Where the Crawdads Sing – Review

Where the Crawdads Sing – Budget of $43.7 million – 2 hours and 5 minutes

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On October 30th, 1969, in Barkley Cove, North Carolina, two boys riding their bikes along the marsh find Chase Andrews’s body. Police officers look around and can’t find footprints other than theirs and the boys. They determine that Chase fell from the fire tower. They go to the top of it and see a piece of grate missing. The fire tower has no fingerprints, including Chase’s. They find red fiber on Chase and have a lab examine it. The forensic scientist concluded that it’s a red fiber from a hat or a scarf.

The officers go to the bar, and everyone talks about the case. Tom, a retired lawyer, overhears the whispered commotion. There were rumors that Chase was secretly dating the ‘Marsh Girl’ and someone heard her threaten him.

The police go to see the Marsh Girl the next day. They discover her front door open and let themselves in. They look through the girl’s things and unearth a red hat. They hear a sound in the lagoon and see the Marsh Girl getting away by boat. With the police in pursuit, the Marsh Girl jumps into the water and tries to swim away, but they capture her by her overalls. They take her to jail while the town hurls insults. When the lab determines the hat matches the fibers found on Chase, they charge the Marsh Girl with murder.

Tom walks into the jail cell and introduces himself to the Marsh Girl. But he knows her as Catherine Danielle Clark, but her family calls her Kya. Kya resided alone on the marsh since she was a child. Her mother, Ma, left Kya and Kya’s siblings with their abusive alcoholic father, Pa. When Pa started to abuse them, Kya’s siblings walked out and never returned. Kya, a child then, decided to stay with him and be invisible. When they go into town, Mabel and Jumpin’ take pity on the sweet girl with no shoes. Mabel and Jumpin’ are married and own the local tackle shop. When Kya comes into the shop with a bag full of fresh mussels, they know Pa died, and she has no one. They decide to trade Kya’s mussels for their food, services, or clothes. And they chose not to report her to social services. The town knows Kya is alone in the marsh, but they spend more time starting rumors than helping. Tom offers to represent Kya in the murder trial but pleads for Kya to open up to him. Tom knows that the jury will use their preconceived notions against her. Tom needs to prove Kya’s innocence and place in society. Or she will get the death penalty.

Based on Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, be ready to feel the words jump off the page (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). The director used the marsh, lagoon, and swamp to narrate pages of complex land descriptions. At first, the swamp looks daunting and frightening. As Kya grows into a young woman, the swamp is inviting, loving, and full of life. Both actresses did an impeccable job playing Kya, a shy and intelligent young woman that embraced the harsh world and people around her. The mystery unfolds with flashbacks and courtroom questioning. The flashbacks introduce you to Kya, her family, first love, heartbreak, and manipulator. It lays down the foundation of who could have killed Chase. The questioning gives viewers reasonable doubt. At times, these two intertwining storylines conflict or compliment each other. It’s a mystery that waits for the last 15 seconds to give you the killer and the reason.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

Please stay – Kya

I can’t help you unless I know you. Even just a little bit – Tom

It don’t say that in the Bible. Be careful – Mabel

I got all day – Tate

I never thought you were trash – Chase

Kya, look at me – Jumpin’

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Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank – Review

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank – Budget of $45 million – 1 hour and 37 minutes

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Ika Chu puts the finishing touches on the Shogun’s palace before the Shogun arrives. There is a lot to do, but Ika Chu needs his cats to remove one eyesore blocking the perfect view. It’s a small town called Kakamucho, protected by a samurai. Ika Chu knows Kakamucho will cower without their samurai, so he sends an army of cats to defeat him. When the samurai sees the mass amount of cat warriors heading to the town, the samurai runs away, leaving Kakamucho defenseless.

The citizens of Kakamucho demand the Shogun send a new samurai, and the Shogun delegates the job to Ika Chu. Frustrated, Ika Chu has to follow orders but only to benefit himself. He sees a dog, Hank, facing execution for walking into cat territory. Hank admits to crossing the border only to receive samurai training. Ika Chu appoints Hank the new samurai because he knows the cats of Kakamucho will kill a dog on sight.

Ika Chu’s prediction is correct, and the cats attack Hank. But they stop when Hank proves he is the new samurai. Hank meets Jimbo, a hesitant sensei with too much catnip, and convinces Jimbo to train him. Ika Chu can’t fathom the cats accepting this dog, so he vows to destroy Hank and Kakamucho before Shogun arrives. Hank must prepare and learn the samurai’s ways so he won’t disappoint the town.

Loosely based on Blazing Saddles, this movie is hilarious (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). From beginning to end, the characters never forget it’s a movie. They talk about running time, title cards, and movie executives. It takes everyday activities, like tweeting, and transforms the tweet into an actual bird. The writers don’t make adult innuendos to please parents, but the writing is genuinely funny. This film is an animated, classic comedy you grew up watching. It’s worth every penny, and you will enjoy it more than your children.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

I call it the Super Bowl because it’s a super bowl – Ika Chu

I only came to this country to learn to be a samurai – Hank

The new samurai is a dog – Emiko

No. This is my favorite part. The part where you suffer – Jimbo

None taken. Constructive criticism is always welcome – Ohga

I cut the telephone line – Chuck

Forgiven. Forgotten – Shogun

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