2021 - The Highlights (EHeroFlareNeos)

With the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, many of the films originally slated for theatrical releases this year instead made their way to various streaming services, which became our main way of keeping up with new releases in the interest of safety. Fortunately, that also meant we could experience more than we could last year and resulted in comparatively meatier year-end lists. As always, this list is based entirely on what we were able to watch or play for ourselves. Foreign films are also counted based on their US release date.

Top Movies of 2021

Luca (2021)

Following the existential Soul, Luca continues Pixar’s recent streak of amazing films with a coming-of-age story about sea monsters who struggle to fit in with the human world. With help from its more unique art style compared to previous films, the Italian town of Portorosso looks downright gorgeous, including the impressively realistic water animation. Combine this with incredible writing, including a cast of likeable three-dimensional characters, and you have a recipe for a great film that shouldn’t be missed. The same goes for its companion short, Ciao Alberto.

The Suicide Squad

Following the disappointing 2016 attempt at adapting Suicide Squad to the big screen, The Suicide Squad shows a surprising and dramatic improvement. Perhaps due to his tenure on Guardians of the Galaxy, James Gunn’s incredible writing and direction expertly balances a serious plotline with well-timed humor and manages to make the audience care about lesser-known villains from the DC universe. Some of the raunchier aspects befitting the “R” rating don’t always quite land, but everything else just about makes up for it.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train

Mugen Train holds the achievement of the highest grossing Japanese film of all time and that’s no accident. A perfect storm of breathtaking animation, emotional storytelling and incredible action sequences make this one of the best anime films in recent years. Despite also canonically adapting a storyline from the Demon Slayer manga and continuing directly from where the first season left off, even those unfamiliar with the series can still generally follow along with the story and find themselves invested in the fates of the characters. A highly recommended film, if only just to see what all the fuss is about.

Batman: The Long Halloween (Parts 1 and 2)

While animated adaptations of Batman stories can feel hit-or-miss depending on the creative team behind it, The Long Halloween certainly hits. Even without reading the original source material, the combined feature still tells a compelling story that deeply explores its main theme of family from multiple perspectives. Though multiple villains appear, they all feel like they actually contribute to the plot, including the very tragic story of Harvey Dent and his eventual transformation into Two-Face, and the animation features one of the best Batman art styles yet. A definite must-watch for any Batman fan.

Top Games of 2021

Hitman 3

As the final installment in the World of Assassination Trilogy, Hitman 3 ends 47’s worldwide mission on a high note. The great writing taps into the full potential of the Providence storyline and the gameplay offers players unique experiences they can’t find in any other Hitman game thanks to some well-executed experimentation. There are some issues of course, like some odd mission design choices and the “always online” requirement to get the full experience, not to mention the annoying Elusive Target system, but even with its flaws, Hitman 3 stands as one of the best stealth games on the market, or at the very least one of the best entries in the Hitman franchise. Hopefully, future Hitman installments can match or even exceed the experience offered in this game.

Resident Evil Village

After Biohazard showcased the strengths of first-person for the Resident Evil games, Village makes the right call in not only continuing that direction, but trying something new with it. While not as tense or frightening as its predecessor, the action-focused direction doesn’t detract from the strong writing, with memorable characters and set pieces that lead to a surprisingly emotional conclusion to Ethan Winters’ story. Even if the next game returns to the traditional third-person perspective or the series’ familiar faces, Village remains a great action horror title and is a ride you may want to experience more than once.

Deltarune Chapter 2

After a three-year gap, Toby Fox finally released the anticipated second chapter of Deltarune, his follow-up to the highly-acclaimed Undertale. While we still don’t have the rest of the game yet, Deltarune Chapter 2 feels well worth the wait, improving upon Chapter 1 in just about every way, with a high level of quality and polish that rivals even some major AAA game releases. At the moment, there’s pretty much no reason not to try Delatrune for yourself, since both chapters are available at the incredible price of free.

Top Disappointments of 2021

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run

SpongeBob is no stranger to the silver screen, with attempts that usually fall short of the quality of the first three seasons, but Sponge on the Run may just be the weakest installment yet. A weak story and bad attempts at being hip are one thing, but towards the end of the film, the audience is treated to what feels like an extended advertisement for the Kamp Koral spinoff show, which doesn’t add much of anything to the film. If there’s any lesson to be learned from this, it’s that SpongeBob should just stick to TV.

Clifford the Big Red Dog

While some fans of Clifford the Big Red Dog might not have expected much from a live-action adaptation of the beloved property, especially if they saw the TV ads beforehand, they might not have expected such a painfully generic family film. Every box you might expect to be ticked gets ticked, down to some product placement and humor that appeals to the lowest common denominator, and Clifford’s inclusion feels poorly thought out. Although the film is free on Paramount+, you’re better off watching the 2000 cartoon instead.

No More Heroes III

After years of anticipation, the final installment in the No More Heroes series unfortunately falls short of its predecessors. Between the obnoxiously unsubtle self-aware writing, poorly-balanced gameplay and bad optimization for an underpowered console, No More Heroes III felt frustrating more than it did fun. It seems that in an attempt to live up to his reputation as a wacky game developer, Suda51 had forgotten what made the (admittedly janky) experience of the original Wii game so magical, instead focusing on endless fourth wall breaks and references. Even if you’re a total diehard fan of Suda51, it’s not worth the full price of admission.

Worst Movie of 2021

Space Jam: A New Legacy

Space Jam: A New Legacy proves that some things should just stay in the past. Though the original Space Jam came from a then-popular Nike ad campaign of all places, and certainly has its flaws, it still has enough passion and talent put into its production that audiences can still like something about it. Its sequel, on the other hand, feels very cold and corporate, with most of its runtime devoted to Warner Bros. showing off all the licenses they own and coming off as more of a glorified ad for the HBO Max streaming service. Even the well-done animation can’t make up for a bad script and a less charismatic basketball player in the spotlight.

2021 - The Highlights (Tetris_King)

With film and game studios figuring out how to navigate these stressful times in terms of release schedules, this year was a lot more substantial for us for newer entertainment, even if we still don't feel comfortable enough to go back into a theater. Despite this limitation, and thanks to newer films being released across various streaming platforms, a more substantial year results in a more substantial list than last time.

Each list is presented in no particular order, with links to reviews where applicable.

Top Movies of 2021

Luca (2021)

Pixar continues their return to form after Soul with Luca, featuring a comparatively low-stakes story about a pair of sea monsters set in and around the Italian Riviera. The animation is phenomenal and works well with its unique art style, backed by some amazing character writing. Not only would I highly suggest checking this out, I would also recommend watching its related short Ciao Alberto on Disney+ right afterwards, as it serves as a great companion piece to the film’s ending.

The Suicide Squad

While the original Suicide Squad film from 2016 was a mess, James Gunn cleans it up with The Suicide Squad. His experience on Guardians of the Galaxy works to great effect here, coming off less like a ripoff as he manages to successfully make you care about lesser-known DC villains on a more emotional level, particularly the obscure Batman villain Polka Dot Man. As per its R rating, the raunchier humor is more hit-and-miss depending on the viewer, and in my case it more often missed. That aside, for those who weren’t fans of the original film, it’s a great way to wash the bad taste out of your mouth.

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train

Following from the end of the anime’s first Season and even continuing the storyline, Mugen Train is a must-see for any Demon Slayer fan. The animation is phenomenal and the plot is well-executed to where even a non-fan can get into it even if this is their first exposure to the series. While the Mugen Train arc of the manga is getting adapted again for the anime’s second Season, it’s well worth watching the film adaptation anyway just to see why it’s (currently) Japan’s highest-grossing film of all time.

PAW Patrol: The Movie

Going in with passing knowledge of the source material and not knowing what exactly to expect, PAW Patrol: The Movie pleasantly surprised me with its well-written and emotional storyline, as well as some amazing animation that far surpasses what can be accomplished on a TV budget. It’s not likely everyone’s first choice and it’s still trying to sell toys, though I’d say it’s worth giving it a watch anyway for the storytelling alone.

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part 1 and 2

Though I have not read the original comic storyline beforehand, Batman: The Long Halloween is a very intriguing Batman story in its own right. The overarching mystery keeps you guessing until the very end, plus it features a very interesting interpretation of Two-Face. Fans of the original comic may find themselves disappointed depending on their expectations, otherwise it makes for a very solid entry in the line of animated Batman films.

Top Video Games of 2021

Little Nightmares II

Little Nightmares II takes what the original did with its themes of gluttony and applies it to a different message, that being the overconsumption of TV, without losing the intense unnerving imagery that made the first game memorable. Enough changes are made to the gameplay to keep things fresh, making this a worthy addition to any horror game collection.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

The Ratchet & Clank series has had its ups and downs, including a divisive reimagining of the original game, however its latest installment proves exactly why the series is so well-regarded. An amazing storyline and the well-written introduction of newcomer Rivet are two of the game’s highlights, though the classic gameplay is built upon further with new elements that take full advantage of the PS5’s hardware. Even for franchise newcomers, this is a must-play for any PS5 owner.

Top Disappointments of 2021

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run

While the first two SpongeBob Squarepants movies aren’t as good as the first three Seasons of the show, the more direct involvement of series creator Stephen Hillenburg keeps them somewhat in line with those Seasons. Released as a Paramount+ launch title, the third film, Sponge on the Run, unfortunately misses the mark. While one could argue that the celebrity cameos in the first two films still managed to contribute in some way to the story, here they are totally superfluous, though the biggest sticking point of the movie is how the story feels the need to retcon early SpongeBob lore just to promote the Kamp Koral spin-off series. While the voice acting and animation are certainly on-point, they are not enough to save this film.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

While not necessarily a perfect film by any means, the original Space Jam is a film that gets more enjoyable every time I watch it, helped by Michael Jordan’s charisma and down-to-earth depiction, as well as amazing Roger Rabbit-like visual effects that still hold up nicely to this day. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Space Jam: A New Legacy, which completely misses the point of Space Jam with weaker writing, inconsistent internal logic with the original movie and a basketball game with nonsensical “video game logic” and a ham-fisted Ready Player One scenario complete with forced crossovers between the Looney Tunes and whatever Warner Bros. happens to own. While I can recommend the original film as a solid piece of ‘90s nostalgia, this one is a hard pass.

Clifford the Big Red Dog (Film)

This is a case where I had little faith going into it thanks to an odd ad campaign, and yet I still felt disappointed by the end result. While the acting is fine for the most part, the plot and character archetypes are very generic for a Clifford movie, and while the CG is great for the most part, it can get dodgy at times. While the explanation given for Clifford’s size is accurate to the source material, the way it’s presented somehow comes off a little hokey in a live-action setting. Whether you’re an existing fan or a franchise newcomer, it’s difficult to recommend this one.

2021 - The Year in Review (lionsroar)

2021, unfortunately, did not live up to the promise, as we still haven't shaken COVID and may never. While the world seems to be in a rush to get back to normal, we here at Trophy Unlocked still don't feel comfortable sitting in a crowded movie theater, so all the new films we've reviewed this year have been seen from the seats in our living room.

The Best of the Year (in no particular order).

The Beatles: Get Back

While technically not a movie, the project itself did start out as one. Perhaps it was COVID that pushed back the release and gave director Peter Jackson more time with the footage, but the movie turned into a three-night nearly eight-hour-long documentary about The Beatles recording an album in January 1969 and playing one last live show. While this isn't something that I would sit down and watch again right away, I was very happy to have finally seen this project. If anything, the documentary is perhaps an hour too long for the non-Beatles-indoctrinated out there, as there is too much time spent on the group goofing around rather than being productive. Now let's see them re-release Let It Be.

Judas and the Black Messiah

The story of Fred Hampton, a leader of the Black Panthers in Chicago, might be one that may not have been known if it weren't for this film. Daniel Kaluuya gives a compelling performance and while the film might not be "fun" to watch, it is still an important one that should be seen.

Luca

Pixar has become hit and miss in recent years, so it was nice to see them hit one with Luca. A sweet story about being a fish out of water, or in this case, a sea monster, this is a nice treat. This is what a family film should be. Very enjoyable.

No Time to Die

All things come to an end, and while James Bond will go on, it will do so without Daniel Craig as the MI6 agent with a license to kill. Bond goes out in a big way and leaves you wondering how they're going to continue. While I might have my doubts when Craig came onboard, he has proven to be one of the better Bonds and sorry to see him go.

Black Widow

After 13 years and 20+ films, it's sort of hard to give up on the MCU cold turkey. While I'm still not excited about Phase 4, it was nice to get a Phase 3 fix of sorts with Scarlett Johannson's swan song as Black Widow, a character who needed a movie, though it might have been nice if they didn't use it to try and sell some later Phase 4 film as well.

Batman: The Long Halloween Parts 1 and 2

For some reason, DC does much better with animated superhero films than it does with live-action. Case in point, Batman. This year, there was the two-part epic, The Long Halloween, which manages to set the right tone while also utilizing a wide variety of the villains in the Batman universe.

 

The Disappointments of the Year (in no particular order)

Zack Snyder's Justice League

Perhaps 2021 is the year of the long re-edit. The Beatles: Get Back is, in essence, a redo of the film Let It Be and Zack Snyder's Justice League is a four-hour re-edit of an otherwise failed film from 2017. While better, it is also longer, nearly four hours long, and it is not enough to really change my opinion about the original version nor Warner Bros.' handling of the DC films.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

Why was this made? It is not a story that needed to be told and the star of the film, LeBron James, does not come off as either a good actor or a good father (I know it's fiction). James does not have the cache that Michael Jordan had when he made Space Jam, which wasn't a film that needed a sequel or a reboot, and this film is proof of that.

Clifford: The Big Red Dog

Family films usually mean they're aimed at children and not any adult who has any discerning tastes. Clifford fits that bill very nicely. It's hard to hate a puppy dog, but the film is nothing but predictable. It tries very hard to show diversity, including placating Chinese nationals, but that is about all the heavy lifting it does. If you find yourself knowing what's going to happen next, you're not alone.

Godzilla vs. Kong

If you like your films big and stupid, then this is the one for you. Your mind will be blown by the visual effects and you won’t need it for the rest of the film.

Dune

Disappointment is perhaps misplaced here. I wasn't really looking forward to the film the way some may have been. Going in, I had no expectations, but even those were not meant. The film is good, but not great, and slow-paced, which is not a good thing for science fiction. Blame me for wanting better or more, since there is a sequel in the planning stages.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

If you’re reading this, you’ve very likely heard of Space Jam, a 1996 film where Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan team up to defeat a group of aliens in a game of basketball. While it did okay critically, the film proved enough of a financial success that Warner Bros. immediately went into talks for a sequel. However, the project languished in development hell until 2014, when a sequel featuring LeBron James was officially announced, though filming didn’t start until 2019. The final product, whose production was largely unaffected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max on July 16, 2021 as part of the slate of day-and-date releases for the platform. Unfortunately, the 25-year gap between films resulted in something less of a real sequel to Space Jam and more of a glorified ad for both Warner Bros. and LeBron James.

Second Look - Space Jam

Three years ago, I reviewed the Looney Tunes/Michael Jordan movie Space Jam, both to look at something I had seen as a kid and as a lead-in to the game Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden. In the years since the original post, I have come to realize that, among other things, my opinion on the movie may have been more influenced by an outside source than I had initially believed. So, in time for the movie’s 21^st anniversary, I have decided to rewatch the movie and offer a re-review based on how I felt. Though some of my opinions stay the same, I have generally come to view Space Jam a little more positively, though still not entirely.

Based on a Nike Super Bowl commercial, the movie opens with a young Michael Jordan (Brandon Hammond) aspiring to become a professional basketball player, which the opening credits montage of NBA footage shows that he does. As he did in real life, the movie cuts to Jordan (played by himself) starting a professional baseball career to emulate his father. Over the course of the movie, he is dragged into an interstellar conflict in which he must help the Looney Tunes (who live in the center of the Earth) win a basketball game against a group of aliens called the Nerdlucks, who have absorbed the talents of professional NBA stars to become the Monstars. If the Looney Tunes lose, they will be forced to become the latest attraction of the space amusement park Six Flags Magic Mountain Moron Mountain, run by Mr. Swackhammer (Danny DeVito).

The crossover 63% of you asked for (from left: Bugs Bunny, Michael Jordan).

The story generally follows a consistent pace, managing to balance the two narratives of Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes to form a somewhat cohesive whole. There is, however, a plot point that seems to come out of nowhere, that being Bill Murray’s (playing himself) appearance in the final act, where he suddenly joins the Tune Squad to help defeat the Monstars in the big basketball game. His appearance is explained away by a meta joke (he was essentially able to walk onto the set), however it still seems like a deus ex machina since the only foreshadowing he gets is him discussing basketball, while playing golf, with Michael Jordan prior to Jordan getting taken to the Tunes’ world. In any case, as said in the preceding paragraph, it does accurately portray Michael Jordan’s professional sports career, since he went from the NBA to the MiLB before returning to the NBA, playing for the Chicago Bulls before and after baseball. Behind the scenes, production for Space Jam may have helped influence Jordan’s return to basketball, seen at the end of the movie, as the studio had constructed a full-size basketball court so he could practice and get back into the rhythm of playing.

The animation is actually pretty good, at least in regards to the Tunes and the aliens, and manages to hold up pretty well (although the general quality fluctuates a little during the climactic basketball game). The CG effects, on the other hand, are incredibly outdated by today’s standards, even with the context of the animated characters. When applied to humans especially, these effects can easily edge into nightmare fuel, among such moments a scene where Jordan is morphed into a basketball-like shape that the Monstars play around with to taunt the Tunes. In spite of this, viewers may enjoy seeing their favorite Looney Tunes characters on-screen, even some more obscure characters that appear in some crowd shots (including the recently-memetic Dover Boys, whose short is currently public domain). Though the Tunes themselves can be a little more mean-spirited than what you’d find in an old Looney Tunes short, one can view these versions of the Tunes as alternate counterparts to the ones featured in the shorts, partially due to this movie setting them up as living inside the Earth’s core.

Quick, before the copyright gets renewed!

As stated in my original review, a positive I would give the movie is its soundtrack, which features the memetic “Space Jam” by Quad City DJs, as well as the R. Kelly hit “I Believe I Can Fly” among other then-popular artists/songs that turn the 6x Platinum soundtrack into a ‘90s time capsule. Since my initial review, I have come to find more humor in the movie, including some visual gags and off-hand lines (including some of Bill Murray’s dialogue), however I still think it could have done without the occasional moments of toilet humor, at least one of which, where they literally spit-shine an old basketball court, was just a bit gross to see animated. The subplot of the now-talentless NBA stars is actually kind of funny, including a scene where it makes the plot of the movie sound even more ridiculous when put into spoken words. My opinion on the product placement remains the same, in that it can become a bit in-your-face; in one particular scene, the character of Stanley (Wayne Knight) rattles off a bunch of brands while telling Michael Jordan to get ready, with Jordan eating food from McDonald’s (who has actually sponsored him) on top of that.

In spite of the dubious quality of the movie, it does indeed have an enduring legacy, least of which is attaining a lasting cult following. Charles Barkley, one of the NBA stars featured in the movie as a victim of the Nerdlucks’ abilities, was made the main character of a (hilarious) fan-made RPG game, Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (full name: Tales of Game’s Studios Presents Chef Boyardee’s Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden, Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa), which actually features the story of Space Jam as part of the backstory as well as its own remix of the “Space Jam” theme. The game is set to get a Kickstarted sequel with original assets, Barkley 2 (full name: The Magical Realms of Tír na nÓg: Escape from Necron 7 – Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie – Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa), though it remains in development.

A more notable aspect of Space Jam’s legacy is that it features the first appearance of Lola Bunny; though she doesn’t have much character here (being introduced solely to give Bugs Bunny a love interest), she has since been given more development in following Looney Tunes offshoots, among them the Cartoon Network series The Looney Tunes Show, as well as having a descendent of hers starring in the Kids WB series Loonatics Unleashed. Talks of a sequel to Space Jam have also been going around for years, although so far nothing official has ever materialized for it.

Lola Bunny (right) didn't have much to go on in her first outing.

Upon giving it a second chance, Space Jam is, in my opinion, okay. There’s some legitimately funny moments in it and the traditional animation is a highlight (as is hearing the late June Foray actually voicing her regular characters), however it still doesn’t entirely appeal to me as a complete package. Regardless, it is rather easy to see why the movie has a cult following, especially when factoring in Lola Bunny’s debut in this movie as well as various memes and the aforementioned fan game starring Charles Barkley (plus I’m not one to judge unironic enjoyment of this particular movie since I unironically enjoy UHF). I wouldn’t entirely recommend Space Jam to Looney Tunes fans aside from its historical value for Lola, though it is overall somewhat enjoyable and is worth watching once to form your own opinion, especially if you’re a fan of Michael Jordan or are gearing up to play Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden.

Would you believe the official website is still active?

[OLD] Space Jam

This film has been re-reviewed. Read it here: https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2017/11/second-look-space-jam.html

Space Jam is one of those movies I saw at least once as a kid, only to barely remember it years later as an adult; though I remember liking the movie as a kid (because I was a kid), I eventually began to wonder why exactly I liked it in the first place. What I eventually learned later, however, is that the movie was based on a series of Nike commercials that featured Looney Tunes characters alongside famed NBA basketball player Michael Jordan. In a fit of nostalgia, I recorded the movie on my TiVo (R.I.P. Blockbuster) and found the time to watch it sometime afterwards. After having done so, I found it…to have some problems.

The film opens with a scene of Michael Jordan as a kid (Brandon Hammond) practicing shooting hoops in his backyard, telling his father (Thom Barry) his plans to go big in basketball and then try playing baseball (just like his dad). Years later in 1993, Michael Jordan does just that (Note: This actually happened in real life), however his career is suffering and a publicist named Stanley Podolak (Wayne Knight) tries to help him out, much to Jordan’s annoyance. Meanwhile in space, there is an amusement park called Moron Mountain, and its owner, Mr. Swackhammer (Danny DeVito), doesn’t like how things are going. When trying to come up with a new way to attract customers, his assistants, the Nerdlucks (Pound (Jocelyn Blue), Blanko (Charity James), Bang (June Melby), Bupkus (Catherine Reitman), and Nawt (Celleen Wainwright), who along with the term “Nerdluck” are not named in the movie proper) accidentally come across Looney Tunes cartoons on TV, which Swackhammer decides should be Moron Mountain’s newest attraction (see: Six Flags). The Nerdlucks then travel to Earth, diving towards the center, where it turns out the Looney Tunes live, and seek to enslave them to bring them to Moron Mountain. With a bit of quick thinking, Bugs Bunny (Billy West) and the other Tunes challenge the Nerdlucks to a basketball game for their freedom, which they believe they will win because their opponents are so short. In retaliation, the Nerdlucks steal the talents of other NBA stars (Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Shawn Bradley, Larry Johnson, and Muggsy Bogues), increasing their size as a result, gaining the team name Monstars (now voiced by Darnell Suttles, Steve Kehela, Joey Camen, Dorian Harewood, and T. K. Carter respectively) and beating down the Tunes; this makes the Tunes realize they need extra help. On the surface, while playing golf with Stanley, Bull Murray, and Larry Bird, Michael Jordan is kidnapped by Bugs Bunny (this is an odd sentence) and taken to the Tunes’ world, where he gets an explanation as to the current stakes. While he initially finds himself in an odd predicament, Michael Jordan agrees to help.

The Nerdlucks touching a magic basketball to absorb talent that they stole from
professional NBA players. Don't ask me which Nerdluck is which.

At first, Space Jam’s plot feels like two completely different movies slapped together, but eventually they merge into something a bit nonsensical. Admittedly, while I am not a huge basketball fan, nor do I follow Michael Jordan that closely, I felt the parts involving him dealing with his baseball performance and potential family issues could have been salvaged as its own movie, if done right, but the bits with the Nerdlucks and the Looney Tunes came in and made the story somewhat of a mess. While the movie itself does feature some big-name actors like Bill Murray and June Foray (voicing her respective Granny and Witch Hazel characters from previous Looney Tunes shorts) alongside known NBA players like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, I felt that the actors’ talents were somewhat wasted (including those of the voice actors who took over the late Mel Blanc’s roles), especially given that Bill Murray at the time was (and still is) known for films like Caddyshack and both Ghostbusters movies, not to mention the oft-copied Groundhog Day.

Speaking of comedies, another problem with the movie is its humor. Granted, there is at least one legitimately funny moment, like Bugs Bunny taking a jab at the Mighty Ducks movies, the Looney Tunes in general didn’t really come across as being funny, as one would expect them to be. Their actions are more so based on cockiness and serious revenge than comedic revenge, with any semblance of the latter coming from various clips and maybe something between the Roadrunner and Coyote characters. Sure, the animated characters (that get enough screen time) are animated well, but these Tunes, Tiny or not, are not particularly Looney. And while the traditional animation in the movie is admittedly solid, the CG present is not by today’s standards (given this is a 90s movie, the CG was probably something when it first came out) and doesn’t hold up very well. Some CG was also put into making at least a couple live-action characters, including Michael Jordan himself, seem more slapsticky in the Looney Tunes’ world, however it rather quickly dives into the uncanny valley, making those particular scenes a little difficult to watch.

Bugs Bunny (left) and Michael Jordan (right): together at last.

As with plenty of other movies, the product placement in this movie is rather blatant; the fact that this movie is based on a commercial itself does not help. A particular scene that comes to mind is when Michael Jordan is watching TV while eating McDonald’s, only for the Stanley character to enter the room and awkwardly name off five products in rapid succession. While this was somewhat unavoidable given the nature of the film, this still kind of bothered me as I watched it. Also, on a different subject, I’m not much of a basketball expert, but I’m pretty sure at least 80% of the moves pulled off in the big game near the end of the movie would be considered illegal in real life.

While the movie itself might not be all that great, one thing I can’t fault it for is the soundtrack, which, much like The Transformers: The Movie’s soundtrack was with the 80s, is so 90s that it hurts. Aside from the well-known song “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly (which got referenced in Penny Arcade Adventures of all things), it features artists such as Seal, Coolio, Busta Rhymes, Spin Doctors, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, and many more, which makes the film somewhat of a 90s time capsule, which is probably why the CD managed to get a 6x Platinum in the years since the movie’s release. In short, this is probably the one thing about the movie that I can’t find any faults in. (Speaking of time capsules, did you know that you can still view the Space Jam promotional website to this very day? Check it out!)

Behold!

One other thing this movie is probably better known for is that it’s the first appearance of a character named Lola Bunny (Kath Soucie), who serves as a female love interest for Bugs Bunny (and whom all the other male Tunes find attractive). Though she displays knowledge of how to play basketball that the other starring Tunes lack, she doesn’t really do much of anything else, much like the earlier version of IDW Publishing’s Drift character in their Transformers comics. However, she has since gained something of a legacy, having a super-powered equivalent on (now defunct) Kids WB’s (divisive) Loonatics Unleashed cartoon and becoming a major player on Cartoon Network’s current The Looney Tunes Show. Needless to say, Warner Brothers seems to have found more of a use for the Lola character in the years since her introduction in Space Jam.

Lola Bunny (right) doesn't really do much of anything in this film.

While it was good to me when I was a kid, Space Jam isn’t a movie that has really held with me since I viewed it again. While the animation (for the most part) and the soundtrack prove to be good, the Looney Tunes themselves feel sort of out of character and the plot is kind of a mess, feeling like several movies cobbled together into one. However, this movie is no doubt likely someone’s guilty pleasure and, while maybe a little outdated, I would recommend this movie as harmless entertainment for children, the movie’s target audience, provided the child in question at least knows who Michael Jordan is. Though it was probably good for me to revisit a movie like this from my childhood, this isn’t a movie I personally would want to see again out of my own volition (though this movie is canon, so make of that what you will).