All the latest Movieland investigations from detectives Dick japowski and Joey Arizona.
Dick Japowski's VHS Chronicles
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1994)
Trailers: Ace Ventura video game, A little Princess, Alton Towers
Ace goes to Africa in search of a sacred bat.
The movie that was so funny I saw it twice at the cinema, then rented it numerous times at home! Not quite as funny for this grizzled old detective who's seen to much, but Japowski Jr was heartily guffawing, loving the Monopoly man in particular! I forgot that it also ended with an awkward joke about a village virgin but I was able to change the subject there and will try to avoid that sort of thing for another year or two!
Rewatch: 3 Doughnuts
Japowski Jr: 4 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
Denshi Sentai Denjiman: The Movie (1980)
Evil space aliens hire a yacht and cage the pink ranger as well as the towns children. Cue colourful costumes and vehicle's that transform into giant robots. Good times!
First watch: 3.5 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
Lost Soul: The Doomed Story of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr Moreau (2014)
A fascinating documentary on the horrors of getting a movie made! Director Richard Stanley recounts his traumatic experience of being in charge of a major Hollywood production and why he hasn't directed another film until the recent Nic Cage film Colour Out of Space.
Most of the reasons are Val Kilmer related! A must watch for movie fans.
First watch: 4 Doughnuts
The Many Views of Dick Japowski
Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai (2001)
When the Gaorangers have their warrior spirits taken by an evil space alien, each of them are visited and retrained by members of past super sentai teams to help them find their inner strengths. This is the 25th anniversary movie and inspired the Red ranger extravaganza "Forever red" in power rangers.
First watch: 3 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)
*HBO( biopic from the director of American Psycho and I Shot Andy Warhol about 50's pin-up sensation Bettie Davis.
Clocking in at 90 minutes makes The Notorious Bettie Page a breezy affair, it doesn't dwell on her early experiences of domestic abuse and sexual assaults, they're touched upon but never mentioned thereafter. What could have been a much grittier number is treated with charming innocence, a reflection of Page's own personality.
First watch: 3 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
The Joker schemes his way into The Phantom Zone to recruit the worst villains the universe has ever known, meanwhile Batman inadvertently adopts an orphan/sidekick.
Following the phenomenal success of The Lego Movie sequels and spinoffs were inevitable, and as Batman was the standout character obviously he felt his own movie. Packed full of the same humour that made TLM a hit, and countless references to Batman's rich history and previous TV & movie outings, and better the second time around when you know just how out there this bat-flick is going to get.
Rewatch: 3 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Alice falls down a rabbit hole into a world of nonsense populated by talking animals, walking playing cards, tea parties, crochet and regular beheadings.
Classic Disney flick full of classic moments, but the lack of an actual storyline means the films starts dragging towards the end.
Rewatch: 4 Doughnuts
A Shore Thing: Celebrating everyone's favourite weasel. It's Pauly Shore Appreciation Month! with Dick Japowski.
Jury Duty (1995)
When the Weasel learns that he will be put up in a nice hotel and paid 5 dollars a day if the trial he is assigned to goes long, he does everything in his power to drag it out but soon learns that justice isn't just for some but for all.
Loaded with great character actors like Brian Doyle-Murray, Stanley Tucci, Abe Vigoda, the first half of this is pretty funny but unfortunately dips in the second half when lessons are being learned.
First watch 2.5 out of 5 hair scarves
The Many Views of Detective Dick Japowski
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind (2018)
Documentary looking at the life of the late, great Robin Williams. It's hard to watch a film like this without feeling sad over the sudden and tragic end of someone who brought such warmth and joy to millions of people.
The film features some great archive footage, which I had never seen, and interviews with his closest friends which will make you smile remembering how much he was part of our childhoods.
First watch: 4 Doughnuts
The Arizona Case Files
Ted 2 (2015)
After John spent the whole of the previous movie trying to win over Mila Kunis she's written out of the sequel, making the first movie pretty pointless. Don't worry we've replaced her with another female lead for John to fall for. Meanwhile Ted and Tami-Lyn decide to have a baby, not being able to conceive a child naturally they go down the route of adoption. The problem is Ted isn't classed as a person, and therefore denied the opportunity. He then has to prove in a court of law he's a person and not property.
As with the first movie Seth Mcfarlane proves he could make great family movies, if only he didn't have to fill them with his usual brand of humour.
First watch: 2.5 Doughnuts
Have you witnessed any of the movies we've investigated? What's the verdict? Let us know in the comments below.