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December 18, 2025

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE; SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 2:44 pm
Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) and SpongeBob SquarePants (Tom Kenny) in The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants from Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon.

And just what type of feature film has been at the top of the box office for the last couple of weekends? Oh, and it just became the biggest grossing flick of 2025 (we’ll see if that holds with the Nav’i arriving from Pandora this Friday). I’m talking about ZOOTOPIA 2, an animated feature film. And a sequel that could be part of another ongoing big franchise. That’s not too unusual for movies from the “mouse house” (and their Pixar partners), but rare for others. Sure, there’s DreamWorks with SHREK and ICE AGE from Blue Sky (actually now part of Disney). Well, there’s now Paramount Animation whose lil’ yellow, smilin’ hero is headlining his fourth big screen adventure, all since debuting on the Nickelodeon cable TV network way back in 1999. So let’s travel to Bikini Bottom via the multiplex for THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS. Whew, to paraphrase another seafarer and the poster, “we’re gonna’ need a bigger marquee”.

To start this tale of deep sea exploit, we’re treated to a prologue from a live-action pirate who tells us of the legend of the Flying Dutchman. Not to worry kids, we’re quickly reunited with our guy, Spongebob Squarepants (voice of Tom Kenny), who’s very excited at his pineapple home. Turns out he’s gotten taller, actually tall enough to ride the roller coaster at a nearby amusement park, Glove World. Yes, he’s a “big guy”! His BFF Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) join him on this momentous trek. Ah, but the very dangerous-looking ride causes Bob to have a “change of heart”. Yup, he’s the “chicken of the sea”. The duo head back to the Crabby Patty diner, where the owner, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown) teases him with tales of his past “daring do” showing off his own “swashbuckler certificate”. Hoping to earn one of his own, Bob and Patrick go through a secret trap door, to Krabs’ old artifacts and “knick-knacks”. Somehow, the duo pass into an “ultra secret” section that has a portal to the pirate ship of the Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill). It turns out that he’s tired of being a green ghost who must sail the seven seas for eternity. He has a chance to be human once more via a magical device that can only be activated by “the purest innocent”. Sounds like our “big guy” Bob. As they sail away, Krabs and Squidward (Roger Bumpass), head downstairs and try to follow the ship to rescue Bob and Patrick. Can the squabbling pair catch up to the Dutchman before Bob somehow sends the old pirate into the real world? And would Bob replace him as the captain of his ghostly vessel?

It’s amazing that the veteran voice ensemble (past 25 years already) can still bring such sprightly energy to the “core” cast of characters, particularly the gifted vocal styling of Mr. Kenny (Bill, Clancy, and Roger aren’t “phoning it in”, though they could). Now, with this outing, they’ve brought in a few more actors into their “play pen”. Hamill is the perfect craggy, cranky green pirate ghost, while Regina Hall make for an excellent “first mate/assistant” Barb. As good as they are, the visuals really have to sell this story. While the original TV series and the first feature were produced in glorious “hand-drawn” 2D-style “classic” animation (though I’m guessing some “flash” was in use), the producers have completely-embraced fully-rendered, rounded, textured 3D CGI tech. Happily none of the rubbery expressions and exaggerations are lost, as the artists really make the cast very expressive in their physicality, often recalling the “loonier” art of Bob Clampett (a “touchstone” in zany poses). And we even get some live-action actors and settings in the big finale, though they can’t compare with the eye-popping splendor of the undersea backdrops (what they can do with the sand and sea greenery). The only problem with this is the exhaustion from the manic “in your face” pacing, which was meant to keep kids engaged, but is so draining for over 90 minutes (maybe this would’ve worked better in a multipart TV miniseries). You really need some time to catch your breath, since there aren’t big musical numbers or any quiet interludes. Yes the visuals are superb (some “gross-out” close-ups feel like the handiwork of Spumco, the Ren & Stimpy studio, stalwart Vincent Waller), but it really begins to blend together by the third act. But the overall quality is maintained after all this time in the “briny deep” so that longtime fans (the original TV viewers can bring their kids and maybe grandkids) will get a nostalgic charge out of THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS. Oh, and the TMNT short that proceeds it is pretty clever, too.

2.5 Out of 4

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, December 19, 2025

July 11, 2023

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 9:44 pm

With this week’s release of an entry in a blockbuster action franchise the old adage of seven being a lucky number will truly be put to the test. Now it’s not the highest number franchise as we’ve gotten FAST X or the longest running like the big flick from almost two weeks ago, INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (way back in 1981). Of course, we can add on the inspiration for this series, actually a TV series (overseen by Lucy…really) which exploded onto the airwaves way back in the prehistoric era (nah, merely 1966). Oh, but this “tentpole” has catapulted well past its “network” roots. Still, it’s tough not to hear that infectious theme music from Lalo Schifrin when taking in this rather long title (but thanks, Paramount, for being “upfront” about it) MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE. And now I’m seeing that sizzling fuse in my head.


Surprisingly this new installment doesn’t begin with the finale of another caper involving the IMF (Impossible Missions Force). Nope, we’re on board for the last cruise (‘natch) of an “invisible” Russian submarine. Advanced top-secret stealth capabilities really, completely undetectable. But not indestructible as two prized interlocking keys are left floating in its wreckage. This leads to a new mission, which he “chooses to accept”, for IMF ace Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), who is sent to the Namib desert for a deadly reunion with old cohort Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). Soon he’s back in the States as a “hush-hush” meeting of “the Community” outlines the urgent need for said keys. It’s the only way to stop a now rogue AI program called “the Entity”, which has become sentient and desires to use the world wide web to take over the planet. Hunt’s boss Kitteridge (Henry Czerny) is present, along with his superior, DNI head Denlinger (Cary Elwes). Learning of Hunt’s involvement, he sends out a team led by Briggs (Shea Whigham) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davies) to stop the IMF. Reuniting with his teammates and pals, Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg), Hunt travels to the Abu Dhabi airport to intercept a key transfer. Said item is snatched away by pro pickpocket/ “drop-pocket” Grace (Hayley Atwell). But Hunt also has to deal with the return of an old enemy, the ruthless and deadly Gabriel (Esai Morales), who’s helping the Entity. This leads to a globetrotting race for the keys, with stops in Rome and Venice, battles with Gabriel’s aide, the deadly Paris (Pom Klementieff), and a tense showdown by another woman from Hunt’s past, Alanna AKA “the White Widow” (Vanessa Kirby). Eventually, everything and everyone converge on a heart-stopping ride aboard the Orient Express (with no Belgian master detective to help). Perhaps this is a mission that’s truly impossible.

This thriller boasts an impressive acting ensemble, but once again this is Mr. Cruise’s show. In the previous sextet, he’s more than proved his skills in selling spectacular action stunts. However, Ethan is not merely a “daredevil. We see some of his warmth and committment to his team, while forging a couple of possible romances. Plus he injects humor into these dire predictaments as he quickly “switches gears” when plans go awry, and even shows a sign of panic as he works up the “nerve” to plunge forward. And then Cruise shows us that the “superspy” is a man of principals when he decides to block the “higher-ups” who lust after the Entity. As mentioned earlier, his sometimes squabbling duo has is back. Rhames as Luther is often the wise and grounded elder mentor, sort of the “cool uncle” , while Pegg as Benji is the often over-excited and exasperated “kid brother” who only gets “in the field” when absolutely needed. Ferguson is quite dynamic and decisive as the skilled Faust, while Kirby is slinky and sexy as the unpredictable “wild card” Alanna. Probably the best of the “newbies” is Atwell, upending her MCU Peggy Carter persona, as the “in it for the bucks” Grace who slowly starts to regain her ethics due to the influence of the IMF and especially Hunt (and yes, there’s a playful chemistry between them). As for the “opponants”, Wigham and Davis are very good as the “by the books” partners who seem to always be a step or two behind Hunt, earning a begrudging respect from the elder agent. But the biggest “baddie” is Gabriel played with a chilling dead-eyed glare by Morales. He’s a near-unstoppable force of villainy, who doesn’t hesitate in inflicting violence against anyone, especially Hunt’s friends (it appears to be his only source of pleasure). A good counterpoint to this “weapon” is Klementieff’s Paris who does derive lots of joy from the chaos she creates. Czerny is quite effective as the morally ambiguous IMF chief, who seems to have his own sinister agenda, while Elwes is “carving a niche” for himself as a smarmy bureaucrat who’s in need of a comeuppance.

Taking the directing chair for the third time is Christopher McQuarrie who keeps the story moving with nearly as much energy as one of Cruise’s manic sprints (yup, he’s burning up the “shoe leather” once again) making it feel like half of its163-minute runtime. Yes, the bulk of the flick consists of several big action sequences, but McQuarrie doesn’t let them veer too much into the “silly” or needlessly repetitive. The Rome chase is full of twists and even allows for some nice “interplay” between Hunt and Grace (hear that, FAST X). And the “tiny car” comedy outdoes Indy’s trek in Tangiers. Speaking of Dr. Jones, the Orient Express train sequence easily bests the DIAL WWII prologue (which is perhaps its best moment). And the Venice “techno dance arena” here has more gravitas than the similar setting in the recent John Wick opus. But unlike many of those other recent blockbusters, there’s lots of fun to be had in between the fighting and driving as we get a greater understanding of the bond between the IMF, who now seems to be a mix of the A-Team, the Lone Ranger, the Magnificent Seven, and a touch of the Avengers (movies and TV show). Sure the locations are stunning, but the main selling point continues to be Cruise’s insistence in doing as much of the stunt work as possible. He wants us to know that he’s not “chilling” in his trailer. It’s almost as though he’s the modern-day version of the silent movie “thrill” comic actors. Of course, Jackie Chan touched on that with his Chaplin-like agility in his early career, but Cruise takes it a bit further. In GHOST PROTOCOL, he’s riffing on Harold Llyod in SAFETY LAST as he climbs that towering skyscraper. With the big railway finale here, I was reminded of Buster Keaton’s THE GENERAL. And like those classics, many of the scenes will have you gripping those armrests. In short, this is a most worthy addition to the series, mixing a “ripped from the headlines” menace/McGuffin (Y’know, AI “creating art”) with new locales and deadlier dangers. Oh, and again, extra kudos for stating that the story is continued, right up front in the titles and promotions. FAST X, ends on a cliffhanger leading to a couple more flicks (sheesh), and I love the new SPIDER-VERSE dearly, but they shouldn’t have lost the “sprayed-on graffiti-style” Part One after the first couple of teasers and a few toys. So, be like this flick and “put it out there”, studios! If only all the Summer blockbusters were as forthright, exciting, and fun as MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE. Now, when does two arrive?

3.5 Out of 4

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE is now playing in theatres everywhere

May 26, 2022

THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 2:46 pm
(L-R): Linda Belcher (voiced by John Roberts), Bob Belcher (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin), Tina Belcher (voiced by Dan Mintz), Louise Belcher (voiced by Kristen Schaal), and Gene Belcher (voiced by Eugene Mirman) in 20th Century Studios’ THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

With Memorial Day looming, many moviegoers may not “feel the need, the need for speed” (though most will, I’d bet), Perhaps instead, they’ve got a “hunger, a hunger for…”well, I got nuthin”. Wait a minute, a nice grilled hamburger usually will stifle those cravings. Although, will they want to sink their teeth into an animated one? Much as the studios did with “The Simpsons”, “South Park”, and “Beavis and Butthead”, they’re raiding the tube for a brand new animated feature film. Now, this cartoon hasn’t been around nearly as long as the first one mentioned, but it’s been a staple of the Fox Network’s “Sunday Night Animation Domination” for the last eleven years. And now we’ll see if its many fans have a big box-office appetite for THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE. Order up…


Oddly, the story doesn’t really begin with the beloved Belcher family at the diner. Instead, we’re flashing back six years to a “dark and stormy” night at the scene of a crime, the boardwalk at the “Wonder Wharf” amusement park overlooking the ocean. Then we spring ahead to now (actually close to the upcoming three-day holiday). A lot is happening in and above the diner down the street from the big “WW” (you see there’s a family apartment space upstairs from the grill). The Bob behind Bob’s Burgers (voice of H. Jon Benjamin) is furiously whipping up a special breakfast burger to impress the loan officer at the nearby bank. He and his wife Linda (John Roberts) want to get an extension on the place’s business loan. Meanwhile, their three kids are hyped about their upcoming summer break from school. Tina (Dan Mintz) wants to start a summer romance with that special guy, Genne (Eugine Merman) wants to perform with his band on the Wharf’s outdoor stage, and Louise (Kristen Schaal) wants to impress the “mean girls’ with her maturity (“I’m no baby!”). The banker isn’t awed with Bob’s masterpiece meal, and tells him that the loan will “come due” within the next week. Bob is worried, but Linda reminds him of the big crowds streaming into Wonder Wharf over the weekend. Great, except…a water main breaks in front of their diner, leaving a huge sinkhole at its entrance. Oh, and the big hole reveals the result of that six-year-old crime. The kids decide to solve that crime, while the adults try to put their diner on wheels to get some of the Wharf’s crowds. Will their combined efforts somehow save the family business, or has Bob flipped his last meat patty?


And now dear reader, a confession (you can just the ‘size’ of it): I have never watched an episode of the “Bob’s Burgers” TV show. Zip. Nada. Not a one. Yes, I’ve watched “The Simpsons” since they were leading viewers out of and into commercial breaks on “The Tracy Ulman Show”. And I was a faithful fan of the much-missed “King of the Hill” and “Futurama”. But this Fox show just didn’t grab my interest. Perhaps it’s because of my problems with the character designs. I quickly got used to the “bug-eyed” (as Jennifer Tilly called them) creatures that populated Springfield, USA. The Belchers and their pals might be best described as “fish-eyed” with tiny orbs stuck on the sides of their cantaloupe-shaped heads. Although, I have great respect for many of the voice actors, H. Jon Benjamin mainly for the bungling lead of “Archer” on FX. And on a side note, I was puzzled as to the reason Kevin Kline lent his voice to the stuffy landlord of the Belchers. But I’ve digressed from a big point mentioned earlier. I don’t think a moviegoer should have to do “homework” prior to seeing a new film based on another “media source”. You shouldn’t need to read the novels or comics, see the stage play, or even see the previous film in a franchise to enjoy a new film. I adored the “South Park” feature without having seen a whole episode. And I was mildly entertained by the films based on “Downton Abbey” and “The X-Files”. I can’t say the same for this, as it is strictly for fans. I couldn’t get into the rapid-fire rhythm of the dialogue, plus the many female characters voiced by men were distracting. The animation “acting” was serviceable, as were the backgrounds’, but a CG-boosted last act chase seemed monotonous and a weak attempt to inject some movie-style action into a very ‘talky” tale. There are two or three musical numbers, but the tunes don’t resonate and the “in-unison” dance moves would’ve helped a stage version close quickly (I’m sure someone is planning a big splashy Broadway version). So, if you love the show, you’ll no doubt be floating above your seat, and I’m happy that your devotion is being rewarded. The rest of us will be tempted to check the time (don’t do it, ugh) as we wonder what the fuss is all about. So like most eateries, THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE is not for everyone’s tastes (my t-buds weren’t ready for it’s…seasonings). Check, please!


1.5 Out of 4

THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE is now playing in theatres everywhere

May 18, 2022

CHIP ‘N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 9:40 pm
(L-R): Dale (voiced by Andy Samberg) and Chip (voiced by John Mulaney) in Disney’s live-action CHIP ‘N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

School’s almost out for the Summer! Who’s up for a trip? Or at least one through one of your favorite streaming services? Yes, the suitcase can remain in the back of the closet for a bit. But what’s the destination for this virtual excursion.? Well, for many of us, this new film is a nostalgic journey back in time, though it is set in the modern-day. A little over 30 years ago, before most kids’ cartoons were shuttled off to basic cable channels and eventually streaming apps, broadcast TV animation was in the midst of a creative (and ratings) explosion. Yes, Saturday mornings were still hanging on, but the place to be was the late afternoon, from around 3 PM (Central) to 5, as first-run syndicated television entertained kids just home from a hard day at school. And things got really interesting when the biggest of the studios, Disney, arrived on the scene in 1988 to build the “cartoon block” that would eventually be known as the “Disney Afternoon”, Following the smash “Duck Tales” another duo, who had debuted on the big screen in 1943, made the TV plunge with stories of adventure and friendship. And now this new feature tells us of the current exploits of CHIP ‘N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS. And if you want to break out the post-school snacks, well go right ahead…


So it’s 2022, but we’re not in their TV show world. It’s the real world now, though animated actors co-exist with flesh-and-blood human beings. Dale (voiced by Andy Samberg) takes us down memory lane, to his first grade-school exchange with future show-biz partner Chip (John Mulaney), through bit parts until they became huge stars in the early 1990s with their hit TV show. But it couldn’t last. When Dale gets an offer for his own action spy show, the two split. Chip is now a top seller at an insurance company that trudges home to his regular-sized dog in their suburban ranch-style home. Ah but Dale is still reaching for the “brass ring”, having gotten “CGI surgery”, so he looks more “3-D textured”, he goes on auditions, sets up at “autograph shows” and even joins the Chippendale dancers for “side gigs”, Then a desperate call from their former co-star Monterey Jack (Eric Bana) brings them back together. Turns out MJ is hooked on the “hard stuff”, really “stinky” cheese, and he’s in over his head. When henchmen from “Sweet Pete” grab him, Chip ‘N Dale joins the police to find their ole pal. The ‘toon in charge, Captain Putty (J.K. Simmons) offers little hope (seems a lot of “second-string’ cartoons have vanished), but an eager new policewoman, Ellie (played by human KiKi Lyne) wants to help the boys. Can she really protect Chip ‘N Dale when their search for clues sends them to the seedier sidestreets of the animated underground of “Tinsel-town”, or could the re-united Rescue Rangers get “erased”?

Well, as you may have surmised so far, the highest recommendation I can give to animation fans is that this is the closest we’ll probably (never say never) come to the WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT sequel we’ve been clamoring for over the last five decades. The story seems to be set in that same universe (maybe a cameo), but things have changed as the ‘toons are no longer “second class citizens” regulated to living in “Toon Town” when not working at the movie studio or in nightclubs. In the opening scenes, we see them with the human students, though with chairs that match their “scale” (love that Chip lives in a shoe-box-sized “ranch house in between two regular-sized suburban homes, while MJ’s condo complex is about five feet tall). Oh, and it’s not just classic (2D)characters along with CGI critters. As you might guess Captain Putty is a clay stop-motion creation (many think of the Raisins or Wallace & Gromit, while I think his roots are in Gumby), plus there are “superhero” style folks, video game avatars, and even some puppets. It’s a wondrous world you’ll be sad to leave thanks in part to the great voice actors enlisted to inhabit these roles. Mulaney conveys just the right amount of wiseguy snark as Chip that plays well against the eager but dimwitted Dale perfectly voiced by Samberg. A special mention should be made of the bad guys, namely a CGI polar bear rockin’ a holiday sweater vest (hmm) and Seth Rogen who’s a hoot as a badly rendered motion-capture Viking dwarf from a twenty-year-old or so video game (“Yes, I’m looking right at you!”). He’s perhaps the best “insider joke” in a setting full of intentionally “off” computer creations (complete with a nod to a holiday classic). Oh, and like WFRR you’ll want to hover over the pause button to catch all the wonderful cameos and the “knock-offs”. Ah, that’s another great joke as the story explains the cheapo “rip-offs” (called “bootlegs here) that populated the bargain bins at “dollar only” shops (“The Un-aging Pixie-Boy”, etc.).


Now, it’s high time that I lavish some praise on the very clever screenwriting team of Dan Gregor and Doug Hand for somehow delivering a warm nostalgic homage to a beloved show and its fans that’s also a skewering of Hollywood story cliches and the animation industry itself. Like much of the best cartoons, adults may be laughing harder and longer at the satiric barbs than the kids who may only want to see the cute critters. Of course, all this wit wouldn’t work without the top-notch direction of Akiva Schaffer (one of Sandberg’s “Lonely Island” pals), who keeps the story rolling on while knowing went to slow things a tad for the two leads to mend their tattered friendship. And it truly soars thanks to the army of craftspeople who make us believe in this modern fable, from the puppeteers who allow the ‘toons to move real items to those who build the sets to many different scales, to those animators at the computer and those at the “desk/lightbox” who “sweated” every detail (the airbrush-style shadows of WFRR aren’t here, but they even recreate the scratchy early 60s “copy-machine” outline for some of the extras). Though I wasn’t a fan of the original series (I dug the later shows, “The Shnookums & Meat Funny Cartoon Show” and Disney’s only action/adventure offering, “Gargoyles”), I found this “comeback” (as the poster says, “Not a reboot”) surprisingly entertaining and even a tad touching. If you’re in need of someone to save you from the family flick doldrums, then call on (or download) CHIP ‘N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS. Sorry (um, not sorry) Alvin, Simon, and Theodore!

3.5 out of 4

CHIP ‘N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning on Friday, May 20, 2022

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