Pokemon Detective Pikachu, mini movie review

Rating: C+

So . . . I finally saw Pokemon Detective Pikachu yesterday, which is how far behind I am with the movies I want to see, and managed to find a theater showing it.  If you haven't seen this new Pokemon movie yet, finding it in the theater will be a challenge, but it might be available on DVD in August, possibly for streaming in July (but don't quote me on this).

Many, many thoughts.

Tim Goodman, played by Justice Smith, once inspired to be a Pokemon trainer when he was a kid, dreams that faded as reality hit, and now he works in insurance.  In a world where pokemon live freely, appearing everywhere, Tim has become jaded.  He gets a message that his father has passed, traveling to Ryme City, a safe haven metropolis where pokemon and humans live in harmony.  It is here that Tim meats a Pikachu, hot on the case, insisting Tim's father is alive.  But what makes this encounter truly remarkable is that Tim and this pikachu can communicate and understand each other.

The Good:

The first half of the movie is really solid.  Great humor.  The introduction into a live action Pokemon world is brilliant.  Seeing Pokemon wander around, marvelous.  The way the filmmakers captured this reality is beyond what I could have imagined.  Really creative and fun.

Tim Goodman is such a great character, and I really like Justice's portrayal of him.  The only solid element in the entire movie.

The first half of the movie really was great.  It makes me want to see more movies in this realm.  The possibilities of so many stories.  I liked the fact that Tim wasn't a Pokemon trainer.  That he was dubious towards Pokemon, led into a World he didn't want any part.  The relationship between Tim and the pikachu detective is really well done.

I know some people were bothered with Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu, as all they see is Deadpool, but as I haven't seen that movie (no one should be surprised, though I need to see the PG-13 version (Yes, I'm a prude :P )), the Deadpool relation didn't bother me.

Pikachu really is cute!  And very well animated.

Also, I enjoyed the cinematic score.  A nice balance between orchestration and game electronic type tones.

The Bad:

Pretty much the last half of the movie.

And this is where I hit my typical conundrum where I have to be very cryptic so as not to spoil anything.

I have issues where the plot led, and the real villains ultimate choices regarding humans and Pokemon.  Just the logic behind a certain plot point.  How is this true evolution?  Really?  For him, yes, for others, no.  Doesn't make sense.  And there's flaws in that scene with what happens to him verses others.  And that's all I can say.  I think I just said too much.

Okay, and super cryptic.  So, there's this episode of Full Metal Alchemist.  Don't know if it's in the original series or new one, as there's a remake to resemble the manga (like what's now happening with Fruits Basket).  It's either the 3rd or 4th episode with this girl and a dog, and this girl feels neglected by her father, who is trying to get animals to talk.  And there's this monkey who can talk, and what happened to this guys wife.  So, I can't even outright say what happened in that episode without possibly spoiling the movie, but that episode made me sick.  Like, I was seriously nauseous afterward.  Just thinking of the episode makes me feel ill.  Something in my core rejects it.  And I stopped watching that show.  Couldn't bring myself to finish.

This movie left me feeling the same thing.

Instead of leaving the movie feeling joyous, I left feeling creeped, disgruntled.

Back to the movie as a whole: The first half of the movie was fun and brilliant, the second half a let down.

If you love Pokemon, you might like it.  Don't take my word.  These are just opinions.  You may find the entirety of this movie interesting.  I just wish I liked Pokemon Detective Pikachu more.

MPAA: Rated PG for action/peril, some rude and suggestive humor, and thematic elements.
 

What Happens When You Transfer a Pokemon?

 So . . . What happens when you transfer a Pokemon in Pokemon Go?

They turn into candy!!

Ha ha ha haaaaaa . . . -_-;;

 In all seriousness the Betty Crocker Pokemon fruit snacks are pretty tasty.

 And I find the idea of Pokemon turning into candy really disturbing.

It's morbid!

What are we teaching our kids?

In other news I FINALLY caught a Pikachu wearing Ash Ketchum's hat.  Today's the last day, I believe, to find him.  Honestly, I wasn't really trying.  When I failed to catch Pikachu wearing a birthday hat several months ago I became discouraged.  The little guy ran away!  Thankfully this one didn't.  My life isn't all the more fulfilled, but I am a little more amused.  That's important, right?

Thank You Pikachu For Making Me Feel Old

For starters I feel really quite young.

 When I was a kid and would look up to 30-somethings I would think, "Man that's old!"  For goodness sake it was a couple months before my 9th birthday when my Mom turned 30, which--Oh my goodness, I just realized this--I was 13 when my Mom was my age.  How's that for perspective?  Maybe being single at 34 with a boat load of questions about my life makes me feel young.  I don't know.  But then people are constantly mistaking me for 25, which I'll take as long as I can.

And then life throws a bucket of cold water on you to remind you that time is passing whether you like it or not.  For me I got soaked with ice water when I found a toy at Walmart showing the number 20.

"Why the freak is the number 20 on a Pokemon box!!??" I didn't exclaim this out loud.  Instead I screamed this within the confines of my mind.  A quick Google search later and I found out that the game Pokémon Red and Green came out on February 27, 1996, a year before the anime.

It wasn't until my senior year of High School, 1999, when I learned about the phenomenon through my obsessed three younger brothers.

We watched the show.  We collected cards.  They actually played, I just like collecting things.  I had many debates with my friends whether Pokemon is a legitimate anime, because a lot of purest wanted nothing to do with these Pocket Monsters.  Kiki's Delivery Service is the first anime I watched.  Miyazaki was gaining huge popularity in America.  Gundam Wing came out in March of 1996 as well, making strides on Toonami with 1992's Sailor Moon.

Yes, Sailor Moon is 24 years old. (Technically Sailor Moon was a middle schooler, so 12+24= 36.  Let that sink in.)

Most of the cards I've collected I've given to my siblings.

I've kept some of the holos.

This is my all time favorite card: Promo Holo Ancient Mew.

Scanning the card into a JPEG made it really dark.

Here's a picture that better shows the colors.

From ToyWiz.com: "Pokemon promo card ancient Mew - given issued out to attendees at the Pokemon Movie in 2000. Ancient Mew is Holographic on both sides and has an amazing illustration of the elusive Mew on the front of the card. The back of the card is wonderfully illustrated with energy balls consisting of grass, fighting, and fire, water, colorless, lightning and psychic."

Apparently it's an ultra rare.  Cool.  I got two on opening day.

Still Pikachu's 20.  20!!  Where is the time going?