The potboilers continue, this time in anime and with bioterrorism.  I’m talking about 2002’s Cowboy Bebop: The Movie.

The place is Mars, the year 2071.  A “cowboy” is a bounty hunter, Bebop the name of the spaceship; hence we watch a team of said hunters fly the Bebop in pursuit of those bioterrorists.  This is my first taste of Cowboy Bebop, which is a dubbed Japanese TV series which used to be on the Cartoon Network.  Despite its imperfections the dubbed movie is cool and unassuming, far better than the ludicrous anime, Metropolis (2001).  At its best it is haunting, insidious, in one scene darkly erotic.

The plot is a mess but I didn’t care, having too much fun as I did with flavorous characters and animation.  The director is Shinichiro Watanabe, the animation director, a busy dude, is Toshihiro Kawamoto. Rated R, it is not a family film, but it should satisfy potboiler devotees if they don’t mind cartoon formats.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A confection of a costume drama by Alan Taylor, The Emperor’s New Clothes (2002) is about a make-believe scheme to get the imprisoned Napoleon Bonaparte off the island of  St. Helena and back in Gallic power.  Taylor’s moviemaking team–Andrea Crisanti on production design, Rachel Portman on music, etc.–quit themselves honorably, and the acting is a joy.  Will there ever be a better Bonaparte than Ian Holm, the epitome of variety?  And the Dutch actress Iben Hjejle, speaking English, is warmly true.  How come I never see her anymore?

The Emperor's New Clothes (2001 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Krystal Meyers is a Christian rock (not pop) artist, and a number of her songs has convinced me she made a pretty good showing during the Aughts.  Her 2006 CD, Dying for a Heart, is only half-impressive, but at least it’s that.  Too often only about 10% of merit emerges on Christian, and secular, albums.  The cut called “Together” has a wonderful, nuanced guitar and is excitingly tuneful.  “The Beauty of Grace” starts like a ballad but speeds up with a very attractive chorus to bestow. . . Okay, “Elvis is dead / But my King is alive” is not much of a lyric; still, “Only You Make Me Happy” (the “You” is God) turns out to be an ingratiating rocker.

Meyers has a fine voice, now winningly tomboyish, now nicely feminine, as in 2008’s “Up to You”–the feminine, I mean–which is an effective relationship song. . . I’ve never heard her first, self-titled CD but one of its tracks, “The Way to Begin,” is melodically interesting, forceful, saucy.

Spiritually-themed rock seldom gets much better than these five songs.  Go and ahead and purchase Dying for a Heart.  Or, if not, I sincerely believe Meyers has a place on your iPod.

Cover of Dying for a Heart

Dumb as it is, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), starring Dwayne Johnson, is a fairly palatable family film.  Or . . . at least it would be if beautiful Vanessa Hudgens (ah, that jet black hair!) in her tank top didn’t lend the movie too much sensuality.  Luis Guzman plays her oafish father, and his affectionate attitude toward Hudgens’s character, Kailani, is thoroughly phony, unconvincing.

All the same, nifty CGI adventure scenes proliferate:  a giant lizard, a tiny elephant, etc.  It’s not as good a film as Sky High, but it has its moments.   Kids will love it.  Teenage boys, frankly, will love that tank top.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 15: Actors Vanessa Hudgens (R) and Josh Hutcherson arrive for the world premiere of 'Journey 2: The Mysterious Island' at Village Cinemas Jam Factory on January 15, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)