The Reboots Collection

Some films didn't fit comfortably under the Remakes heading and are best described as Reboots. It's usually undertaken because the studio had run the original series into the ground but still wants to milk it, so they make it shiny and new with actors and actresses that are more appealing to a younger audience. (We're probably all thinking it, so I'll go ahead and say it: sometimes it means that men/women are hired based on looks rather than talent.)

There might be some duplication of titles that are currently in the Remakes post. That's because they're either confusingly both or I've not personally seen them and can't make a judgement call on where they belong. I'm happy to take advice and/or suggestions from folks, either in relation to "add this title," or "remove that one, prick!" Sincere thanks to anyone that contributes.

NECA Cult Classics: Series 7: Beetlejuice (2008)

Seven inches of plastic that's SFW, unlike the character it represents; i.e. the titular ghost with the most as portrayed by Michael Keaton in the Beetlejuice (1988) movie. (There’s also a larger eighteen inch model available.) Besides the weird hairline, the face sculpt has some detail and looks decent in profile.

The best joints are in the neck and shoulders. The shoulder pins allow for the arms to be lifted, lowered or swivelled forwards and backwards to various degrees. The head can be spun around and tilted to look slightly up or down.

Elsewhere, his feet swivel 360 degrees at the line where hem meets boot top; it's very odd. There are holes on the underside but he comes with no stand.
His elbows and hands do the same 360 degree swivel motion as the feet.

The package includes a trio of accessories: two snakes and a copy of The Handbook for the Recently Deceased, all to scale. The snakes aren't bendable, but can be stuck inside his coat for shits and giggles. The book rested on an open palm turned upwards (as pictured) is the only way he can hold it.

2½ black and white candy stripes out of 5

Gashapon Ghost Eyecon Set 08: Kamen Rider Gaim (2016)

An explanation of the Eyecons can be found in Neg's first Ghost related post. I'll add only that they're approx 55mm in diameter, about the size of a small mandarin fruit or one of Henry Rollins' testicles [unverified claim]. It seems like they might comfortably take a knock or two and not fall to pieces; i.e. drop it on carpet and it should be fine, but drop it on concrete and there'll be tears.
The Gaim version, as featured in episode three of KR Ghost: Legendary! Riders' Souls! (2016), has an orange coloured iris, referencing Gaim's Orange Arms form. The other three sides are as you'd expect, with the number being R15.

For someone who really enjoyed Gaim and unashamedly likes clicky-clicky buttons (me on both counts), it's a fun and manageable addition to the shelf.

3½ grateful nods to Neg out of 5

The Remakes Collection

They suck, right? Mostly they do, but not always. In some cases your preference will depend upon which version you saw first. In others, there'll be a clear winner and only a fool would try to argue otherwise, which is not the same thing as loving something for personal reasons.

Below the cut is a list of films that are reviewed here on In a Nutshell and a few TV Miniseries that are reviewed over on Nut Box. The original/first version is on the left, with the remake/subsequent version(s) following. I'm not going to make a distinction between 'actual' remake and 'adapted from same source'. I'm sure I've missed some. Don't be shy. Point them out.

Candy Toy Ghost Eyecon Set 1: Musashi (2015)

I'm leaving this here out of respect to Doc's efforts in reviewing the Eyecon I gifted him.

 

By pressing the button on the right side of Ghost Eyecons, you can flip through four images: An iris, its specific number or letter (here, 01), the facial design of the form it grants, and the symbol of its hissatsu. If you have open shelves, or pets that have free reign around your collection, these may become a cleaning issue given their lenses. I had to open every candy toy and gashapon Eyecon I received to remove detritus from inside, right out of the box (or bag). The biggest issue I had was with Musashi, however: the stickers were printed off-center. I was able to fix them, but it wasn't fun, or particularly safe.

In gashapon and candy toy Eyecons, those stickers (and the ones up top) are flat, not glittery and holographic like the DXs'. The print quality isn’t fantastic, either. The QC issues and the print quality are bad enough, but at this point I find the idea of the gimmick itself quite silly. Of course it has a lot to do with what I feel about what happened with the show after the first arc.

A list of the availability of DX Eyecons is below the cut.

They Had 1 Last Shot and They Blew It out of 5

The Ace Attorney Collection

The Gyakuten Saiban/Ace Attorney series spins the incredibly simple (and perhaps initially off-putting) concept of donning the well-tailored blazers of defense attorneys (and sometimes prosecutors) into something much more. The morality of these stalwart advocates, and the judicial system itself, is inevitably placed under the microscope, but it is done through the lens of its impact on those who entrust their lives to these men and women—characters that are often as hilarious as they are endearing and relatable.

The Phoenix Arc of the progenitorial gaming series has been covered completely on our sister site, Nut Load.

1.) Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright
2.) Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright — Justice for All
3.) Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright — Trials and Tribulations

Opinions on the music from the same era can be found on Nut Suite.

1.) Gyakuten Saiban Sound Box
2.) Gyakuten Saiban Meets Orchestra
3.) Gyakuten Saiban Meets Jazz Soul

The film has been tackled, here.