horror bent, try Akira. For a gentler, more beautiful story about a brush with ancient technology, try Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164917/). I give it a 7.0 for solid action and an intriguing story.

Today’s quick review: Space Adventure Cobra. Jane Flower (Barbara Goodson), a bounty hunter searching for love, finally finds it when she meets Cobra (Dan Woren), a brash space pirate long thought dead. Jane enlists Cobra’s help to free her sister Catherine (Mari Devon) from the clutches of Crystal Bowie (Jeff Winkless), the head of the Mafia Guild. But the rescue mission hits a snag when Bowie lays a devastating trap for them.

Space Adventure Cobra is a Japanese animated sci-fi action adventure. Set in a galaxy where the Mafia Guild has almost total control, the movie follows two outlaws as they set out to foil the Guild’s latest plan. True to its name, Space Adventure Cobra is an adventure in the classic mold. The movie features a colorful setting and a freewheeling plot that serve as a backdrop for Cobra and Jane’s feats of heroism.

The catch is that Space Adventure Cobra plays things a little too loose. The setting is imaginative but not especially consistent, with plenty of ideas that are used once and then discarded. The plot hinges on a relationship between Cobra and Jane that isn’t given time to bloom, and the attempts to play it up are a little clumsy. Finally, while the story works well enough, it skews toward the fantasy side of the science fiction genre.

How much you get out of Space Adventure Cobra will come down to taste. Fans of classic anime and the loose, adventurous style of sci-fi will find it to be a charming, breezy watch. Fans who are looking for careful character work, detailed world-building, or an airtight plot may want to give it a pass.

For an updated take on a similar flavor of space adventure, try Harlock: Space Pirate. For an even weirder sci-fi adventure with a racing twist, try Redline. For a more down-to-earth adventure featuring a roguish hero, try Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro.

[7.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163494/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for an enjoyable adventure that’s missing some of the weight it could have had.

Today’s quick review: Space Detective. Shiro (Matt Sjafiroeddin), a private investigator with cybernetic eyes, returns to the bustling space station of Carina Dawn to take a job for his old flame Jinks Darkanian (Angela Rysk). Jinks wants Shiro to steal a datapad from her husband (Nemo Strang) that could give her the leverage she needs to finally leave him. But the information on the pad proves more dangerous than either Shiro or Jinks expected.

Space Detective is an animated sci-fi crime drama with noir influences. Set in a garish, crime-ridden future, Space Detective follows a hard-boiled Terran as he takes on his toughest case yet. The movie tries to carve out a niche for itself with an eclectic world and a distinctive art style. However, its efforts are hindered by a low budget, a mediocre script, and dubious taste, making Space Detective a fringe pick at best.

Space Detective’s distinguishing feature is its art style. The characters are black-and-white animation over a live-action base, combining the smooth motions of live-action with the greater flexibility of character design that animation provides. The backgrounds are a combination of simple animation, CGI, and photos of space, all drenched in kaleidoscopic color. In principle, this lets the movie make efficient use of its animation budget.

Unfortunately, the art style falls short in practice. The visual effects are rough, the costumes are clumsy, and the backgrounds are cobbled together. Even ignoring the visuals, the world is hard to get into: a grimy pastiche of modern culture filtered through the lens of sci-fi conventions. To the movie’s credit, it never takes itself too seriously, but its pop culture references and crass jokes are anything but artful.

As for its story, Space Detective is a bare-bones noir with a weak premise and lackluster acting. The story serves its basic purpose, showing off the world of the film and serving up some modest action, but none of the twists are especially surprising. The movie also sets a few hooks for a potential sequel, time that would have been better spent beefing up the main plot.

Ultimately, Space Detective will not have broad appeal. Its quirky flavor of sci-fi will only appeal to a subset of fans, its garish visuals are creative but not especially pleasing, and its story and acting don’t have the depth needed to pick up the slack. The end result is a movie that gambles big and fails. Viewers with a taste for unconventional budget movies may still want to give it a shot, but most viewers should steer clear.

For a more lavish portrait of an alien city, try Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. For a more adventurous crime drama set in space, try Solo: A Star Wars Story. For a more methodical black-and-white sci-fi movie that uses animation based on live-action, try Renaissance. For a much richer, character-driven animated sci-fi adventure, try Cowboy Bebop: The Movie.

[7.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5853664/). I give it a 5.0 for creative art with poor execution.