Saint Patrick's Day: A Look at "Lucky"

Nickelodeon  St. Patrick's Day 

          Since this blog usually (well actuallyyyyyyy) posts on Thursday and this year Saint Patrick's Day falls on a Thursday, we decided to look at something that would work for the holiday. The problem is that Saint Patrick's day as a holiday doesn't get much media; there's no "A Saint Patrick's Day, Charlie Brown", and not much really given to the holiday in that respect.   Many times it's written as away to get your characters drunk or something. 

         I would go deeper and try to find some stuff that can work for the holiday, and I guess a Nickelodeon special works, it's about a leprechaun. This gives a leg up and making a "Lookback" post before it old enough to be one.  

     "Lucky" is  2019 Nickelodeon animated special  (It's 42 minutes long, it's a special)  that premiered on March 8. Just in time for the holiday, and they've not really aired this special much sense that first year. (Oh)  

    It was directed by Casey Leonard who worked on "Breadwinners" and  the animator on "Out of Jimmy's Head". It's done in 3D CGI animation because of course it's done in 3D CGI animation. It was written by two "Kim Possible" writers Both Roth and Bill Motz , along with Bart Coughlin  who worked as a writer on "Alvinnn!! and the Chipmunks" and had been the arts part of animated movies. 

        The story starts with a leprechaun named McSweeney who was minding his own business, whilst carrying his gold around, which is not a smart thing to do, because someone or something might want to take that gold, like a dragon who takes his lucky pot gold. (Which means it's not that lucky is it?)   The luck was undone and the family has been affected by this including our main character named Hap McSweeney. (The McSweeney's were lucky in getting love though) 

       He's late for school because of the bad luck.  You'll also notice that the house the family lives in , is very crooked, the parents seem to be more accepting of the stuff than their son.   Hap does an anime girl is late to school run, minus the toast, and it let us see his place where he lives and notice all the mystical people creatures that live here like elves, gnomes, etc. 

Friendship is dangerous/ Copyright ViacomCBS

    At school we meet Hap's friends (the true luck is friendship) they are going to Houlihan Tower, which is some rich guy's house.   (Gee, I wonder if ... hmm)  The guy who lives in this city called Fortune City (which is bit much) in the mansion is named Harry Houlihan the luckiest man in town. (Gee, I wonder if...) 

        This movie isn't animated like a big budget movie, but it not badly done either, it has maybe at least Nick Jr/ Disney Jr. quality level of CGI is at least good, and not too bad for a TV special, it's on par with that level and that's not bad. 

        We meet, Harry Houlihan, if he's not evil, then he's dressed incorrectly for someone who's not evil.  Hap ends up in a room where Harry has his security cameras being monitored, by nobody, and he notices that the guy who looks evil  has his family's gold right there.  How convenient.  (He's also voiced by Mark Hamill) 

That's not Willy Wonka/ Copyright ViacomCBS 

   Back at school, Hap tells his friends what he saw and  wants to get family's gold back. The friends decide to want to join him and get the gold.  If you think this is moving a little quickly, it is , but it's a 42 minute special, we don't have time for dragged out stuff, which at least removes some of the filler that could happen, because we have to get straight to the action and plot. That being they are going to try and sneak into the mansion during a big gala to retrieve the gold. 

        They dress up to blend in with the gala.  It's a heist movie!   They make it to the spot where the pot of gold is being held, but Harry is watching from the surveillance room, still getting evil vibes from him.  We get a cool explosion to get the doors open.  Harry shows up and being evil, and fun fact: Harry is not just evil, but also is an evil dragon. (what a twist!, the dragon part that is) 

How to train your dragon to also be a man who is beloved by a City because of immense luck that he stole from a leprechaun / Copyright Viacom CBS 

           Now we get a them versus a dragon fight, as Hap is free to go get the gold, while is friends are fighting Harry the dragon.  Hap is able to grab the gold , that pot has his family name on it.  It cuts to his house to see the rain storm that was just happening over their house move away. The parents are happy too  The dragon breaks free from the friends and captures them threatening to drop them into the lake of magma running there. 

            This movie is going for the real luck is the friends we make along the way, and Hap decides the best idea destroy the gold by throwing it into the magma, and I think dragon guy dies.  He didn't die, because apparently we can't kill villains in this movie, but he has bad luck. (uhh, so death would have been the better outcome for him) 

             The movie ends with Hap being more used to his life being this way now and a change of perspective (and reusing scenes we  had before, yay!) 

    

        Again, this is not a bad special, it checks the marks of the story and is pretty fast paced to fit 42 minutes of content and that's fine. It's a fun treat, the story is simple, it goes for the real luck is the friends you have along the way, and the message of changing your perspective, that the parent characters give in the start. You can understand why Hap was invested in changing his situation, and his parents being mostly optimist characters. 

      His friends are interesting, though not too much is developed on all of these characters since we don't get that long, but you do at least understand their characteristics in basic form and their roles. Going back to the animation, it's not bad and it's good for TV. The villain  is obvious, but you know what? It's better than forcing a surprise villain. 

  

   The comedy is fine, a kid would like it a little more, but it's not bad.  It's a little fun, watch it for Saint Patrick's day, you can watch it anytime really, but give it a look.  

       That's it for now, tune in next time when we take our pot of gold on a walk, hope no dragons want it. 

        

DCOM: The Luck of the Irish

Dcom  The Flashback 

       Saint Patrick's Day seems to be dead in the TV marketing department, there really aren't  any Saint Patrick's day specials, I mean, Charlie Brown has an Arbor Day special but no Saint Patrick's day!  Disney Channel decided at least , once, to have a Saint Patrick's day related piece of media. The  movie isn't  about Saint Patrick's  Day, but they air it around Saint Patrick's day so, that's how that works.  Plus, since when this is published, we are also looking at Friday the 13th which is connected to Luck so we are trying to kill two birds with one stone.

      This movie first came out in March of 2001 on Disney Channel. It stars Ryan Merriman, who showed up on Disney Channel Original movies before and after like "Smart House" and "A Ring of  Endless Light". There's also  Timothy Omundson, whom you may know from "Psych" as "Lassie" but but, where's my "Judging Amy" gang?  It also stars the late Henry Gibson.

 
        Let's  get started.   Our main character (played by Merriman) is middle school student named Kyle Johnson, he's a popular basketball player at his school. (Because this seems to be a Disney Channel early days go to sport, also it's funny the same actor played a kid who also later plays basketball in "Smart House".  The school is doing a heritage day thing that Kyle is worried about and he also asks his parents where his family is from, like their heritage. His father says they moved from Cleveland. ( This movie makes you want to think these two parents are serial killers on the hide from the law and or kidnappers of Kyle)  There's also the plot device, lucky coin, more on that later.

I'm also confused 

          First, the movie wants us to watch a basketball game, because it has time for this.  Kyle seems to have luckiness to him, he's a good basketball player, popular, the girls want him (probably some guys do to)  and yeah.   Meanwhile, there's another important character for this movie her name is Bonnie Lopez, she's in charge of the heritage day committee. She wonders about Kyle's , remember he doesn't know. (Maybe he's french; I wish the title of the movie would tell me)
\

         Movie likes to show that Kyle has weird dumb luck just to make a point. Also, they want to show the mom makes weird food, this is contrast for later.  Kyle presses his parents to figure out his heritage, but they still seem like they are serial killers. (I'm uncomfortable)  This part of the movie is one music change from being a horror film.

He's one step from taking Kyle out/ Copyright Disney 

            Kyle decides to use the 2001 internet to see if he figure out his heritage and family. Bonnie helps him figure it out.  He also doesn't know his mother's maiden name , which means he makes it harder for identity thieves.  We are pressing hard on his mother's side now because it's important. So far the movie is not doing anything that's not important for it's plot, they are either doing some tight writing or I'm over thinking.   He finds out his father's real name is Bob Smith (I'm calling the police) really making me think he's a serial killer, or hit man or something. Also, maybe the lucky charm coin is lucky.

My father had a very boring name/ Copyright Disney 

         Meanwhile, the coin has a match to something he has on his coin and yes he might be Irish. What? Irish? no way? It's not like the title would say anything about that. Meanwhile, Irish stuff.  Meanwhile, Henry Gibson and makes this movie even more fun with his presence!  Remember his shoe symbol, that's important.  Also, obvious CGI is obvious.

He's not CGI. Copyright Disney 

more after the jump