Quarantine Control #169: Fantasy Hiking on Stone in Boots
The ledes in the Quarantine Control posts this month has been all about how this year’s Pride Month would be different, because how could it not be? LGBTQ+ individuals are facing the largest concentration of attacks in years, since a time before Obergefell v. Hodges decision from the US Supreme Court declared gay marriages to be legal in the United States. What’s been most disappointing are the number of corporations which have capitulated to attacks and abuse, with more examples every week, despite how doing so will only embolden the abusers. Corporations were never going to be reliable partners in the fight for equality, so here’s hoping lessons have been learned: Let’s not trust them in the future.
Geoffrey Barnes
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Source: Peacock
Episodes: 1 movie (the sequel to a 2011 film)
The most astounding aspect of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is how it exists at all. It’s predecessor, 2011’s Puss in Boots, barely crossed the “watchable” threshold in terms of quality, and performed as well as it did commercially thanks to being attached to the extremely popular Shrek series. Despite the potential for a more quality follow-up, plenty was working against this film, including the Shrek series being dormant since 2010, the need for animated movies to get their post-pandemic box office footing back (not helped by three Pixar movies going straight to Disney Plus), and DreamWorks Animation being surpassed by sister Universal company Illumination. Yet, the aptly-named The Last Wish exists through the power of its creators and fan demand. Thank goodness for that, considering its quality.
The first movie’s story and character development never exceeded the “fine-enough, I guess” measure of quality. The Last Wish immediately establishes a premise so intriguing that its story surpasses its predecessor within about the first 20 minutes. The first movie showed how Puss in Boots himself (Antonio Banderas) has tried to live a valiant life in one of the most reckless manners possible. This has cost him his lives, eight of them to be precise. Puss is still too reckless to retire, but his eventual encounter with a hooded wolf scares him enough that he sets out to find the Wishing Star to restore his lost lives after, of course, stealing the map.
(It also means a lot that Banderas reprised the role for this Puss quest, too, as someone who survived a near-death encounter through a heart attack in 2017. There’s nothing like bringing a personal touch to a role.)
Immediately raising the stakes for Puss provides him, and the viewer by extension, a far more intriguing, entertaining, and invigorating quest with more character development than the original film or the Shrek movies ever gave him. It’s quite an achievement when the movie has to balance a bunch of other characters, as Puss is far from the only one after a treasure so coveted as the Wishing Star. Among them is Puss’ ex-fiancée and fellow returning character Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault), who joins Puss in receiving improved character development compared to the first film despite her goal not being as ostensibly important. Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears Crime Family are also after the Star, and get a fair amount of development and memorable encounters. The villainous “Big” Jack Horner (John Mulaney) is the third major force after the Star, with his own nefarious plans for it.
It’s a testament to the creative team’s abilities that not a single character, major and minor, feels shortchanged despite the runtime of an hour and 42 minutes. The plights and goals for each of them is clearly established, and the movie skillfully balances the seriousness and comicality of their stories. The team also deserves praise for Perrito, the kind of wisecracking sidekick that can be annoying in several similar films, but he very much isn’t here.
It sounds like I’m overpraising this film here; I want to emphasize how and why there was a damn-good and justified reason for its reception during its theatrical run. It helps to watch the previous film just before this (which I did through YouTube) to compare just how large a leap it is, beyond the presentation that would clearly be improved after eleven years.
Speaking of that: It’s no surprise that this movie looks better than the first film. But I have to emphasize just how beautiful it looks in action. DreamWorks Animation was heavily inspired by the look of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse between the style utilized for this movie and The Bad Guys (also a superlative animated film), but I’m sure as hell not going to complain when they all look so good. The voicework is also great. Hayek’s voice either changed a bit over eleven years or she chose to give a different and more mature performance for Kitty, but she still puts in solid results. I didn’t think Florence Pugh was that great as Goldilocks initially, but her performance was the kind that became so memorable over time that I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing a better job. She strikes just the right tone between deep-voiced maturity and snarkiness.
I’m glad The Last Wish eventually did well after its underwhelming box office opening, because watching the film made it clear that positive word of mouth spread for good reason. Talent… sometimes wins, eventually. I always feel guilty when I want sequels and spinoffs for something because original works are supposed to be cherished more often than derivative works, but I’d love for the team to get a chance at another Puss in Boots film. One about Goldilocks and the Three Bears Crime Family would be great too, all of whom are intriguing characters who could benefit from further exposition. There’s a bigger chance of DreamWorks prioritizing reviving Shrek, however, but maybe they can eventually get around to these.
Angela Moseley
I admit, I found last week’s incident with the Titan submersible to be worth following for two reasons. One, the stark disparity between maritime rescues for wealthy people, and how hundreds of refugees in need of assistance are ignored by these same services. Two, how physics does not care for hubris. There are times when you can’t buy your way out of consequences. The more we learn about Oceangate and its CEO, Stockton Rush, the more we learn about how he was eventually going to get people killed on the Titan. Now Rush has his own episodes on Behind the Bastards. Enjoy.
Dr. Stone: Ryusui (2022)
Source: Crunchyroll
Episodes: 1
The Ryusui special episode of Dr. Stone actually aired in July 2022. At the time I knew of a special episode, but I never looked into what it actually was. I figured it would just be a recap or something else not worth my time. How wrong I was. As I went to get started on season 3 of Dr. Stone, I realized I was missing a slew of information. Why were Senku and Chrome in a hot air balloon? Who was the strange man dressed in pirate clothes with them? I realized I needed to seek out that 2022 special that I had skipped. Finding it on Crunchyroll was a pain in the ass. I could either watch the English dub (which is fine), or seek out the original Japanese version with English subtitles. To find the Japanese version, I had to wade through several other languages because the languages weren’t clearly marked on the Roku app. Why do anime streaming services have such terrible user interfaces and user experiences? Right now my ire is aimed at Crunchyroll, but HiDive is a much worse experience all around.
Anyway, my search eventually bore fruit. I’m actually glad that I waited for the new season of Dr. Stone to watch the Ryusui episode. It beats trying to remember an hour of animation nearly a year after it aired. Looking at you, Attack on Titan, Final Season, The Final Chapters, Special 1.
After the big battle against Tsukasa, and Hyoga’s betrayal of Tsukasa, things are a bit of a mess for the Kingdom of Science. Hyoga has been dispatched, but Tsukasa has been gravely injured and left in cryostasis until better technology can be invented to heal him. Meanwhile, Senku has both the Kingdom of Science and the remnants of the Tsukasa Empire at his command. The young scientist wants to go to South America to discover the source of the petrification beam, but he’ll need a ship and lots of supplies to have a realistic chance of survival. To that end, Gen holds a ship-building contest to come up with the best design to sail the high seas. Senku’s design easily wins, but the group is lacking an experienced captain to pilot the ship.
As the large ship is in the process of being built, Senku enlists the help of Minami to find someone suitable. She was a journalist in the former civilization, and the group has just enough revival fluid left to undo the petrification for one more person. As they set out on a raft to find more petrified people, Minami reveals that Ryusui Nanami might be the best and worst person for the job. She has concerns about the extremely wealthy conglomerate heir who’s also a ship captain. Before she can fully relay them to Senku, he uses the revival fluid. Ryusui now revived, thanks the group for their efforts to save him. He orders his butler to write a check for any amount, but the butler doesn’t come. The young captain quickly realizes society has collapsed, and his fortune is gone. That doesn’t stop him from agreeing to help Senku after seeing the advancements his Kingdom of Science has already made in the stone world.
As he approves of the ship being designed, he notes that oil is the only fuel that will allow them to safely complete their long journey. Kohaku, Chrome, and Ukyo set off to find an oil field. During their journey, they realize the maps they created of Japan from the old world are now useless after 3700 years. Worse yet, Ryusui’s help won’t come freely or cheaply.
Dr. Stone already has quite a colorful cast of characters. That said, it’s the type of shonen series that depends on having an ensemble cast. As the charismatic Tsukasa cycles out, he’s replaced by the charismatic and over-the-top Ryusui. In the context of this story, his inclusion works. The plot requires someone who will safely get Senku and his group around the world. At the same time, the stone world feels a little too utopian, despite its hardships. This makes Ryusui perfect for the plot. Not only does he give the Senku much needed expertise, but he also introduces an element of greed to this new world– unbridled capitalism.
Yes, Ryusui may have lost his fortune, but the avarice that comes with being insanely wealthy doesn’t just go away. If currency and land rights no longer exist, he’ll make them exist. In a way, he proves to be both an interesting ally and foe for this particular special. Senku has to get him onboard with the plan, while also maneuvering through his greed and using the currency Ryusui created (the Draco) against him. Even this show knows that capitalism is a force that needs to be kept in check. Since Senku is our main character, and the cast he’s assembled around himself is loyal, he’s more than up to the task.
As for the science surrounding the show, it’s fiction, so liberties are expected to be taken. Still, it’s nice to have a series that not only dabbles in researched science, but enthusiastically endorses said science. Given the world we’ve been living in for the past three years, Dr. Stone is a refreshing break from the fierce rejection of science happening in many societies. Besides that, it’s just great to see the cast back together again and rapidly modernizing the stone world.
If you enjoyed the first two seasons of Dr. Stone, this hour-long special is more of the same. If you plan to start on the third season, it is required viewing.
Joseph Daniels
You see a sign on the door, while vaguely hearing Final Fantasy XVI music within.
OUT TO VALISTHEA, BACK NEXT WEEK
This Week’s Short Film
Herbal Hike (2022)
Between acknowledging this more depressing Pride Month and the US Supreme Court unleashing further Armageddon with their newest crop of horrendous decisions, the latter of which always tend to follow good decisions, people in this country have earned a rest. Unfortunately, they’ll be doing so for the most forced patriotic and loudest holiday of the year. Hopefully you’ll still get a chance to relax, whether you’re in the US or not.
About The Author
dcstaff
The collective will of the Damage Control staff combined into a single article.
