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Honu-86
Reviews
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
Visually and emotionally stunning
The only reason I didn't give this film a 10/10 is because of a few, rather minor technicalities and elements that drew initial critique during my viewing of the film; certain pieces of dialogue felt a bit 'too' modern and there were a couple of plot-holes. However, this was, overall, an excellent movie.
The animation is amazing: the backgrounds are colorful and vibrant, textures like hair and fur are realistic, and the facial expressions feel genuine. The atmosphere of this fantastical world is, dare I say, magical and the inspirational elements from Asian countries are apparent and refreshing in their diversity. The story is a bit wanting, hence my rating, leaving a few questions to be asked, but I went into this movie knowing what it is. It's a Disney movie aimed at children. It's not meant to illicit critical and abstract thinking. The plot is easy to follow in that respect, but it also contains elements that are rather profound, like finding trust in those one would otherwise be suspicious of; looking under the skin, so to speak.
I will say, the ending was pretty emotional for me and, while the overall story could be argued as predictable and clichéd, it remained consistent without jumping all over the place. I would recommend this movie to anyone.
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Artistically inclined, but lacking definition
Personally, I could not get behind this movie as much as I'd have liked to, given its publicity through hype and review. However, I must give credit where credit is due. The director does a fantastic job of expressing tension and emotion during otherwise unassuming scenes, and this holds up throughout the film, leading to a consistently suspenseful experience that does not let up; giving the viewer a never-ending sense of foreboding which, frankly, is never relieved.
The main issue I had with the movie were the characters themselves. Kevin is clearly a troubled child from day one, constantly crying whenever in the presence of his mother. This in itself seems a bit too...resentful for an infant who would normally lack the cognition required to do so. But then, we can all agree, Kevin is not a normal child. Even as a toddler, Kevin refuses to bond with his mother even when she attempts to do so. He angrily avoids playing ball with her and then, as a young child, refuses to potty train simply because he wants to induce suffering on his mother. When she finally snaps and accidentally breaks his arm, he 'magically' uses the toilet. Kevin is, meanwhile, perfectly normal and benevolent around his father, Franklin, who appears throughout the movie as a well-meaning but oblivious parent. Kevin's mother, Eva, is naturally frustrated by her son's abusive behavior but, at the same time, appears too complacent and enabling at times, folding to the whims of her child instead of taking on a authoritative parenting role. One can argue that, since she didn't want children, she is naturally ignorant to parenting in general and perhaps doesn't possess the innate instincts of motherhood. During the present-day segments of the film, where Eva is tormented by the public for the 'deed' that her son committed, she is accepting of her punishment, taking her abuses in stride without complaint, and even admits openly to a pair of missionaries that she's going to hell.
Eva's second child, Celia, is more realistic in her overall demeanor and behaves just as any child would. Kevin seems to be evil simply for the sake of being evil and persistently lashes out at his mother in subtle, but destructive ways, for no reason other than she's his mother. On a more philosophical level, one can say that Kevin represents Eva's sins incarnate and is born out of punishment for her seemingly selfish ways, even though we're not sure what they are. She is a woman being punished for apparently no reason at all. Then, at the penultimate scene, Kevin takes out his anger and rage on the innocents, presumably as a way of ensuring that his mother is forever haunted by his misdeeds, even if it means forfeiting his own freedoms. The only indication of any humanity or remorse from Kevin is during the very last scene as he's about to be transferred to an adult prison. He is beaten up and his head has been shaved; he is finally the one paying for his sins and then, and only then, do he and his mother see eye to eye. For me, it's a rather pointless scene that drew no empathy from me for either character.
Death Note (2017)
The effects were good...but that's about it
Ok, where to start? There have already been plenty of reviews but I wanted to add my two cents.
I knew this movie was going to be bad going in but curiosity and my appreciation for most things Wilem Dafoe lured me in. For anyone who has seen the original series Death Note, this movie is an obvious atrocity and for anyone who has never seen the original source...should, preferably without seeing this movie.
Firstly, the film opens up featuring our two main characters: Light, who is quietly doing someone else's homework at an outside table for the evident purpose of earning pay, and Mia, a cheerleader who is clearly not in the cheery mood, a painfully obvious testament to her different and rebellious nature, furthered by her need to smoke a cigarette on school grounds despite the fact that this is the one and only time we see her do so. Enter main title. Talk about a compelling intro.
Then it begins to storm and Light sees the Death Note mysteriously fall to the ground. In the original series he stumbles upon it at school, not knowing where it came from, but here he witnesses it actually falling out of the sky, leading viewers into a painfully obvious conclusion that the notebook is paranormal in nature. No mystery there. He encounters some bullies and 'attempts' to stand up to them, appearing more like a meek geek than a smooth operator, choosing to rely on faux grit by inserting some carefully chosen curse words before he's knocked out and sent to detention because the teacher found his cheat sheets in his backpack. Alone in detention, he's confronted by the Death God, Ryuk, who, not so discreetly, makes a huge mess out of the room for no apparent reason and scares Light shitless, rendering him into a wailing high-pitched sissy pants who, in that moment, voided any empathy I had for him for having just gotten beat up. Ryuk has Light test out the Death Note, coming across more as a manipulator than the bystander he was in the series (there, he simply wanted to see what happened and let Light, who already had a deeply ingrained sense of justice and vengeance, do all the work...the first bit of which was done even before Ryuk appeared). Bully from before, meet construction ladder, goodbye head in a glorified display of gore and, frankly unnecessary, bloodshed. I swear, this movie was just an excuse to see how much blood could be sprayed at any given moment.
Light eventually reunites with Mia after conducting further experiments and tells her about the Death Note, starting out with 'I have a Death God'...as if that's any influence on what he's doing besides the fact that he has an actual book that can kill people.
A few things at this point that are just not explained, or properly so...Ryuk's obsession with apples, what a Death God even does, who the original owner of the Death Note was (wouldn't it have just been easier to say it was Ryuk's??), or why it should take a week for ownership of the notebook to transfer, among others. Oh...and the reason a caucasian kid from the US has a name like Light is because his deceased mother was a hippie. Ok.
Now, I have no complaints whatsoever about the races of the characters cast...as long as they act according to their characters. Enter L, the world famous detective who, for some reason, does not act like a world famous detective. His eccentric personality (obsession with sweets, the way he sits or speaks) is NEVER enlightened upon. The viewer is simply left to assume that he's a weirdo, so he must be super smart. Sorry, not smart enough to keep his mouth shut when holding a Kira suspect at gunpoint knowing full well that Kira has a mass of public support. For those who saw the movie, you know what I mean. I could go on about how his messy work stations were out of character, how this super detective's behavior was rather uncollected and how he lost his cool on a number of occasions, but that would take too long in an already long ass post.
Altogether, for a movie spanning two hours, the character development was lacking in all spectrums. The romance between Light and Mia was empty; they only thing they shared was getting turned on by killing people, and Mia's psychotic behaviors were never explained (in the series, her alternate had her own Death Note and God and had been a Kira supporter ever since her attacker was killed). We are forced to acknowledge L as a super detective, having been raised to be the perfect one after strenuous testing at a worn down facility in upstate New York - on that note, how the hell do jelly beans stay perfectly colorful and fresh looking while sitting exposed on the floor of a building that looks like it's rotted over 20+ years?!
In closing...don't watch this movie unless you're like me and just morbidly curious. I wasted two hours of my life and more time now just to vent about the experience. If you're into a movie that has visual effects that aren't half bad, moving shots that could impress a film studies college student, and runs an acceptable amount of time before you're running to pee out that gallon of pepsi you just drank, then this is the movie for you. If you want something with depth, true to the original content, even in part, character development, and just something that makes sense, then this is not for you.
Bébé(s) (2010)
A lovely tribute to infancy and parenthood
I've watched this film quite a few times now, sometimes as background noise while I play with my own baby. To watch the subtle differences and similarities between these global families makes one realize that, while we all may raise our children differently, the love there is the same. Each baby has his or her own experiences and discoveries which delight the viewer in their innocence. There's Hattie with her headstrong demeanor despite being born so small, Bayar with his curiosity and penchant for getting dirty, Mari's budding independence, and Ponijao's adventurous attitude. The music by itself is heartwarming and sounds almost like a lullaby in its own right. It's calming and, I'll admit, brought a tear to my eye more than once when paired with the sweet images of sleeping babies and their crooning parents. The love in this film is overwhelming and, while no parent is perfect, this film serves to show that children are a blessing and that every loving parent is the same, no matter what part of the world you come from.
Arrival (2016)
Dramatic science fiction roller coaster
I went into this film aware of its reputation and the praises it received from critics; and rightfully so. The film is subtle and simple, it doesn't blast your senses with a lot of special effects and convoluted plot lines, though it does require you to pay attention. However, it does so in such a way that your attention is held without being overwhelmed. The film conveys a nice balance of tension and drama and portrays a reasonable, real-world reaction to a sudden alien presence. Now, perhaps it was the wine or the fact that I have a young son and am already emotional compromised, but this film had me in tears from start to finish. It hit me on an emotional level but also made me think. The plot focuses on time and communication, both of which are extremely important, and the significance of timely communication. It is amazing to me that the subject of communication and how easily it can be misinterpreted or misunderstood is such a universal thing, and yet people in this world too often don't stop to really think about it. Too many things have to happen on a dime and real conversations are lost within a person's personal desires and views; minds can so easily be changed if we simply take the time to listen and communicate.
Deadpool (2016)
Not your average superhero
For those who are familiar with the character Deadpool, this film does him justice. For those new to the character and his story, you're in for a treat. Needless to say, I was excited about seeing this movie for the first time. As a character, Deadpool is the embodiment of comedy, parody, and slapstick while still delivering a satisfactory level of gore and mayhem. Ryan Reynolds gave his character a new, refreshed life which was much needed after his unfortunate and painfully inaccurate portrayal in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
If you love the action-packed Marvel universe but also crave a healthy dose of humor and a surprising amount of heart, then search no more. This film satisfies on so many levels and the laughs will keep you coming for more, time and again.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
What can be said that hasn't already?
Truly, what can I say? I was already a fan of Laika Studios through Coraline so my hopes for this film were high. I was not disappointed. Combined with similarly beautiful storytelling and visuals, Kubo and The Two Strings is a masterful feast for any movie lover. Filled with heart, emotional scores, humor, and exceptional attention to detail via the filmmakers, Kubo is a true treasure.
While the film may not be good for the very young, since it may not hold their attention and some scenes may even scare them, older children and adults alike will surely enjoy this movie many times over. Having just seen it, I'm sorely tempted to watch it again.
Pete's Dragon (2016)
A fresh new look
I'm always wary about remakes, especially if the original is a film that I adored as a child. Nothing is worse than your favorite movie or story being remade and done an injustice. This is not the case for Pete's Dragon.
This take on the tale is both fresh and expertly executed. It has very few similarities of the original, save for the core story-line of a boy befriending a green dragon with masterful camouflaging abilities. Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford match very well together as daughter and father, respectively, who take in young Pete after he's found in the wilderness appearing to live alone. Oakes Fegley, as Pete, does a spectacular job; his performance just melts your heart. The work done on Elliot was appropriately more realistic than the original's hand drawn rendition, but maintained the same warmth and playfulness. The decision to make Elliot furry rather than scaled, while different, worked for the character.
Any fan of the original would appreciate this take on the story and it should be given a chance for nostalgia's sake and to enjoy something new.
Finding Dory (2016)
A fun and heartwarming romp in the sea
While, to me, Finding Dory was not as good as Finding Nemo - and rarely, in my opinion, do sequels hold a candle to their predecessors - I still found this movie to be thoroughly enjoyable and heartfelt; an entertaining addition to the Disney lineup.
With the mere mention of Dory's family in the first film comes the concluding chapter into who Dory really is. The film includes some new and hysterical characters who each provide their own charm and humor and, of course, Dory is as gleefully clueless as she was in the first film. The new environments and scenarios she finds herself in are all beautifully animated and baby Dory is to die for.
The only critique I have would be Marlin and Nemo's inclusion in Dory's quest to find her family. Their presence, while supportive, seemed at times to be more distracting, taking away from Dory as the main focus of the story. Marlin is obviously more approving of Nemo's independence and open to crazy ideas, so there's not much more growth to his, or Nemo's, character.
Overall, however, I found the movie to be greatly entertaining and a joy to watch. I'd recommend it to anyone who was a fan of the first.