Mark McPherson

1 month ago | filminquiry.com | Mark McPherson |Mark Mcpherson

The Looney Tunes have had a rocky history at the movie theater. The few times their antics have extended beyond a few minutes of animated hi-jinks usually rely on either a clip show or live-action integrations. From the compilation of The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie to the medium-bleeding meta nature of Space Jam: A New Legacy, nearly every film has struggled to find something more to do than rehash the past or question the characters in the modern age.

Dec 13, 2024 | filminquiry.com | Mark McPherson |Mark Mcpherson

Despite its clear visual and narrative relation to Star Wars, Mobile Suit Gundam’s legacy is similar to that of Star Trek. The franchise was crucial in mecha anime becoming more real than a superhero, but its groundbreaking beginning was rocky. The series was forced into a premature ending, where it looked like Gundam wouldn’t carry into the 1980s.

Nov 19, 2024 | filminquiry.com | Mark McPherson |Mark Mcpherson

I realized many years ago that Illumination’s animated films are all about gags over stories. With this in mind, I decided to brace myself for Despicable Me 4. I knew Illumination wouldn’t stray from their sure-fire method of box office success with freewheeling absurdity. Any hope of a cohesive story was gone, made evident by the studio’s track record and the marketing for this picture. Perhaps this will be the sequel that wins me over for recognizing the gags and not the meandering story.

Oct 4, 2024 | filminquiry.com | Mark McPherson |Mark Mcpherson

A Different Man brings up the story of Beauty and the Beast for a particular reason. For those who have watched the Disney film multiple times, the thought has probably crossed the mind that the Beast looks better as a beast than a man. This thought usually occurs as we don’t see much of the non-furry Beast until the film ends. We’ve grown so used to the furry monster that it’s hard to imagine him looking different. How does life go on for him?

Aug 12, 2024 | filminquiry.com | Mark McPherson |Mark Mcpherson

The true story of Trudy, the first woman to swim the English Channel, is inspiring. The trail it blazed has led someone to remark, “Hey, that could make a great movie.” Young Woman and the Sea proves it could be a serviceable movie but not strong enough to escape the routine assembly of the genre’s trappings. A Rebellious SwimmerThe film stresses its melodrama early to set the mood. The young Trudy is feared to die from her illness but recovers in a heartfelt moment of surprise.