Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, 9.5/10
I remember watching this when I was in 3rd grade with at my friends house in their living room. My friend Keith and his younger brother Sam (they were both born on March 14th, 2 years apart. Keith is the same age as I am) both told me how much they loved it. They really loved how intense it was. We all grabbed a seat on their red chairs and couch. Keith popped in the VHS and we watched in excitement.
It was a real surprise when everything turned out to be real.
This one had villains you thought were villains, but were actually the good guys (Zombies). You had creepy visitors working on the island. And we had two beautiful, compassionate hostesses happy to welcome the gang to their nice island.
It was dark, scary and deceptive. To top it all off, It’s Terror Time Again is one of the best songs in the franchise. All in all, easily one of the best films in the series.
Scooby-Doo and The Witch’s Ghost, 6.5/10
Next on the list is Scooby-Doo and The Witch’s Ghost, released in 1999. This one is a bit of a toss-up. Taking place in a historic New England town, the gang is invited by one of Velma’s favorite authors to join him at his hometown’s harvest festival. The mayor welcomes them and ensures business is booming, gotta prop up the haunted tourism industry after all.
Overall the setting and story are a bit mixed in terms of quality, but two things stand out. Since their debut appearance in The Witch’s Ghost, The Hex Girls have become a global phenomenon. Closely associated with the rest of the gang themselves. They’ve since been featured in three movies, and four episodes of Scooby Media. Despite only being on screen for a few minutes, the Hex Girls are immensely popular for the eco-goth look, killer songs, and of course being actual wiccans doesn’t hurt either.
The other stand out in the film is the villain. No, I don’t mean Ben. I’m talking about the ghost. I’ve though she’s not in the film for long, I think cool to see her supernatural powers come to life, much like they do in this film’s predecessor, Zombie Island.
Scooby-Doo and the Alien invaders 8/10
In no particular order, I’m starting with the Alien Invaders, released in in the year 2000 on DVD. I don’t remember the first time I saw it. I don’t think I’ve ever owned a copy, perhaps it played on TV, back when my parents had a cable plan that still included Cartoon Network. I always liked watching movies on TV. The limitations of the format I find to be a benefit in contrast to the analysis paralysis filled world of streaming and the social media. Even as an adult I still find myself enjoying movies this way. I don’t mind the commercial breaks, and being able to unwind in familiar surroundings is pleasant. Though in reality, I imagine most of this is nostalgia for memories of my childhood, especially comparing it to the eternal struggles of adulthood.
“When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind, Ch. 12 Puzzle Pieces Fitting, 2007
The townsfolk are charming. Crystal and Amber are adorable and sweet. The southwestern setting of New Mexico is immersive, and the isolation feels comforting as if you’re in a world separated from our own. It’s the same feeling I get during a heavy thunderstorm. I’m somewhere safe inside, with my cat and warm lighting, the rain driving away the scary people that make me nervous.
I enjoy the gang’s interactions with Lester, an outsider even among outsiders. Shaggy has one of the best songs of the entire franchise with his song “How Groovy”. All in all, the film is great. It always brings back memories, and makes me feel happy and calm. What more could you ask for?
Scooby-Doo and The Cyber Chase, 8.5/10
One of the things that comes to mind over and over again when thinking about these films is thinking about how comforting and nostalgic they are to me. On a bad day, one where everything has been going wrong, even a bad week or year, how do these movies make me feel? If the answer is warm and fuzzy inside, that's a good thing. If they're able to teleport me away from our cold world to a different one I can immerse myself in, that's a good thing. Right off the bat, the gang starts off on a college campus of one of their friends. Even though it's only for a few minutes, it brings back good memories of when I was in school and immediately draws me in. I love the security gaurd that thinks their treaspassing (I'ts a public university), and I relish the scene where Shaggy and Scooby discover the all you can eat technological buffet in the School's cafeteria. The first chase montage where the gang is running through classrooms and science labs on campus brings back all of the same memories and more, especially spending late nights around campus alone, when most buildings were empty.
Once the gang get's into the video game world, some levels are great, others are more mid. The Roman ampitheater is one of the best, the volcano level is a bit more mediocre. I remember reading somewhere how the animators were upset at the writers for including so many different backgrounds and locations in the script. After seeing the montage where the gang goes through about 5 different levels in rapid succession, I can see why. I'm glad they pulled it off though.
When the gang get's to the final level in the themepark, the best part is seeing them reunite with old versions of themselves (albeit, digital ones). When they finish the level and have to leave their old versions behind in the game world, it is truly a bit sad and honestly, I couldn't think of a better way to end what we now see as the quadrilogy of amazingness of the last 4 movies.
Scooby-Doo Abracadabra-Doo, 9/10
Released in February 2010, Abracadabra-Doo is one of my favorites. The banshee on the island always terrified me as a kid. For a long time it made me not want to watch the movie again. Once I got a bit older, t became one of my favorite parts of the movie.
The magic castle is a fantastic location for the gang to explore. It has the same feeling as Hogwarts in some ways.
It was dark, scary and deceptive. To top it all off, It’s Terror Time Again is one of the best songs in the franchise. All in all, easily one of the best films in the series.
Camp Scare Scooby-Doo, 8.5/10
Scooby-Doo Camp Scare, released in September, 2010; just a few months after Abracadabra. As someone who worked at Philmont, one of the largest summer camps in the world, the film is amazing! The environments of Camp Little Moose and Big Moose are both great. It’s fun to see the gang going swimming, ziplining and sitting around a campfire.
The three kids that gang mentors are a great addition to the cast. The goth girl with Velma, the athletic one with Fred and Daphne, and the anxious one with Shaggy and Scooby. The lake monster, Woodsman, and the banshee were all unique and terrifying. The twists and turns the story takes are unexpected and dark.
All in all this film is complex, adventurous and dark, yet surprisingly wholesome.
Notes
- Inspired by The Horseshoe, from The Oblivion Tales by Melanie Mau and Martin Schnella