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Kingdom: Ashin-jeon (2021)
Slight
The producers could have incorporated this story into an episode at the beginning of season 3 -- if there is one. It's a side story to the main plot and the backstory of a new character that was introduced at the end of season 2. The actress, Jun Ji-hyun, is well known and it makes sense to give her a two-hour movie and her character a big launch. The question is whether the character and this side plot do anything to advance the story of the series? Not really, and nothing in the action warrants this two hour addition, either.
If you're a completeist and Kingdom fan, you'll want to watch to say you have. Otherwise, you can skip it and get caught up later.
Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)
Not that accurate
@uberificbrownie In fact the women featured as Hendrix' friend and lover have come out publicly to declare the film is very inaccurate in several ways. You can read for yourself on the real Linda E.'s web site. She said that Ridley took bits of events that she wrote about in her autobiography and turned them around to fit his modern-day vision. I think she's right in some ways, certainly if you look at Atwell in the movie she's portrayed as being rather common and juxtaposed against Poots' character who is a posh intellectual/romantic.
You see what he's doing right off; Linda E. is the "old" Jimi who played juke joints with few noticing, Linda K helps him find the new Jimi who will be remembered forever. His process going from a back-up blues man to a legend was very likely a lot more complicated than that, and took more than a few notes from a friend to make him what he became.
But that's the Hollywood formula biopic, it encourages simplification of complexities. And sometimes, unfortunately when it comes to observing African American figures, the script may often have a White hand leading the Black hand along (see also 12 YEARS).
The other thing to note is that Ridley does seem to be a political conservative. They tend to observe black and white (not talking about race) more than grey.
It isn't hard to get things right like Hendrix' tone of voice (yes he was soft spoken) or his clothing and hair. Getting the rest "right" is likely harder.
Nintama Rantarô (2011)
Based on a popular NHK animation
It's hard to believe, with all the Western otaku out there, that very few reviews online have noted that this film is a live-action version of a popular kids animation called Nintama Rantarou. It's little wonder that most of the reviews seem as disjointed and unsure as they believed the movie to be.
The film itself has a threadbare plot that mostly serves to pay fanservice to those who grew up watching the series and/or have children who've seen it. The costume designers, make-up crew and set directors have made pinpoint recreations of the artwork of the original series. The make-up is the equal of the work on Takashi's somewhat similar film The Great Yokai War.
It's rife with sight gags, slapstick and deadpan humor, some that will be lost on those without the reference point of the animation in their heads going in.
My very young children have seen Ninatama and chuckled and laughed through most of the goofy fun of Takashi's version. They tended to drift as the film ran on; it's probably too long to hold their interest all the way through. For adults looking for Takashi to live up to his reputation as Mr blood and guts they should probably look elsewhere. However, if you're interested in a vibrant slapstick comedy that doesn't reference thousands of American comedies, Ninja Kids is a spectacle to see.
Umezu Kazuo: Kyôfu gekijô - Mushi-tachi no ie (2005)
Kurosawa collects a small paycheck out of admiration for Umezu
All the J-horror fans should always be skeptical of the anthologies that have been coming to the US on DVD. They're made for TV on a low budget, lower than their more infamous theatrical release cousins. However, when a prime director like Kiyoshi Kurosawa is involved, you expect a little better. His segment of the tribute of Umezu Kazuo (of whom Kurosawa is a big fan) is much like a poorly executed remake of his film Undo. The performances are weak, the pacing is deadly slow, and there's not even a pay off for the gore hounds and fans of the gotcha scare. Perhaps Kurosawa's predilection for psychodramas leadened what might have been one of Umezu's most chilling mangas, or perhaps it's just that Umezu's doesn't translate well.