Everything That Dies, Some Day Comes Back

This film made a name for itself for being a quantum leap forward technically in how it seamlessly combines real action with animation, and it's a testament to the care and expertise deployed that some 30-odd years later its visuals still hold up. On this second watch I was well entertained throughout - who wouldn't be?   To take one example, the newspaper headline relating to the kidnapping of Donald Duck's nephews had me hooting with laughter. And yet, as with the first time I saw it, I was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction.  Ultimately it's a film I admire and enjoy, rather than love. Part of my dissatisfaction stems from the story about Toon Town being at risk and how Roger Rabbit gets to be framed for a murder.  I wasn't grabbed by it, and long before the end I had lost interest in the fate of someone's last will and testament (don't ask me whose).  We don't get to spend enough time in Toon Town for me to be emotionally invested in its fate. ...

I remember being a bit disappointed by this sequel but given that that was a long time ago I thought I would give it a second chance. Sadly, I still think it’s a bit of a let-down.  The main problem is the climax.  Although it is undeniably kind of cool and fun that it takes place simultaneously with that of the first film, this has the drawback of drawing attention to the fact that this film is struggling to come up with an exciting ending in its own right. In the first film there is a genuine urgency. Marty and Doc are really up against it, having to get back to the present and get Marty’s parents-to-be to fall in love, both before the lightning strikes. Whereas here all Marty and Doc have to do is recover the almanac from Biff - how challenging can that be?   And there is zero urgency because they only need to do this before Biff starts placing bets.  And should they fail they can try again because they have a time machine.  This instalment just isn’t as much...