The Miz Wants To Be An Awesome "Santa's Little Helper"

Santa's Little Helper (2015)

Rated PG

Starring Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, Paige, AnnaLynne McCord, Eric Keenleyside

Directed by Gil Junger

The Story:

Dax (Mizanin) gets fired from his cutthroat job the week before Christmas and is about to lose everything he has. Santa (Keenleyside) sees something in Dax and sends an elf named Billie (McCord) to put Dax through a series of tests. If Dax should succeed, there's a spot for him at the North Pole as Santa's next in command, a spot that another elf (Paige) thinks belongs to her.

WWE Studios is at it again, with another direct to DVD feature in time for the holidays.

Like last year's Jingle All The Way 2, there's nothing inherently wrong with the feature, it feels very much like a made for television movie, and sometimes during this time of year, that's exactly what you want or need to bring the family together while you deck the halls and all that stuff.

I'm just happy to rebound from the loser Christmas movies I'd been getting from Netflix, and was pleased that this movie didn't suck.

:)

Naturally, there will be contrary opinions out there, but I've rarely had any dislike for anything put out by WWE Studios. They are often paint by numbers films, but when you have a formula that works, unless  you're a game changing actor/director/studio, you go with what's safe, what works, and what audiences and your assemblage feels comfortable with.

That said, while The Miz doesn't get a lot of love in the ring lately with WWE, there's no denying the fact that Mike is a natural in front of  the camera and continues to be WWEs poster boy for making movies. Now in his second Christmas film, his role is much expanded than it was in the ABC Family film Christmas Bounty where he was a secondary film. No, Miz gets to carry most of the film and he proves up to the challenge.

Much like the persona he has in the ring, there's really nothing to like or care about in Dax, yet as the layers get peeled back, you hope he succeeds in his quest.

By the time the credits role, all is well on screen and you won't feel miserable for having watched this one.

Final Grade: C+

May The Holidays Provide You A "Christmas Bounty"

Christmas Bounty (2013)

TV-PG

Starring Francia Raisa,  Mike "The Miz" Mizanin,

Directed by Gil Junger

The Story:

When elementary schoolteacher Tory Bell (Raisa) realizes a man she helped put in prison has been freed, she knows he is coming for revenge against her family because they are all bounty hunters. She heads back to Jersey and revisits her roots teaming with family and ex-boyfriend (The Miz) to bring their perp to justice. Will she be able to keep her secret life from her new boyfriend, or will her Jersey ways doom their relationship?

If you think the above sounds like a TV movie, congratulations, you've just discovered ABC Family's new Christmas movie entry from last year.

Like most of their offerings, there is nothing ground-breaking or earth-shattering to be had. However, they are always well done, well-acted, and usually very enjoyable.

This one is no exception.

Raisa does a great job leading the cast. Apparently she is an ABC Family alumni from their network, and she has the charisma to lead a movie with little problem. The Miz, taking a break from the WWE turns in a fun little performance. Like him or hate him, he knows what to do for the cameras.

While it won't jump up the list of "must-sees" every year, it's a fun diversion that allows for a movie that takes place during the holidays, but isn't really about Christmas.

Like Die Hard. :)

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing, and my be part of the ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas line-up in the last few days.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would be able to watch this one each year with little problem.

Whatchoo Gonna Doo, Brother? "Scooby Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery"

Scooby Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery (2014)

Not Rated

Starring Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Mindy Cohn, Grey DeLisle, John Cena, Triple H, Michael Cole, Kane, The Miz, A.J. Lee, Vince McMahon

Directed by Brandon Vietti

The Story:

Scooby (Welker) ends up winning a contest on a WWE video game and wins a trip to WWE City!  Shaggy (Lillard) an Scooby beg for the gang to tag along, bringing much persuasive evidence that they've never asked for anything in return and have always been used as bait to solve mysteries. 

Point: Scooby & Shaggy!

So they head to WWE City and meet the superstars.  But with a mysterious ghost bear plaguing the town, and Scooby apparently the prime suspect in the theft of the WWE Championship, it's up to Shaggy, Fred (Welker), Daphne (DeLisle) and Velma (Cohn) to clear their canine companion and lay the smackdown on the mysterious bear!

Hanna Barbera teams with WWE Studios to make a movie that's fun for the whole family.

WWE Wrestlers have been compared to cartoons over the years, so it makes sense to go animated.

Hook kids to the fun of WWE, and you might have a fan for life.

Worked on me.

:)

And the WWE offered up some of their best, A-listers John Cena, Triple H and even the Chairman himself, Vince McMahon!

Other wrestlers, like Sin Cara (who is instrumental to the movie) are shown but not given any dialogue.

The wrestlers do quite fine for themselves as voice actors, given the respective size and importance of their roles.  I would say The Miz comes out as the wrestler who seemingly has the most fun in the movie, and has the best lines.

But first and foremost, as the title suggests, this is a Scooby Doo cartoon.

Frank Welker leads the team, still as the intrepid Fred but now also pulling double duty as Scooby.  He is able to differentiate between the two nicely, and I like when the voices are distinct enough that you don't realize it's the same voice.

Lillard was perfectly cast as a live-action Shaggy when Scooby Doo came to the big screen years ago.  He does the memory of Casey Kasem proud as he brings Shaggy to life for a new generation.

While I mentioned in my Scooby Doo review that the main cast did voices for years, eventually they all get replaced.

:(

DeLisle has become the latest Daphne, and I was amused to see that Cohn has taken up the mantle of Velma since the early 2000s.  Yes, Natalie from The Facts of Life.

My childhood is converging as I am now an adult!

Overall, I thought it was pretty well done, and I'm looking forward to the next 45 years of Scooby Doo!

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Hey, I liked it.  I would watch it again. :)

Who Knew It Would Be a Franchise? "The Marine: Homefront"

Because he's the Miz... and he's awe-some!

The Story:

The third Marine (Mike "the Miz" Mizanin) comes home from leave, and runs into trouble in his hometown.  There's some bad dudes planning some bad deeds, but when they kidnap the Marine's sister, well you know they're going to pay!

First there was John Cena's film.  Then came Ted DiBiase Jr.

Please note, you must always add Jr. when discussing Ted DiBiase, otherwise I'll assume you're talking about his dad, The Million Dollar Man.

Now, The Miz.

And for a WWE Studios production, it's not half bad.  It's about as fair-to-middling as the entire franchise has been up to this point.  Nothing that's going to win an Oscar, but nothing that is a complete waste of time.


WWE Studios is really good at surrounding their wrestlers with talented actors that can carry the film, and this one is no exception.  The character actors do their part playing their roles well, but you need a charismatic villain to be the counterpoint to the hero.

Thankfully, Neal McDonough is on hand as the villain.  He makes an excellent bad guy, and this is a welcome return to WWE Films since he got his butt handed to him by The Rock back in Walking Tall.

Nothing ground-breaking or earth shattering.  Some decent fights and chases throughout the film.


Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again, but unless they put the whole franchise on a disc...for cheap... well there you go. ;)