etmistereportois Reviews

Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken (2023)

Mid term animation movie for one night

[6/10 · 6 August 2023]

It's a nice mid-term animation movie to kill some time with your family: great visuals, nice music and mostly OK, but nothing really special in terms of the story. I kinda wish I'd seen it in the theater, though, cause the picture in some places is really great. I enjoyed the 2D parts particularly, it'd be better, had they added more of those.

I can see where the great art direction comes from, it seems that Paul Tibbitt has done a big job before being replaced. Being in development for a few years, I guess the movie stuck in a development hell at some point, so most probably Universal had to cut what they could, wrap it and push to the theaters, but not only that, it was the studio who purposely killed it, throwing it under the train of bad marketing, and bad release date when the market had Spider Man and Elemental being in theaters already, gathering all the attention they could. We might say that they didn't want to loos even more money on the marketing. But at least they could have selected a different release date, to say the least. I'd say it's a shame an original idea got that kind of treatment, having in mind how few original projects there are on the screen these years.

So overall, it's definitely a fun movie for a family watch, but don't expect anything great from it. It gets the job done entertaining you with goofy characters and creative visual interludes.

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968–2001)

The most sincere thing on television possible

[10/10 · 1 April 2018]

Never have I seen something that sincere. Never have I thought there's something that could make me cry so hard. Never have I felt so much love from the other side of the TV screen.

A pure kindness.

The Raid: Redemption (2011)

Pure violence. That's why you'll love it

[9/10 · 15 August 2016]

I bumped into it while I was changing TV channels. It got me good when I saw all the violence being thrown at me from the screen, so I decided I should at least watch it till the end. When the film ended, I felt like I experienced all the fights myself - my breathe was fast as I ran a mile, and I even had sweat on my forehead, thinking to myself "Now that was a ride!". I liked it, but I wasn't ready to say something about it - it wouldn't be very objective, and there wasn't anything to say except "OH MY GOSH IT WAS FREAKIN' INCREDIBLE".

And so, a week or two later I re-watched it and liked the film even more. I wasn't paying attention to details during my first watch, but this time I saw much more then just a huge fight.

Firstly, I would like to mention that I have never seen such creative camera work in action-packed films. All these shaky camera moves, Dutch angles in moments they were needed and some really clever shots - all this was highly innovative and 2010s-fresh. Camera work really helped with creating the desperate atmosphere of SWAT team being on the edge of death and trying to survive.

Secondly, the soundtrack. I haven't heard the original version, but the American one with Mike Shinoda was simply outstanding. These electronic vibes with a pinch of brostep make all the violent fights and shootings even more aesthetic and beautiful. Seeing Iko Uwais beating the crap out of gangsters gives a very satisfying feeling by itself, but with the Mike Shinoda's compositions the effect becomes two or three times better. I have to say that this film has one of a few soundtracks I really want to buy and listen to separately. I don't want to say that I don't like other films' music, but this one truly overdone the soundtrack format.

And thirdly, the direction. Gareth Evans did an extremely amazing work making all the shootings, fights and sounds into one solid piece of art. Colours, decorations and the way actors played really amazed me. There wasn't much unexpected moments in the plot, but actually I don't think this really matters in action films. As long as the script doesn't have any plot holes, it works really fine. I personally liked the themes this film talks about, though it may occur as a bunch of clichés to somebody. All the effects were great enough too, considering the budget the film used.

To sum up, I'd love to say that this film feels like a roller- coaster (in a good way). There is not much plot twists, but it's not really necessary. You'll get that much adrenaline in your blood, you won't need any serious dialogues, which are pretty good, anyway. If you want to experience some action and excitement, this film is definitely your choice.

Downtown (1999–2000)

Extremely atmospheric

[9/10 · 31 March 2016]

I have to say that for American show 13 episodes is not enough to give it an objective score (thanks, MTV), but you may find the direction which the show was going to take - and it was going to be pretty nice.

The show concentrates on the idea of being young in the late 90s - early 2000s, when beepers were still around, the internet was slow and the term 'nerdy' was offensive. So, Alex, the protagonist, is a typical nerd in his 20s, got stuck on a dead-end job in a small typography, in the middle of New York. Alex hangs around with his friends, moves out in his own apartment, tries to impress a girl he likes - long story short, lives a life of a youngster in one of the biggest megalopolises in the world.

What makes the show so attractive is the fact that it is based on true stories from real people - and it really seems that way. All the troubles and weird stuff you face in your 20s, when you are taken as an adult, but haven't become one yet, is generally presented there, with great, realistic humour in addition. Remember the not-so best choice of apartment for the first time? Having a crush on a person from a different world? Doing weird bets with your friends? This is what mostly happens in the series, and it's one of the reasons you'll like it. At least for the nostalgia the show recalls.

But why the show is particularly good is the atmosphere. That dark, gray and a bit existential feeling of a huge, American megalopolis, had been little presented in shows whatsoever. The city itself is a huge dump full of weirdos, bizarre places and graffiti. And this is why you love being in here. And you'll never change it to anything else - it's in your blood now. You are going to grow up with it and it will spread in your body and your mind even deeper. I can't say I'm much of a cinemaholic and know lots of stuff, so I can remember only one video-game that represented an atmosphere like that - GTA III. But in the game it was even darker, but in the show you have a young look on the world, and thanks to that, you like the city even more. So, in one moment the city itself becomes a protagonist.

And the soul of the city was going to be shown even closer, but for some reasons, fellas from MTV decided to shut the show down, and now we have only 13 episodes to feel the atmosphere you aren't going to catch anywhere else, while still trying to grow up and become more mature.

If are you in love with everything urbanistic, or stuff from the beginning of the XXI century, and if you ever catch it on TV - take a look on the show, you won't regret it.

Sex Ed (2014)

Not what I expected, but still a good one

[7/10 · 11 October 2015]

I actually thought that the movie would be more toilet humor-orientated. It was what I saw from the trailer - jokes about genitals, image of the outsider protagonist having difficulties with talking to ladies and his successful friend being almighty alpha male.

But the movie itself is about something different. It focuses on other, more philosophic topics - what makes man a man and what makes life worth living. It depicts the process of growing up as a person, some good patterns of behaving yourself with the person you like and why does it matter to protect your point of view.

However, the humour part is still good. If toilet jokes are OK to you, some gags will definitely make you burst out laughing.

All in all, "Sex Ed" may not be the movie that the trailer shows, but it doesn't make it any worse. Such kind, melodramatic comedy, in reality, is a good way to spend an evening with your friends and/or your fiancé, if toilet jokes and topics are OK to them.