Stubs - The Cat's Meow

The Cat’s Meow (2002) Starring Kirsten Dunst, Cary Elwes, Edward Herrmann, Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Screenplay by Steven Peros. Based on a play by Steven Peros. Produced by Kim Bieber, Carol Lewis, Dieter Meyer, Julie Baines. Run time: 112 Minutes. Color. United States, Germany, United Kingdom Mystery, Comedy, Drama, Historical

It almost sounds like a movie, film pioneer Thomas Ince, actress Marion Davies, fellow filmmaker Charlie Chaplin, British writer Elinor Glyn, gossip columnist Louella Parsons, and actress Margaret Livingston take a weekend cruise aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht Oneida to celebrate Ince’s birthday. However, the guest of honor dies onboard or soon afterward, depending on who’s story you believe. How did Ince die?

Resident Evil 0 HD Remaster (PS4)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Resident Evil (2002)

With the success of the original release of Resident Evil 2 (1999), Capcom greenlit multiple Resident Evil projects. Alongside the projects that became Code: Veronica and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, they approved Resident Evil 0, which would serve as a prequel for the original Resident Evil (1996) and the series as a whole. Though originally intended for the Nintendo 64 and its failed 64DD expansion, development restarted in earnest for the GameCube, solving a storage issue that had previously halted development and allowed for an eventual release in late 2002, the same year as the remake of the original Resident Evil, to critical acclaim save for the criticism of sticking with archaic tank controls. With the success of Resident Evil HD Remaster in 2015, this game would receive the same treatment, releasing in 2016 as Resident Evil 0 HD Remaster.

After playing perhaps the worst of the “classic” Resident Evil games, my journey brought me to the last, as Resident Evil 0 was the last based on the fixed camera angle style, which smoothed the transition between games compared with going from Resident Evil 3 (2020) to Code: Veronica X (CVX). While still flawed in its own right, this game still proved far more enjoyable than CVX in just about every way, to the point that I feel the classic entries ended on a high note.

Resident Evil HD Remaster (PS4)

When Resident Evil originally released in 1996, it helped define the Survival Horror genre as we know it. It even reportedly had an influence on zombie storytellers like Alex Garland, who wrote 28 Days Later, and Robert Kirkman, who created The Walking Dead. Although the game was popular and released to critical acclaim, director Shinji Mikami, as part of Capcom’s GameCube exclusivity deal, decided to produce a remake, as he thought the original hadn’t aged well and wanted to bring it closer to his original vision. This version released in 2002 and despite its general status as one of the best video game remakes of all time, it sold poorly, which led to the action-oriented direction of later games starting from Resident Evil 4. The 2015 HD Remaster rerelease, on the other hand, would sell far better, with 2.8 million copies sold by June 2020.

As for my own experience with Resident Evil, I formally started the series with Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, so I’m more familiar with the tone and style of the first-person entries. After a major lore reference made at the end of Resident Evil Village, however, I decided to do my due diligence and play through all of the mainline entries, much like I did with the Silent Hill series. Not only did I want a better understanding of the series’ lore, but also a greater appreciation of the developments that eventually led to the Ethan Winters storyline. Naturally, I started at the very beginning with the remake of the original Resident Evil and, after two playthroughs, I can see why it was so acclaimed, even if certain aspects didn’t age as well.

The Cat Returns

In 1995, Studio Ghibli released a film in Japan known as Whisper of the Heart (JP: Mimi o Sumaseba or If You Listen Closely), based on a similarly-named manga by Aoi Hiiragi, and later received an English dub in 2006. This movie features a minor character known as the Baron, who would prove popular enough that a spin-off film was released in Japan in 2002, titled The Cat Returns (JP: Neko no Ongaeshi or The Cat’s Repayment), based on the Aoi Hiiragi manga Baron: The Cat Returns (JP: Baron: Neko no Danshaku), and was dubbed in 2005. While the manga has been translated to English and is apparently still available for purchase online, I did not know about or read the manga before watching The Cat Returns, nor have I seen Whisper of the Heart. That said, after watching The Cat Returns in English through the Blu-ray release from GKIDS, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the film’s overall quality.

Shantae (Switch)

While Shantae is one of the more well-known indie game series now, to the point of getting a Mii costume in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it didn’t start out that way. Back when the series debuted on the Game Boy Color with Shantae in 2002, it immediately fell into obscurity, due in part to releasing one year after the Game Boy Advance and its initial low print run of 20-25,000 copies. As interest in the franchise grew, starting with Risky’s Revenge in 2010, prices on the original cartridge went up, though a digital release would thankfully alleviate the issue of accessibility. After I started the series much later, with Half-Genie Hero, I wanted to experience the rest of the games and eyed the digital release of Shantae, but instead went through a physical copy of the Nintendo Switch port from Limited Run Games. While the half-genie’s original adventure is worth seeking out, even digitally, it has certainly shown its age the most.

Smashing Drive (GameCube)

While I have played some more obscure games before, it’s not very often I play a game because I heard about it through a YouTube video, and yet here we are. Developed by Gaelco, Smashing Drive was released into North American arcades in the year 2000 and later ported to home consoles (Xbox, GameCube) in 2002. After learning about the game, I managed to find a GameCube copy online since I didn’t know about the Xbox port at the time, however the newfound attention drawn to it caused prices to go up by the time I got around to buying it. After getting to play through it once, I can say it was worth playing once, though not at inflated prices.

Star Wars Racer Revenge (PS4)

Three years after the release of Star Wars Episode I: Racer, a sequel known as Star Wars Racer Revenge was released for the PS2 in 2002, in time for the release of Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones later that year. I will admit that I never really knew Racer Revenge existed at the time, in part because I lacked the system to play it on, only hearing about it when Limited Run offered a physical copy of the PS4 port of the game and bought it out of interest. After getting to experience Episode I: Racer again, I decided to check out Racer Revenge for the first time to see how much it changed from the first game, finding a number of these changes to be for the better.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

Note: This review contains spoilers for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and The Mandalorian.

Following the release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 1999, the Prequel Trilogy continued in 2002 with the release of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, furthering the story of Anakin Skywalker. While I did see this movie in the theater when it first premiered, I will admit to have sparsely seen it since then, in part due to the overall negative reputation the Prequels had at the time, though I will also admit further to not fully paying attention to the story since I was young when I first saw it. As part of our re-evaluation of the Prequel Trilogy, I rewatched Attack of the Clones through the original 2002 DVD release, which features the most minimal changes compared to the original theatrical cut of the movie. While my opinion on the movie has overall improved since my initial viewing, my feelings on it are still a bit mixed.

Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (Xbox)

Following Codename 47, IO Interactive started development on Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, released in 2002. As the first game in the series with a console release, however, this would also serve as a jumping-on point for a majority of players at the time, since the game ended up as the highest-selling title in the series to this day. Playing through this game on the original Xbox was interesting, since it still provided a memorable experience even without the polish of the World of Assassination games. That said, however, it shows its age, since some of the then-new mechanics feel unrefined by modern standards.

The Powerpuff Girls Movie

Note: This review contains spoilers for The Powerpuff Girls Movie.

When I first discovered the world of TV animation as a kid through Cartoon Network and its original generation of original IPs, The Powerpuff Girls was one of the first shows I got really hooked on and stayed with for most of its 1998-2005 run (and the less said about the 2016 reboot the better). Naturally, when a theatrically-released movie, known as The Powerpuff Girls Movie, was announced for 2002, I was excited at the prospect and saw it on the big screen when it came out. I recall being a little disappointed after walking out of the theater, as it turned out to be a feature-length origin story for the Powerpuff Girls and primary antagonist Mojo Jojo. However, some time after finding a copy of the DVD release for cheap at CD Trader, I decided to try and give this movie another chance. Over 18 years later, the movie held up a little better than I remembered, however while the animation is great, I had some issues with the storytelling.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (PS2)

Following the success of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 in 2001, the inevitable Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 was released in 2002. This particular entry, however, experimented with a number of brand-new mechanics that would reshape the direction of the franchise for some time. While the effort was admirable, the first outing in this new direction was a bit rough and it shows.

Star Fox Adventures

Note: This review contains spoilers for Star Fox Adventures.

I admit I don’t have that much experience with the Star Fox series, and even then my only real exposure to it was the Switch version of Starlink: Battle for Atlas, which contained exclusive Star Fox content. However, I felt motivated to play Rare’s take on the series, Star Fox Adventures, in particular because the only thing I had heard about from it was the original character Krystal, and so wanted to see what else there was to this game and understand the character in that context. After finally getting the chance to play it, I found it overall decent, though flawed.

Scooby-Doo

Note: This review contains spoilers for Scooby-Doo.

As we delved into other animated Scooby-Doo movies, we decided to also take a look at the 2002 live-action film, Scooby-Doo. One major aspect of this decision was the knowledge that James Gunn wrote the screenplay years before he got big with Guardians of the Galaxy. I remember the advertising not clicking with me when I was a kid, plus I also wasn’t that into Scooby-Doo at the time, but we decided to take advantage of a free Amazon Prime stream to actually watch it. As it turns out, nine-year-old me was smarter than 27-year-old me.

Treasure Planet

Since first being published in 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island has gone on to become one of the most ubiquitous novels, receiving a number of adaptations in the coming centuries while also arguably setting the initial default for pirate stereotypes; one of the most famous of these adaptations is Disney’s live-action film adaptation of the same name in 1950, with Disney’s own Pirates of the Caribbean from 2003 arguably overwriting the pirate stereotype into Jack Sparrow clones. The year 2002 would see Disney adapt Treasure Island again, this time fully animated and given a space/steampunk aesthetic under the name Treasure Planet. I had somewhat of an interest as a kid when it first came out, however I never ended up actually being able to watch it until recently, after having heard how good it actually was. Though it’s not without flaws, I did find myself enjoying it for what it was.

Lilo & Stitch

When Lilo & Stitch first came out in 2002 (following Atlantis: The Lost Empire), I will admit I was not too interested in it as a kid, mainly due to its advertising campaign, however I was aware enough of it and its subsequent franchise that I knew who the character of Stitch was without knowing his full backstory. However, after seeing the character make appearances in the Kingdom Hearts series as well as positive word of mouth in recent years, I decided it was time I actually gave the film a chance. To my own surprise, the movie was far better than I initially expected it to be.

TY the Tasmanian Tiger

In 2002, Australian developer Krome Studios released the first in the TY the Tasmanian Tiger series, a late entry in the “mascot with attitude” craze and heavily inspired by Australian wildlife (and also named “TY” to avoid legal trouble with Ty Inc., the toy company responsible for the Beanie Babies fad during the ‘90s). The series proved to be successful enough to last a trilogy in its original release, followed by a fourth game several years later. Though I had been aware of the games when they first released, it wasn’t until recently that I had suddenly become interested in playing them, managing to acquire the first two at a used-game/movie store in Texas, receiving the third as a birthday present, and buying the fourth during the most recent Steam Summer Sale (as of this writing). The first three were also a personal excuse to dust off the original Xbox, while the fourth was only released digitally. With any further ado, let us start from the beginning with the original TY the Tasmanian Tiger.

As TY (a Tasmanian tiger) is exploring a forest, he stumbles upon a story of how the rest of the thylacines (aka Tasmanian tigers) were banished to the Dreamtime by Boss Cass, an evil cassowary who wants to rule over Southern Rivers. With the help of Maurie (a cockatoo) and Julius (a koala scientist), TY has to search for Thunder Eggs to help locate five talismans that will create a portal to the Dreamtime and rescue the other thylacines and defeat Boss Cass.

The core gameplay involves TY being able to throw various types of Boomerangs, or Rangs, that have varying effects on enemies he encounters and the environment, among them fire, ice, explosions, and seeing invisible objects. Rangs can be acquired either by advancing the plot or collecting enough Golden Cogs in each level. Aside from this, TY can also glide across gaps and use a bite attack in combat, the latter of which seems generally faithful to how big an actual thylacine’s open mouth can get.

TY's bite attack. (Finding screenshots for this game is difficult.)

Levels are accessed via a large hub world, which groups them by theme between a few locations on the map. Each level has their own set of objectives that need to be completed, such as going through specific events or collecting enough of certain collectibles, all to obtain enough Thunder Eggs between them to fight bosses to advance the story.

Though not quite the same, the general design feels somewhat reminiscent of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, including the fact that Opals, one of the staple collectibles required for getting Thunder Eggs, are essentially the equivalent to that game’s Precursor Orbs. There is also the presence of a Lives system, with Health represented by a pawprint and refillable via consuming pie (slices). Extra lives can be gained by finding representations of TY’s head (Protip: There’s one that regenerates in the hub world every time you load it) and losing a life gets you revived in the nearest outhouse that you have passed.

Though a game from 2002, the graphics hold up surprisingly well. Each set of levels also feels unique with its varying settings, and the overall design of the game is generally good. An interesting feature is the inclusion of random Australian wildlife, which adds to the world and helps it feel more alive. The named characters are also often based on more obscure Australian animals, such as the cassowary, lyrebird and Tasmanian devil; I should note here that, while TY himself is based on an obscure animal, the Tasmanian tiger, thylacines are officially classified as extinct in the real world. However, the immersion of the world can be broken temporarily when you discover the limits of the game’s skybox (particularly in snow levels) and there are no subtitles in pre-rendered cutscenes even when the option is on.

TY against the first boss, Bull.

The sound design for the game is actually one highlight, as the music creates what feels like an authentic Australian atmosphere. The characters also sport non-annoying Australian accents, plus the game has led me to learn some Australian slang I had not previously been familiar with. Though one should not get too attached to the voice actors when playing the games back-to-back, they do an overall good job in portraying their respective characters, giving them a distinct voice that future replacements have attempted to emulate.

Overall, TY the Tasmanian Tiger is a good start to the current tetralogy of games. Being an Australian developer, Krome Studios was able to deliver a very Australian experience that helps it stand out from the types of games it is attempting to emulate. I would suggest newcomers to the franchise begin with this game, as it sets up the major characters and world-building featured in later installments. For those who wish to revisit the game and/or do not have a sixth-generation console, TY 1 is currently available for purchase on Steam as of this writing.

Stubs - Spider-Man

SPIDER-MAN (2002) Starring: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kristen Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons. Directed by Sam Raimi. Produced by Laura Ziskin, Ian Bryce, Grant Curtis, Avi Arad, and Stan Lee.  Screenplay by David Koepp. Based on characters by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Music by Danny Elfman. Run Time: 121. Color. USA. Action, Adventure

When this film was first released, Spider-Man was considered by many to be the best comic-book based movie of all time. In the past decade, the film has been eclipsed, in my eyes at least, by its sequel Spider-Man 2 (2004), Iron Man (2008) and this year’s The Avengers. Now, only ten years later, Spider-Man, like Batman and Superman before it, is rife for a reboot. With this in mind, it is a good opportunity to revisit the original film to see how Spider-Man’s origin story was handled as a way to compare how it is handled in the reboot of the franchise: The Amazing Spider-Man.

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is a nice kid who finishes last. Peter lives with his Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) and Aunt May (Rosemary Harris). They love Peter, but they seem to be practically the only ones. Not only does the bus driver not stop for him, but even the nerdiest kids on the bus don’t want him to sit next to them. Peter is a photographer for the school paper who dreams of a career as a photographer. He is madly in love with the girl next door Mary Jane Watson (Kristen Dunst), who is dating one of Peter’s bullies, Eugene “Flash” Thompson (Joe Manganiello). Peter’s best friend is Harry Osborn (James Franco), son of scientist/industrialist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe).

On a field trip to a university genetics lab, Peter, while trying to take a photo of Mary Jane, is bitten by a genetically altered, red and blue spider. The effect on Peter is that his DNA and that of the spider’s mesh creating the Spider-Man persona. At school, Peter is once again bullied by Flash, but manages not only to elude his punches, but with one punch he sends Flash across the room. So enamored with how good he feels, Peter runs from school, climbs a wall and runs across the rooftops, effortlessly leaping from roof to roof. When he finds that he can shoot a web from his own body, it takes a little doing, but soon Peter is able to control it.

With his new found powers and prowess, Peter looks for a way to impress Mary Jane. He notices how enamored she is with Flash’s car, so he vows to get one himself. Entering a contest to stay three minutes in a ring with a professional wrestler called Bonesaw (“Macho Man” Randy Savage), Peter wins the contest, but the promoter refuses to pay him the $3000 purse, because he was only in the ring for two minutes not three. When a criminal holds up the wrestling promoter of that day’s take, Peter does nothing. But when the criminal kills his Uncle for his car, Peter vows revenge and dedicates himself to being Spider-Man.

Meanwhile, Oscorp is facing its own problems. The U.S. Military, the firm’s largest customer, is pushing for the super soldier it has contracted for. In an effort to speed up the development, Norman voluntarily takes the serum himself. But rather than a super soldier, a la Captain America, he is turned into a super villain, Green Goblin.

Spider-Man has been making quite a name for himself, as he flings around New York stopping petty crimes. J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), editor of the Daily Bugle, a tabloid, thinks Spider-Man is a criminal, but one that sells papers. He puts in an ad looking for photographs. This is the opening Peter has been waiting for and he takes photos of himself to Jameson.

As the Green Goblin, Osborn manages to disrupt his main competitor Quest’s own program for the US Defense Department, thus leaving Oscorp as the military’s largest supplier. But while Norman is celebrating, his board of directors has been selling the company to Quest and kicking Norman out as chairman. As the Green Goblin he shows up at an Oscorp event to get his revenge, vaporizing the board of directors. He manages to nearly kill Mary Jane, who is there as Harry’s date, before Spider-Man appears on the scene.

Mary Jane starts to fall in love with Spider-Man and when he saves her from a gang of supposed rapists, she and her superhero share one of film history’s most memorable kisses.

The Green Goblin wants Spider-Man and tries to get to him through the photographer that supplies the photos to the Daily Bugle, but Jameson refuses to divulge Peter’s name. But despite that, Norman does finally discover that Peter is Spider-Man and in an effort to draw him out, the Green Goblin attacks Aunt May. While she is in the hospital recovering, Peter finally tells Mary Jane how he feels about her. Harry happens to see Peter and Mary Jane holding hands and tells his father about the love affair.

Using Mary Jane as bait, the Green Goblin lures Spider-Man to the Queensboro Bridge. There he must choose to save Mary Jane or a Roosevelt Island Tram filled with children. The Green Goblin lets both go simultaneously, but Spider-Man manages to save them both. Undaunted, the Green Goblin takes Spider-Man to a deserted warehouse where they fight to the Green Goblin’s death.

Spider-Man takes Norman’s body back to the mansion he shared with Harry. But Harry sees Spider-Man hovering over his father’s body and jumps to the conclusion that Spider-Man killed his father.

At Norman’s funeral, Mary Jane finally confesses her love for Peter. But Peter, knowing his destiny as a superhero puts those he loves in peril (see Aunt May), tells her in essence that they can only ever be friends. Because of who he is, he has to walk away from the woman he wanted since childhood.

Despite some critics who didn’t like the film, Spider-Man was a huge success on its initial release and would spawn two more sequels with the same director and cast. A lot of the credit belongs to Sam Raimi. While I will confess that I had not seen his previous films, as they never seemed to appeal to me, he is obviously more than a capable director. The pacing of the film is good and there is a good mixture of humor amongst the action.

The cast is also very good together. Despite the fact that Tobey Maguire was much older than the Peter Parker he played, he still managed to play a convincing conflicted teenager.  By the time of Spider-Man, Maguire had been in films since 1989, having appeared in such films as S.F.W. (1994), The Ice Storm (1997), Deconstructing Harry (1997), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Pleasantville (1998) and The Cider House Rules (1999). His career post the Spider-Man trilogy has slowed considerably, but he is scheduled to appear in The Great Gatsby and Life of Pi.

I initially thought that Kirsten Dunst was also a little old to be playing a teenager, but it was just that she had been in films from an early age. She too had been in films since 1989, but by the time of Spider-Man she was only 20 years old. Her film debut was in New York Stories in the Oedipus Wrecks segment directed by Woody Allen. She had gone to appear in such films as Bonfire of the Vanities (1990), Interview with the Vampire (1994), Little Women (1994), Jumanji (1995), Wag the Dog (1997), Dick (1999), The Cat’s Meow (2001). Kirsten is cute enough to be the crush of Peter Parker’s life.

James Franco, also in his twenties at the time he filmed Spider-Man, was perhaps best known before that film as the titular character in James Dean (2001), a TV bio film. Franco seems to be perfectly cast as both Peter’s friend, but also as Willem Dafoe’s son. Franco has gone onto a very eclectic career, including starring in Pineapple Express (2008), 127 Hours (2010) and a recurring role on the soap General Hospital. He may also be remembered for his near disastrous turn at co-hosting the Academy Awards.

Willem Dafoe brought quite a lot to the character of Norman Osborn/Green Goblin. Having been in films since the early 80’s, Dafoe has been a busy actor on stage and in films, appearing in numerous films. To list them all would take too long. But it is safe to say that Dafoe had made a career playing sometimes off beat as well as mainstream characters, and has worked in big films and independents as well. I’ve never heard anyone criticize him for not bringing his all to any role he’s played.

But the casting doesn’t stop with the major stars of the films. You couldn’t ask for a better Aunt and Uncle than Rosemary Harris and Cliff Robertson. And special merit should be called out to Bruce Campbell, not so much for his part as the wrestling announcer who gives our hero his name, but for the other roles he plays in the subsequent sequels. He brings a little bit of humor to the parts he plays in this series of films.

All that said the actor who steals the show is J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. He is a throwback to the fast-talking newspapermen depicted in screwball comedies like His Girl Friday (1940). Simmons, who I had seen play the psychiatrist on numerous episodes of Law and Order, is a delight to watch as the over the top editor of a tabloid that knows a good thing when he sees it.

When making a comic book into a movie, special effects play a part. While it is sometimes very obvious that it is a special effect, such as the scene of Peter leaping from rooftop to rooftop or flinging from building to building as Spider-Man, they are mixed very well with the live action actor that it is acceptable and not jarring.

As I stated before, when Spider-Man was first released, it was number one on my list of comic-book related films. While it has slipped down that list so slightly over time, it has not diminished the movie itself. It is still a great introduction to the Spider-Man story, especially, if you’re not a fan boy of the character.

The movie is so good that it makes one worry for the reboot. Unlike the 80’s Batman cycle, which had worn out its welcome and become a joke, Spider-Man had not reached that point when the third film played out. While there is a buzz for any superhero movie, The Amazing Spider-Man has a lot to live up to, not only as part of the Spider-Man series, but because it  comes out between the fantastic The Avengers, which opened in May and the highly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises, which opens next month.