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Top wo Nerae! (1988)
Gorgeous aesthetic, somewhat lackluster narrative
Visually, "Gunbuster" is absolutely stunning, sporting that oh-so-delightful 80's anime aesthetic - sometimes in snappy colours, sometimes in gorgeous monochrome.
The narrative, however, leaves a few things to be desired. The main conflict always feels foggy, particularly in regards to the alien threat, which we never learn about (and thus leaving us with questions such as: er, are our protagonists perpetrating a genocide?). The reason why the fate of the world is left to Japanese teenagers is never explained, the character conflicts aren't particularly engaging, and the scenes that suddenly veer into full horniness are more confusing than alluring (not least because it is the "camera" - not the characters themselves - who venture into the world of the sexual).
Despite a mostly excellent (and - again - visually stunning) final episode, the series as a whole is mostly just memorable as "that thing Hideaki Anno directed before "Evangelion").
Great Pretender (2020)
Human trafficking is just fun hijinks, apparently
At first glance, this show should work. It has a fun, colourful and expressive artstyle. The jazzy score by Yutaka Yamada is excellent, bringing to mind the work of Yoko Kanno on "Cowboy Bepop". And this show feels like it really wants to be Bepopesque.
Unfortunately, the show collapses upon any closer scrutiny. It is plagued by many issues, the most serious (in no particular order) being:
1. The crew has obviously made no research on cultures foreign to them, leading to Arab charaters named Abigail and Clark, and a portrayal of Baghdad (as a liberal democracy of tailored suits and ballet recitals) that is just baffling.
2. Heists and schemes which are supposed to be geniusly complex instead end up being impossibly contrived and nonsensical. We are not impressed by the prowess of the con artists, but instead ask ourselves what the heist-success-equivalent of "plot armour" is.
3. The character writing is all over the wall, with the main character Makoto in particular becoming whatever any given scene calls for. There are several times in the series were upon seeing his contradictory actions we assume that an explanation is right around the corner, but then it never comes.
4. Several choices made means that previous scenes intended to be dramatic and even touching become entirely pointless.
5. Most upsettingly, the series tackles serious real-life problems like human trafficking of minors, and then forgets about them in favour of whacky hijinks... making it so that the writers fail to realize that our supposedly likeable protagonists themselves becomes guilty of some of the worst crimes imaginable. Yes, you read that correctly: our main protagonists aid and abet the enslavement and selling of children, so that they can scam the human traffickers at a later date.
In conclusion, this - quite surprisingly - ended up being one of the worst animes I've ever seen.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Oh no, it's good
It almost bothers me to admit that this is a good film, but it is. Having seen it, the 2017 version of the film feels considerably worse than before. This is an improvement in almost every way.
It is not a perfect film. Many of the designs are remarkably ugly. The antagonists (Steppenwolf and Darkseid) remain poorly defined and unengaging. The aspect ratio remains a baffling choice. But other than that, I have very few complaints.
The story is exciting, the drives and personalities of the protagonists are well-defined (at least when compared to other DCEU films), several sequences are innovative... It boggles the mind how the same people who made "Man of Steel" and "Batman v. Superman" (one boring, the other straight up insulting) could have made something like this. But as it stands, it actually makes me wish for further entries in the Snyderverse, which is something I never would have believed before watching.
Don't Worry Darling (2022)
A diamond in the rough
Knowing that the film had received a rather lukewarm reception, I was curious to find out for myself what this film had to offer. As it turns out, I was in for an exceptional thrill-ride.
Olivia Wilde and her cast and crew have crafted a strange, uncomfortable and thoroughly fascinating feature. It sports an intriguing concept (c/o Silberman, Van Dyke and Van Dyke), strong performances (from Pugh and Pine in particular), sensational cinematography (Libatique never disappoints) and a truly unique score (hat's off to Powell).
That being said, I agree that there is something... off, about this film. I can't put my finger on what, but there's just something missing here, something keeping it from being a masterpiece.
But although it doesn't quite reach perfection, it is more than good enough to make me eager to find out what Wilde & c:o has in store for us next.
O necem jiném (1963)
Chytilová delivers from the get-go
While "O nécem jiném" may not be quite as mind-bending as Chytilová's later fare ("Sedmikrásky" remains one of my all-time favourite films), this - her debut feature - already features some of the trademarks that marks her as one of - if not the - greatest of Czechoslovakian filmmakers. Beautifully mixing between fiction and documentary, with drama and humor and some truly unique shoot compositions and editing, Chytilová shows from the very get-go just how talented she was.
Koe no katachi (2016)
Instead of noises...
"Koe no Katachi" - by Naoko Yamada, Reiko Yoshida and Yoshitoki Oima - is in many ways one of the most uncomfortable movies I've ever seen, constantly getting under my skin... the reason for which being that I can relate to it so much. Handicaps, mental illness, self-loathing, suicidal tendencies, questioning whether or not you're a good person, fitting in, making friends, keeping friends... Like Lasse Hallström's "Mitt Liv Som Hund" it captures the very essence of growing up in a world that is often cruel but sometimes hopeful.
"A Silent Voice" is tough to watch, but well worth the effort. A precious movie, a masterpiece.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005)
I'll be damned if it isn't worth the praise - a must-see
I didn't grow up watching "Avatar: The Last Airbender". Before the premiere of the abysmal movie I'd never even heard of the show. And it's not until now, at age 24, that I finally got around to buying the box set and watching the series in its entirety. And I am glad I did.
The series is far from perfect. The first nine episodes of the series is a real slog, and the first season is by far the weakest of the three. There are times along the way when the show stumbles, as though not quite sure of what it wants to be or who it's made for.
But looking back on it as a whole, it's a remarkable achievment. With a thrilling narrative, some of the greatest and most likeable characters ever put to the small screen, and production values to match, it's a must-see. Alongside "RWBY" it actually manages to be a fully-fledged anime despite being American. It's no "Fullmetal Alchemist", but then Hiromu Arakawa is possibly the greatest story-teller alive today.
"Avatar: The Last Airbender" is fantastic, and deserves your time, money and love.
Den blomstertid nu kommer (2018)
The most important Swedish film since "Storm"
In 2005, Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein went against every rule in the Swedish cinematic playbook and crafted "Storm", a thorougly unique and original film. It was the first truly great Swedish film since the passing of Ingmar Bergman, and should have sparked a new era in Swedish cinema. Sadly, the nation continued insisting on making the same boring, unwatchable films and television series for another thirteen years. Then, suddenly, came Crazy Pictures and Christoffer Nordenrot - the insanely talented people behind "Poesi för fiskar", the greatest Swedish short films I have ever seen - and changed all of that.
This is the most important Swedish film in thirteen years. Its filmmakers have the guts to make a film that no other Swede is crazy enough to consider making. You need to watch this movie, and Swedish filmmakers need to take note. THIS is what Swedish cinema is supposed to be. It's not flawless, but it's a huge leap in the right direction.
A torinói ló (2011)
Jolifanto bambla o falli bambla
For a work to be considered a narrative, it should contain all of the following:
- A story/plot
- Characters
- A setting/atmosphere
- A theme
For a work to be considered a fantastic narrative, it must
- Be entertaining
- Be touching / emotionally resonant
- Tell us SOMETHING about SOMETHING
The only point on which "A torinói ló" does not fail is in terms of its setting. The scarred farmland in which it takes place is harrowing, and could have served as the perfect setting for an apocalyptic fable or a gothic horror or a psychological thriller or even a philosophical statement (the film is none of those things, regardless of what some critics claim).
Otherwise, the film has nothing. Nothing happens. There's nothing and no one to care about or even think about. It's utterly, utterly pointless. It's 147 minutes of your life that you can never have returned to you. A film is allowed to be slow, but it's not allowed to be boring, and this film brings a new meaning to the word. The only reason why you should ever watch this movie is to put other, better works in perspective.
SOME ALTERNATIVE MOVIE SUGGESTIONS: "The Fountain", "Mother!", "It's Such A Beautiful Day", "World of Tomorrow", "The End of Evangelion"
SOME ALTERNATIVE LITERARY SUGGESTIONS: Anything by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, but especially "The Idiot" and "The Brothers Karamazov".
Shin seiki Evangelion Gekijô-ban: Air/Magokoro wo, kimi ni (1997)
Well... that sure was a... thing
A short transcript of my oral reaction to the opening of the second part of "The End of Evangelion":
"Uhm...? Uhm...? Uhm...? Uhm? Uhm!? UHM!? UHM!?!?!?"
Er, did... Did Lars von Trier write this? 'cause I feel like Lars von Trier wrote this. Did... Has anyone ever seen Hideaki Anno and von Trier in the same room?
"The End of Evangelion" is a messed-up trainwreck of a masterpiece. It makes "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" and "Sedmikrásky" look like rational slice-of-life dramas. It is utterly insane. But also quite brilliant. This film certainly isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy watching minds unravel in insanity on-screen then boy is this movie for you.
I give it 9 [Shinji's Crazed Screaming] out of 10
Nelyubov (2017)
What is the virtue of temps mort?
Suppose that you go to the cinema in order to experience breath-takingly beautiful narratives featuring well-rounded, sympathetic characters in pursuit of relatable goals. Or else, suppose that your main motivation for going to the cinema is simply to be entertained by a suspenseful or fun movie.
.
Well, "Loveless" won't scratch either itch. This two-hour snoozefest features some of the most dislikeable characters ever put to screen, making it impossible to care about anyone or anything. The film is full of social critique and political messages, but lacks a raison d'être. It's simple plot is stretched out ad infinitum, making you long for the credits way before you're granted their visage. It is well-shot and well-acted and realistic to a fault, but it only exists to teach the audience of things they already know.
.
Save your money and your time on a movie truly worthy of your time.
Hagane no renkinjutsushi (2017)
Surprisingly okay
I was skeptical of this movie, to say the least. As a huge fan of both animes and the original manga, I doubted that Fumihiko Sori and his crew could do Hiromu Arakawa's masterpiece any kind of justice.
However, the end result is surprisingly okay. Sure, the CGI tends to be an eyesore, the acting is all over the place, and some characters aren't remotely similar to their badass manga/anime counterparts (here's lookin' at you, Riza). But on the whole, this film kind of works. The screenwriters made good choices in terms of what to adapt and how to fit it all together, and some characters (mainly Hughes, portrayed by Ryuta Sato) work really well.
Most importantly, the film has heart. I get the feeling that Fumihiko Sori and c:o genuinely cared about the adaptation, and that ain't nothin'. It's an ambitious production, though arguably an overly ambitious one.
FAR from a perfect adaptation, and nowhere near as good as the animes or manga, but it's not an insult to the original story, and not a bad way to spend two hours of your life.
Cross Road (2014)
IT'S A #&%§ING COMMERCIAL
Makoto Shinkai is a genius.
The thing is, he's kind of rubbing it in our face. Every moment of every film he's ever made seems to have been designed to be the most gorgeous and touching thing you've ever seen, and this approach extends to this production, which is A COMMERCIAL. IT IS A COMMERCIAL. It has no business being this good. This feels like a trailer for a simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking anime, except it's A COMMERCIAL.
What is wrong with you, Makoto?!?!?!
It (2017)
FINALLY a great Stephen King Adaptation
Was I skeptical upon entering that cinema? Absolutely.
Stephen King is a notoriously difficult author to adapt to screens big and small, and after seeing the recent remake of "Carrie" I had my share of doubts about whether these filmmakers could pull this of.
My fears disappeared fairly quickly.
"It" is a fantastic movie, a well-scripted, well-directed and well- acted piece of high-quality entertainment. Let's talk about those actors: each and every one of those child actors did an AMAZING job. I sympathized with, cared for and cheered for all of them. A spectacular job across the board. I predict that all these fine young actors (but maybe Sophia Lillis in particular) have great futures in store for them.
The young adult aspects of the film are so compelling that I almost didn't care about the horror aspect. Essentially, even if the film had messed up Pennywise, I still feel like it would have been a great time. But Bill Skarsgård and the crew did a great job with the dancing clown as well, making him and his surroundings fittingly creepy. I was never once terrified, but consider that a good thing. The film utilizes jump scares, true, but it never becomes overly reliant on them.
I have very few complaints about this movie. It was both entertaining and emotionally satisfying with a great cast, great atmosphere and surprisingly great humor. Check it out!
Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
Re-watch the original series instead. Trust me
The original "Twin Peaks" was a milestone in television history. What David Lynch, Mark Frost and their incredibly talented cast and crew managed to achieve was and still is mind-boggling. They created a masterpiece that is every bit as breathtaking today as it was almost thirty years ago.
SO WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!
Lynch has always worked on the edge, but so far just about every thing he's ever made has garnered my praise. "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" deviated significantly from the original series, but was still brilliant.
SO WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!
The 2017 series lacks all the charm of the original series. The comedy? Gone! The mystery? Gone! Lovable and/or memorable characters? Gone! Weird imagery? In abundance, but never once close to the glorious Black Lodge scenes from "1.02", "2.29" or "Fire Walk With Me". The music? Look, I love Nine Inch Nails as much as anyone, but what was the point of that music video in the middle of the episode?
It is clear to me that neither Lynch or Frost remembers what made the original good to begin with.
I am just going to pretend that this show never happened and just re-experience the splendour of the original series and movie. I strongly suggest that you do the same.
Hagane no renkinjutsushi: Mirosu no seinaru hoshi (2011)
Doesn't quite feel like Fullmetal Alchemist
By no means is "The Sacred Star of Milos" a bad film. For those wanting to feast their eyes on flashy Japanese animation, or simply to escape from the dullness of everyday life, this motion picture will be a good time.
That being said, at no point does this truly feel like a "Fullmetal Alchemist" film.
Throughout the entire viewing, I felt as though something was off. It wasn't the animation; though "-Milos" utilizes a completely different kind of design and animation than either of the two anime series, once you've accepted that contrast it's easy to marvel at how good-looking it is (almost like a cousin of Ghibli animation). But the story, the characters (old and new), the action, the (lack of) comedy, the (melodramatic) drama...
It feels as though no member of the production had any previous history with the franchise. That alone wouldn't necessarily make this a less-than-awesome film, but the fact is that I never once cared about anything going on on screen does. I didn't care whether our heroes succeeded or if anyone were to die.
In conclusion, "The Sacred Star of Milos" is a better-than-decent adventure film which features some cool animation, but it lacks the emotion to make us care, and - I feel - won't satisfy those expecting another adventure with the Elrics.
Gekijô-ban hagane no renkinjutsushi: Shanbara wo yuku mono (2005)
Entertaining and emotional, doesn't disappoint
Both among devoted FmA fans and critics, "Conqueror of Shamballa" is often criticized, with some going so far as calling it an unworthy film in the franchise. Personally, I am having a hard time seeing why anyone would dislike it that much.
I consider it far superior to "The Sacred Star of Milos", as it manages to keep the feel of Fullmetal Alchemist despite mostly taking place in our world. It's not a perfect movie (for example, the antagonist leaves a lot to be desired, and the CGI is at times quite annoying), but highly entertaining. It also works very well on an emotional level, with the characters from the manga/anime undergoing both physical and spiritual journeys. The filmmakers weren't afraid of making difficult choices, and the end result is a gorgeous film that certainly satisfied my desire for further Elric adventures.
I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoyed either of the two anime series or the manga.
Kôkaku kidôtai 2.0 (2008)
Unnecessary
First up, I want to make it clear that my rating goes to "Ghost in the Shell 2.0" and not the original film. The rating has nothing to do with the original storyline or old animation blablabla but only this new version, which is completely unnecessary in every imaginable way. The classic animation utilised in the original film looked amazing, and removing some of these classic masterpiece animations and intercutting them with new CGI stuff looks and feels, well, wrong.
It's not BAD CGI, but unnecessary, and jarring when intercut with the older (and in my opinion superior) style.
Don't watch "Ghost in the Shell 2.0". Buy the original version and enjoy that one instead.
Okkupert (2015)
A thoroughly unnecessary series
Last year, Norwegian television cave us "Mammon", an unusual series with interesting themes, well-written scripts and good actors (and a somewhat disappointing ending, but what're you gonna do). As such, I looked forward to watching another thrilling series.
Instead, I got "Okkupert".
The first two episodes of the series are confusing, boring and disappointing. They are also the greatest episodes of the series.
While I wouldn't go so far as to call this series straight-up bad (I'm giving it a 5 out of 10, after all) I still wouldn't recommend it to anyone anywhere. Neither writing, direction, editing, music or acting truly works, and some scenes are almost laughable.
While it felt as though "Mammon" took inspiration from the terrific Danish series we've gotten recently ("Forbrydelsen", "Borgen" and "Arvingerne" just to name a few), "Okkupert" felt inspired by Sweden. This is not a good thing.
I forced myself to finish the entire first season. I will not return for a second.
The West Wing: Noël (2000)
A dazzling episode and true masterpiece
Throughout its seasons "The West Wing" delivers hours upon hours of highly imaginative and creative pieces featuring excellent writing, acting and direction.
In this company, "Noël" stands out as one of the greatest - if not THE - greatest episode of the entire series. Featuring Josh Lyman - so often the comic relief of the show, the guy who has a witty comment to everything - dealing with some truly difficult issues, this episode takes us on a journey through some of the darker issues brought up on television. Remarkably well written by Aaron Sorkin and Peter Parnell with delicious direction from Thomas Schlamme and award-deserving performances from the entire cast in general and Bradley Whitford in particular, I can't tell you enough just how much in awe I am of this episode. Everything works, down to the sound design and music (not unimportant aspects of the episode).
Ingenious!
RWBY: End of the Beginning (2016)
An episode of unfathomable quality
The English language is flawed. All languages are. To this day, there are experiences and emotions which no vocabulary on Planet Earth can properly describe; we simply lack the tools. This episode is such an experience.
"RWBY 3.12: End of the Beginning" is one of those rare experiences that leave you truly, deeply speechless. I've felt like this before, but only on some very few occasions (first viewing "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" – my all time favourite film – was one of them).
I highly doubt that anything else produced in 2016 will come even close to this extreme quality (with the possible exception of the next Volume of RWBY).
The greatest episode so far of a web series that stands superior to any motion picture or TV-series I have seen the last few years. Thank you, Kerry, Miles, Gray, Lindsay, Barbara, Jen, Samantha, Arryn, Kara, Vic, Jeff, Casey and everyone else. Thank you Monty.
Thank you.
RWBY: Heroes and Monsters (2016)
"RWBY: Volume 3" is coming to a remarkable close...
Before the premiere of the third volume of "RWBY" aired I was somewhat skeptical. Following the death of the great, GREAT Monty Oum, could Kerry Shawcross, Miles Luna, Gray G. Haddock and the rest of the RoosterTeeth team truly realize the possibilities of this amazing saga?
I needed not have worried. Throughout the entire Volume each episode has been greater than the last, culminating in this eleventh episode which blew me (and fans all over the world) away. An entertaining, emotional and heartbreaking roller-coaster unlike any other, "Heroes and Monsters" is everything we could have hoped (and feared) for.
I still can't quite process how the cast and crew over at RoosterTeeth can craft series of this unbelievable quality, and remain convinced that at least some of them (Miles Luna, I'm looking in your direction) must be superhumans of some kind or another. Demigods, perhaps.
Watch this episode. You won't be sorry (though you may well cry)...
RWBY (2012)
An achievement beyond my comprehension
I first became acquainted with the RoosterTeeth anime-not-anime when one of my Canadian friends posted the "Red Trailer" on facebook. I assumed it was a trailer for a video-game, but really liked what I saw. I watched the three successive trailers with much delight, but then managed to forget about the series.
Around late 2014/early 2015 I re-discovered the series, and absolutely adored the first volume. There was something about the notion of Red Riding Hood - aided by Goldilocks, Belle and Snow White - decapitating an enormous monster raven by means of a machine-gun-scythe that I found VERY enjoyable.
The second volume continued on the tradition of the first, becoming a highly entertaining and emotionally satisfying webseries masterpiece.
Since then, with Volume 3, Miles Luna, Kerry Shawcross, Gray G. Haddock and the rest of the geniuses over at RoosterTeeth have honoured the memory of the irreplaceable Monty Oum and crafted an unbelievable saga, a truly exceptional experience: well-conceived, well-written, well-directed, well- designed, well-acted, well-composed... I could go on for quite some time.
"RWBY" is, quite simply put, one of the greatest narrative achievements. Ever. Of all time.
RWBY: Fall (2015)
I can't handle the awesomeness
I thought I had a pretty good understanding of "RWBY" before watching this episode. I thought I would be prepared for whatever the show's creative team could throw at me. Boy was I wrong. This episode may be the strongest episode yet of the entire series (which is saying a lot). It's a darker episode than I was prepared for, but for that I am grateful. There's a lot of information to process (and yes, a bit of exposition), but that's fine. The animation and the vocal work of the first half is great. Then the second half comes along... The fight sequence - the choreography, the animation, the vocal work, the frickin' musical score - is amazing, not to mention its aftermath. I loved this episode to death. And now, if you need me, I'm gonna lie down and hyper-ventilate.
RWBY: Beginning of the End (2016)
No, dude, seriously: I CAN'T handle the awesomeness
So... Yeah... That happened... I can't for the life of me understand how the RoosterTeeth creative team somehow manages to make "RWBY" BETTER with each episode. I'm beginning to suspect foul work at play; surely at least one of the staffers must be a deity of some kind. After the awesome-yet-traumatizing experience that was last episode (the amazing "Fall"), this episode serves us a flashback of Cinder Fall & c:o. As well as some cool cameos. And an AMAZING fight sequence. And darkness; so much darkness... It's hard to review this episode without entering spoiler territory, so I'll simply say this: WATCH IT! "RWBY" is now everything I want a good, nay, GREAT series to be. This rivals the best films and shows out there right now, and I'm loving it. I am not, however, fully capable of handling it all. Too much awesomeness, folks, too much awesomeness...