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All movies, TV Shows, Anime, and Cartoons are types of film that have these qualities for measurement.
Story: A film’s flow of events which is impacted by plot structure, pacing and character arc(s).
Engagement: A film’s ability to keep the audience invested in the movie
Logic: A film’s consistency of the world’s reality within the film, as well as faithfulness to logic of related movies in both genre and film universe
Atmosphere: A film’s setting created by the cinematography and portrayed through imagery, scenery, visuals, sounds, tone, and music.
Performance: A film’s ability to represent characters through the staging of actors and actresses or through character design and voice over talent.
Innovation: A film’s creativity and ability to utilize imagination, originality, and inventiveness
Foundation: A film’s body which allows it to stand in comparison to other films including but not limited to movies directly related to the film portrayed such as sequels, spin-offs, and remakes and/or films that are retellings of same subject matter
Wonder: A film’s beauty which the audience can appreciate and marvel at throughout the movie
Impact: A film’s legacy and larger influence on cinematic history as well as the themes portrayed by the story
Life: A film’s lifespan as it ages over time and it’s ability to be enjoyable outside of a specific time period
Some films like Jaws exceed in these categories, becoming A+ films while other movies like the Emoji Movie fail spectacularly and score F-. Though this list of examples focuses on movies, some TV shows, cartoon and anime show up on this list because they follow the list above as well and in some ways do even better.
10=A+ Example: Jaws, Terminator 2, Spirited Away, Fantasia, Stranger Things
9=A- Example: Alien, Death Note, Finding Nemo, Apocalypse Now, Sherlock
8=B+ to B: Revenge of the Sith, Ed Edd n Eddy, The Big Sick, Attack on Titan, Nightmare Before Christmas
7=B- to C: Wonder Woman, Total Recall, A Bugs Life, Sword Art Online, Shrek
6=C- to D: Cars, Pearl Harbor, Spiderman 3, Zoo, Sonic X
5 or lower=D- to F-: Jaws 4, Batman vs Superman, The Emoji Movie, The Phantom Menace, Teen Titans Go
Favorite Genres include Action Adventure, Science Fiction, Romance, Horror, Fantasy, thrillers, and animation.
Ratings
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Reviews
Animaniacs (2020)
Animaniacs, Zany Enough and Back with a Smile
It's time for my thoughts on Animaniacs! Or I should say, the 2020 reboot. When I watched the trailer, I was excited because it looked creative. To get an idea of what the show was like I spent the last two months watching 20-30 episodes of the original show plus the movie (which I think is okay) to prepare myself. I had some reservations about the reboot but I really enjoyed the original show so I wanted to give it a chance.
Then I watched the first two episodes, and something wasn't clicking. Instead of providing fun zany satire it felt like I was just watching a show that was spewing modernism without charm or personality. The humor felt stale and the jabs it took at pop culture were kind of reduced to Trump jokes and internet references. My worst fears were being realized as I thought that Spielberg sold out his show just to look cool and hip. I was not impressed. I was ready to watch the third episode without any expectations and if I lost interest here, I would drop the episodes altogether.
Then episode 3 happened, and it was amazing! It felt like a breath of fresh air and suddenly the show went from passable at best and kind of empty to full of spirit, full of charm and full of personality. The satire from this point forward wasn't nearly as on the nose and actually felt...smart. And zany. And most of all, at least to me, kind of subtle. This helped immensely and suddenly the show was a lot easier to watch. I feel like they had to just get out all the political ramblings in the first two episodes to scare off trolls and then after that they were like "You know what, we're just gonna have fun and be ourselves." And then it was a fun ride from there and even if a joke missed I was still interested to finish because most of the comedy in the episodes really worked.
Also, out of the side characters, Nils is the best one. Totally perfect in every way.
If you are not sure where to begin, I would honestly say to skip the first two episodes. They don't help give a good idea of what this show is about. They make it look a lot worse than it actually is. Maybe it's just me, maybe nobody else agrees with that, but I'm always gonna stand by my stance. Additionally, even if you aren't a fan of the Animaniac sketches watch the Pinky & Brain ones. They are great. Some might complain about a lack of side characters, but I think they got the right approach. If they added a bunch of shorts about a ton of side characters, I don't think it would have worked.
I would recommend episodes 3, episode 4, episode 9, episode 10 and episode 11 especially. Overall, very good reboot. If I gave it a score it would be an 8/10, closer to a nine than a seven.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)
The First Decent Video Game Adaptation
Video games do not equal good movies. At least, that is how it was for decades before this movie came out. People just didn't care about making a good story and trying to honor the game that the movie was based on. Now I'm not going to claim that this is a "great" movie. That isn't true. However, I will say that it's passable. This is a passable kids movie.
I didn't have any huge expectations going into this. I expected it to be a toned down Ryan Reynolds comedy. That said, I was actually able to have a good time watching this. Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu was definitely one of the best aspects of the movie. Whenever he was on screen I was far more invested because his charisma shines through. The human actors such as Justice Smith, however, are taking themselves a bit too seriously and don't come off as that fun or memorable. Whenever he worked off Ryan Reynolds it was fine but when this wasn't the case it got kinda boring.
One of the best compliments I can give this film is that it's fun to look at. The vibrant colors and neon color scheme allows this film to glow and feel much more lively than it might have otherwise looked. Had they given this film a darker color scheme it would have been really dull and unpleasant. This is good because the Pokemon themselves look pretty cool. Half of them look like pretty good and while the other half doesn't look bad it does look far more cartoonish. At the very least, people can get good eye candy when they see the visual effects. The CGI isn't great but it's not god-awful either.
Now, this film only gets 6/10 maybe a 6.5/10 if I'm being nice because of some problems that some people may or may not have issues with. The fan service in this movie may be a bit jarring at times but it's also handled a lot better than one would expect. My favorite part was when they referred to Psyduck being prone to headaches. I like fan service when it is like this and not something super jarring. Overall, most of the fan service feels like a love letter to Pokemon fans which is greatly appreciated. The other bad thing about this movie is that the script and dialogue are terrible. This is something that most people won't care about but for someone who likes polished writing and a good script this really stood out to me. A lot of the times the dialogue just didn't make me laugh when it was clearly intended to.
If you want to have a good time and watch a movie that feels like a loving tribute to Pokemon this will probably entertain you. If you're looking for a great movie I can't endorse it as such but I can say that it is a movie that can be watched at any time. If somebody were to ask me if I wanted to watch one of the original Pokemon animated movies I really have to think about it. I have to be in the right mood to watch those movies. But that isn't the case here. This is a fun movie that can be enjoyed by most people. It's decent.
The Twilight Zone: The Comedian (2019)
A Rough Start but can be improved
Okay, let me give an honest review of this episode, and yes, I watched the whole thing.
Pros:
The tone. Very good tone that is both unsettling and awesome.
The acting is pretty good for the main lead. Really solid.
Good dose of supernatural.
Great diversity of characters.
Good subversion throughout episode.
Cons:
The language is really jarring. The constant swearing feels forced and contrived; Rod Serling had much more subtle language that is timeless and understandable for all ages.
Some of the side characters are really annoying and disrupt the tone at times.
The episode targets the wrong theme and misses the more complex one that is hinted in episode; that is a trait that old school Twilight Zone was really good at hitting back in the day.
Needs to distinguish itself from Black Mirror; aiming for subtlety and the creep factor instead of the shock factor would really help. Otherwise Twilight Zone (2019) doesn't get the identity it needs.
6/10 needs some improvement, but full of promise.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
Legos have been rebuilt better than ever!
The critics are insane! How dare they give this masterpiece the same score as Bumblebee! Are you serious? The fact that I can live in a world where these people exist is honestly enough to drive me crazy!
What can I say about The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. This is amazing! It's really charming, it has really likable characters, and it has a good pace of jokes and comedic moments. If this movie doesn't at least get nominated for best animated feature next year I don't know what I'm going to do because this movie was tons of fun. I think it might be even better than the first movie! Lord and Miller can run the world for all I care. They nailed it once again!
I expected this movie to be an okay kids movie and I was really surprised to see how well put together this film was and how it manages to be entertaining for all ages. The plot was also really engaging with a good amount of suspense and subversion to still be entertaining. I often didn't know what was going to happen next and I loved it.
Another aspect I love is how natural the jokes come off. It really takes advantage of so much comedic potential that I'm sure I'm gonna notice new jokes that I missed the first time around. Very few moments come off as forced. These guys know how to make a comedy while also adding mature themes and story elements that everybody can connect to.
This movie really outdid itself. I don't know what to say to the critics, maybe they just don't understand how charming and fun these movies are. Well I can say that I do, even as a critic. I really found a lot to enjoy. 10 stars are awarded to this endearing and charming film that will definitely hold up no matter what awards it does or doesn't win. Give it a watch, you'll probably have fun.
Glass (2019)
The Shyalaman Movie that went above and beyond
I'm going to be 100% honest with this review. I was prepared to hate this movie! I went into this prepared to hate this movie as I hate Lady in the Water, the Happening, and The Last Airbender. Going into this movie knowing the critics hated it didn't help matters.
By all heavenly accounts, I am so glad to find that the critics are wrong this time.
If you are looking for a generic superhero movie that doesn't take risks or instead a movie that doesn't really carry that interesting of characters or storytelling you will dislike this movie. This is not your average superhero film, and that is part of why it is so awesome! Yes, the die hard haters will be able to find problems and yeah it's not perfect but if you go into this movie with an open mind, not only will you find one of the greatest Shyalaman films, you'll find a film that really lived up to its expectations.
The acting in this movie is on point. Not one character interaction felt faked or forced, everything felt natural. The performances felt genuine and the characters felt genuine. I found a way to connect to these characters or at the very least understand where they were coming from in regard to their actions and motivations. There are gut wrenching scenes, provocative scenes, and brilliant scenes all woven around a narrative that felt real. I kept asking what was going to happen next and if that is the kind of story you love you will adore this movie.
A lot of people may find the ending to be cheesy or for some plot elements to be too convenient, but remember, it just a movie. You can't judge every single scene by nitpicking every single detail, at some point, you have to open yourself to the experience of watching the story. Humor only arrives when it feels earned, emotional moments don't get spoiled by bad writing, and action scenes are not inserted to keep the unimpressed audience invested. I really mean it when I say that this movie feels important, it feels as if you are watching a brilliant story unfold before your eyes. For those brave enough to embark into the world of this movie you will find a story that hits you in all the right places.
Obviously, this film isn't perfect. You will find flaws if you try hard enough. I really don't think you need an excessive amount of suspension of disbelief when you watch this film. It's easy to be invested, especially since this movie has stakes and takes risks. This film is actively taking risks and it's doing something more than just being a stereotypical Hollywood blockbuster. And if nothing else I say convinces you that this movie is good at least remember this.
If you won't call this film amazing (which it is) at least call it creative, refreshing, and smart. I wholeheartedly believe that Glass has all of these things. 9/10. A pleasant surprise.
Christopher Robin (2018)
Uninspired by Harmless, it's what it is
Christopher Robin is....it's whatever. It's just a harmless movie. It doesn't give any bad moments and it has some fun scenes but overall it just doesn't leave that much of an impact. You have Ewan McGregor playing the generic Disney working man, Jim Cummings voicing the lovable Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Hayley Atwell from Captain America doing a boring married wife and your average child actress.
Now I had my fun with this movie. The first few scenes with Pooh and Christopher Robin are outright hilarious and I was laughing the whole way. There's something genius within these first few scenes and it feels as if a whole different writing team took control. It's just good humor without having to be dumbed down. However, the rest of the writing of this movie can be summed up in one word....uninspired.
If you don't like the family man movie formula because it doesn't reflect the real world, you probably will not enjoy this movie that much. You know the "moral" of the story in the first few minutes. The ending is also a bit too cheesy. The movie's humor and emotional creativity seems to grind to a halt after a while. There are some funny scenes towards the end but they really aren't good enough to make this a masterpiece.
I will say that there is a scene that is almost so bad it's good. It involves Ewan McGregor and it's so over the top that it's kinda amazing to watch. It remined me of early Nicholas Cage. You don't laugh exactly but you do find yourself glued to the screen unable to comprehend what you are seeing.
This movie is just cutesy fun with a few legimatly good moments. Overall, I had my fun with it but I don't see myself watching it too often or really ever again. 6/10 it's okay.
Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010)
This actually happened, I can barely believe it
For those who suffered this movie, I am here to explain the horror you witnessed and for those who don't want to see it, here's what would have awaited you!
This movie is basically a horribly botched version of The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock! YES! I SAID THAT! This movie actually qualifies as a remake, or else there is absolutely no explanation for how this atrocity of a movie came into existence! Just look at it! What planet did this movie come from? They say it's a romantic horror movie, well that's absolute horse****!
So the movie begins, and we're already shown a badly filmed car driving into another location! And that is one thing I will actually give it credit for is that this movie somehow had the production budget to film various settings! So anyway, the movie starts off with a complete male nobody stalking a female nobody they have fake sex and then the news report has people talking about global warming and how it can screw up the world and then the birds start screwing up the world. And keep in mind that this is a horror movie so it has a reason to have "slow buildup" as if the director is saying "Hey guys, look at me, this is a horror movie without jump scares! It's a real terror! I'm the next John Carpenter!" Here's the explanation, birds are killing people because global warming!
Just when you thought the most sorry pathetic excuse for a horror movie was Jaws the Revenge, oh no! Imagine watching that movie, without sound editing and unfinished CGI!!!!!!!
Good lord! You thought I was kidding, and saw it didn't you! But no, it's true, this actually happened! Unlike Troll 2 which managed to have actual makeup and monsters, this film doesn't have anything! The sound editing is so bad you have to put the TV at max volume to hear anything or put in headphones.
By the way, the movie sucks and it has an incoherent plot. Thought there would be character arcs? Yeah, right! People shift personalities and violate established characters with the flip of a coin even if the coin landed on the side you wanted it to be.
This is one of the rare cases where the title is 100% accurate in regard to the movie. Look at those words: Birdemic, shock and terror. That sounds horrifying! And when you watch it your brain will be screaming in agony! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was this film intended as a torture device? What made anybody think this was a good idea? They did it, because Hitchcock did it! It couldn't have been a coincidence, both films follow the same premise. The world is peaceful and calm with a blond female lead who falls in love a bunch of birds start killing people and attack people violently without reason! If the Birds was about bats I'm sure it would have been the same thing.
The reason the Birds works as a movie is because we have characters we care about and we are gripped by the ominous setting and dark tone. The visual effects may be a little dated by today but they were groundbreaking and at times they still look really good! Well, Birdemic, got as far away from this as possible. Every creative decision from the bad sound editing and awful visuals to the dumbass story and boring characters and the overall awful pacing elevate this film to a complete waste of human effort. It's so far from reality it's baffling! How did this come into existence? I don't know! But whatever the case, it's very simple. It failed!
0/10. This movie has no redeeming qualities whatsoever!
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
Its a Kids Movie but for what it is it's kinda charming
Sometimes, it's okay to just be a kids film, one that doesn't necessarily need to appeal to adults. This is kinda that movie. It has just enough laughs to keep the adults entertained while mostly being colorful eye candy for the kids. The visuals are very bright and colorful, the textures are vibrant and really charming to look at. This is what you would expect a kids movie to look like.
As a parody of Superman, this movie is somewhat funny. Honestly, I feel like this parody of Superman has more understanding of Superman than the DC extended universe. It's mind boggling. It's fun to pick up on the references to the beloved DC hero.
The two kids are pretty fun, they share a bond that is very believable. The two kids are elementary school kids who like to cause mayhem and who have imagination. The antics they pull off together are very charming and creative. The biggest problem is that they are voiced by adults so it kinda takes you out of the experience. Still, some of the lines are outright hilarious, mostly the ones that have subtle humor.
I kinda see this as the Teen Titans Go movie. It's meant for kids but it has enough laughs to keep the adults happy while most of the laughs are meant for kids, which the film sometimes pokes fun at. The film has an awareness of what it is so it isn't hard to watch. This felt like a Captain Underpants movie, I definitely think I got something out of it, though I don't think I'd see it again. I mean there isn't much of a moral, I mean there sort of is, but it's not fully developed.
For what it is, it's harmless, but not necessarily a classic that will stand the test of time. Still, it's fun even if it's not the highest form of fun. Decent kids flick. 6/10.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Prequel that Took the World by Storm
This movie is the most despised prequel in existence. Star Wars the Phantom Menace is certainly a film to behold whether it be for the good or bad qualities it had. With a film that came 22 years after his last directed movie, one can't expect to find a flawless movie but I suppose people couldn't imagine it would be this different from what we saw in the Star Wars Original Trilogy. Anyway, it's time to unravel just why this is a bad Star Wars film, but not necessarily a bad movie. Yeah, this isn't THAT BAD of a film, even with all the screw-ups and failures within. Let's get started, and if you don't wanna continue than just know that I think this movie is watchable even if a disappointing follow up for Star Wars.
To be fair, though this movie is terribly flawed it still has a lot of nostalgic value for me. The music and sound design is fantastic, the visuals are very inviting, and it still carries that Star Wars atmosphere. Whenever you see a planet or a spaceship fly by it's an epic experience. This is visual storytelling done very well. BUT that means that we pave way for a lot of dumb crap. Why is it necessary to have dumb lines be said by everybody without any sort of emotion behind them? We get lines like, "I hope so, yes, I guess." That is inexcusable! "Yes, I guess?" "YES, I GUESS???" Are you kidding me?!?! They just pop out at random, though to be fair, when they manage to be bad at least their quotable and hilarious to listen to. But when you realize that this is supposed to be a Star Wars movie.....you get kinda upset!
The biggest problem with this film is characters. Seriously, characters? Why is that so difficult? Well because George Lucas decided to rob these characters of emotion so everybody talks the same except for a few characters like Palpatine who have a distinct voice. The British are the only ones who can act when given no direction, all the Americans are just robbed of emotion. The worst case of this is with Jake Lloyd. This boy just had no emotion whatsoever and whenever he spoke in a different manner it sounded awful "Yippee" he often screams? "Yippie?" Does anybody proofread Lucas' script!
The movie itself is of course labelled by the sin to cinema called Jar Jar Binks! Everybody hates him and so do I, but not for the reasons you might expect. Yes the dialect could be called racist but when he speaks normally I actually don't mind him.....I seriously mean that! The problem is that whenever he screams I want to tear my ears out! He screams all the time so thus he's insufferable and his "comedy" fails to warrant any intentional laughs. This is jarring, no pun intended, because Star Wars is supposed to have lovable characters.....not this! First of all this movie doesn't need comedic relief, so to insert one in here requires expect writing and Lucas clearly lacks this.
Now how can one like this movie. Well, as stated, whenever this film gets bad it's still fun bad! It's just a fun space adventure that can be stupid at times but sometimes you can just forget about it because you're having a good time. The moments that are good, are really good, because there actually is a lot of practical effects used in this movie as well as real landscapes and miniature work! When it's good, it's really good! The light saber battle in this movie is easily one of the best action scenes ever put to cinema! Sometimes a legitimate laugh does come and it's refreshing to hear it at certain moments. Overall this is a fun movie. It may be dumb, but for what it is I can still find enjoyment.
As a Star Wars movie this gets a 6/10 but as a fun space adventure 8/10 baby! There is a great movie hiding here and sometimes you can get glimpses of it! The Phantom Menace has problems galore, but when it succeeds it's legitimately fun to watch and revisit from time to time. Check it out and see for yourself.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
The Title Sums it Up: JP is Dead
How could a movie fail so miserably! I'll tell you how it's because it failed to have a story worth telling! There is no reason to create this movie, there is nothing worth adding to this franchise! It's worthless! It's garbage!
All that aside, this movie is very seriously flawed. First off, if you saw the trailer, you saw the movie, you have even less reason to see this failure of a film. For a movie that lasts for two hours, it fails to keep your attention once it gets to the second half. This is mostly because the writing is just non-existent. It's the same story of The Lost World except it's less interesting and the second half has all the dinosaurs trapped in a house. We also get more of the evil military business from the last movie, and obviously, the executives didn't realize that nobody liked that element from the movie, and the movie goes exactly where you will expect it to go with them.
None of the actors are bad per se, at least not in the way that characters in a Michael Bay movie are, but they just have no impact. They have no lines to chew on, no dialogue that will leave an impact or any sort of memorability. This film desperately needs some badass one-liners for Chris Pratt but the writers were too lazy to do that and it shows. Even when the film attempts to add some new concepts which the audience will learn towards the end of the movie, they aren't developed and fully realized, just shoved into the movie as a way of saying "Hey, that's different, that's a cool idea!"
This whole movie just comes off as a lazy Hollywood screenplay. Some may try to defend it by saying that people are hating it because its popular. Here's the thing. This isn't being hated in the way that The Last Jedi is hated where the criticisms tend to be illogical and poorly based, this is hated in the way that the Michael Bay Transformers movies are hated. The hatred for this movie is due to how unoriginal and lazily written it was, and peope are upset because they don't want the Jurassic Park franchise to become the next Tranformers franchise where every movie is the same uninspired pile of garbage. Frankly, it's easy to understand why.
4/10 at best, it's a bad pop-corn flick that has no substance. It just sucks.
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
The Most Pure of Evil Triumphs
Rosemary's Baby is a film that is not meant to be a terrifying movie per se, but when it comes to a film that puts you on edge, kills you with tension, and simply steals your human attention to the point where suspense is at an all time high, there are few movies that compare.
When watching this movie I was already put off during the opening credits. It lures you in with potential happiness and joy between our two leads but that is harshly and violently reversed with a simple yet effective tone shift. This movie doesn't screw around, when it decides to get dark, it embraces that darkness with absolute conviction.
Is Rosemary's Baby as horrific as people say? No, it's actually more.
Normally when a movie is created with so many spiritual themes and concepts being introduced it often fails to deliver with a creative and frightening end game. But when you see the ending of this movie you will suddenly be filled with a sense of dread that cannot be put into words. There are scenes that literally shock me into silence so that I can't find humor or any sign of light whatsoever. It's as if there is only evil within this movie which makes our connection to Rosemary that much more powerful. Throughout this entire movie I feel a sense of dread with the exception of maybe a few scenes in the beginning and that party scene, but even then I couldn't find myself happy, just holding in nervous laughter. With this movie, you're mood is just killed and you are punished for having any sort of hope. This makes the climax all the more effective: I thought I was prepared, but I wasn't.
My only nitpicks might be that some of the scenes are kinda dated with the movie makers not having complete knowledge of cigarettes and alcohol and how these just don't appear during pregnancies, ideally, but now that I think about it this might have been intentional as another way to show how something is wrong.
This is one of the most terrifying movies I have seen and an absolute must for he/she who wants to venture into the horror that is Rosemary's Baby. 9/10.
Minority Report (2002)
This Forgotten Movie from Spielberg is Rightfully Forgotten
So, Minority Report, a Spielberg film that came from the 2000s era. Here's the cold hard truth. No pretending, no illusions, no nostalgia blinding me this time. This movie, it sucks ass!
I'm sure it was praised when it came out, but this movie feels lousy. The reason I say that is the directing. The directing just feels so lacking. It seems that Spielberg wants to use the Phillip K Dick story to form an action thriller with complex themes but he never takes on a moral stance offered by the story and as such he doesn't deliver a story that has much meaning behind it. The movie should have taken a stance when it comes to whether we are free or unfree and stuck with it instead of trying to say both are possible. This movie leaves out the complexity of this subject matter and dumbs it down to the viewers by not exploring how Pre-Cog may be morally acceptable. In the original story by Phillip K Dick, Anderton kills a man to preserve Pre-Crime and keep the system intact since it would be the lesser of two evils. Unfortunately, this movie tries to give a very black and white scenario with big government vs little guy and therefore leaves out the complexity that made the story fantastic. It's just watered down to make way for another generic action movie.
Also, on a side note, the dialogue sounds like garbage! Almost every line is some pointless overdramatic philosophical rambling or insane techno-jargon that we just have to assume makes sense. It honestly reminded me of bad M Night Shyalaman writing.....I seriously mean that.
As for the action itself, it feels average. Nothing really stood out and though the CGI was okay it didn't seem that imaginative. Though the funniest scene was when that lady started beating the jetpack cop and Tom Cruise during that escape sequence. Tom Cruise is pretty much Tom Cruise, I cannot see him as anything else in this movie. There's just nothing remarkable about his character, it's as cliche as it can be. The girl he's with is like a boring version of Eleven from Stranger Things, and that is not a compliment. She's just empty.
It's really unsurprising why nobody remembers this movie. When one considers all the good movies Speilberg made before the 2000s and the massive successes they were, it makes me wonder why he didn't try to make anything remotely that awesome when it came to this movie. Minority Report but with Indiana Jones level action! How about that? Anything other than this. I feel like I listened to a bad philosophy lecture.
6/10 a disappointing flick.
Incredibles 2 (2018)
14 Years but Not Too Late
Going into this movie I expected to see a film that just outright sucked. Too much time had passed, the voice actors had to change, the hype was going to be too great and there was no way it would please expectations which would be way too demanding. Then, when I heard this film was really good I thought that people might be overreacting and just saying it's great when really it wasn't. This is how I thought, this is how I was trained to think. Well?
They're damn right! This film was awesome! It was on par with the original! It was super!
In an age of superhero movies you'd think that they wouldn't be able to get it right with a sequel for a movie that came out 14 years ago.Yet they did, Brad Bird scored again! The key to this film's success is the pacing and flow. The movie feels very upbeat with energetic action and an engaging story. It has some quiet moments for storytelling but it never feels like the story comes to a halt. There is also plenty of humor but unlike say the Marvel movies it feels natural and doesn't come from dumb one liners but instead from slapstick and funny writing and a few running gags. This helps the story maintain a fast beat and the audience is almost always invested.
The only real downside is that the villain is not nearly as good as the villain in the first movie. I don't wanna get into spoiler territory but it isn't as memorable or as entertaining as Syndrome (the first villain in these films). Once you watch it you'll see why. With that said, this is more than made up for with the family dynamic. This film continues the great family that we got a taste of in the first movie and devokes so much time into it. The only detracting flaw from the first movie that kinda pulls people away is the fact that a lot of the movie (at least in the beginning) deals with Mr. Incredibles mid-life crisis and not the family dynamic. But this wasn't a problem since this allowed him to be the main character and thus we feel a closer connection to him than we would with Elastigirl. Well, now it's full circle. Even if the first film has the better villain, this film gets the better family so it's pretty even.
Holly Hunter, how do I say it, damn well killed it. She is so good in this movie! I had my doubts and I kinda expected her character to be a step backwards but she felt really natural. The perfect family dynamic from the first movie is preserved and even expanded on and Elastigirl is no exception. Also really liked Mr. Incredible who was my second favorite character from the last movie (Syndrome was number one). He goes through a pretty convincing arc and he is still a great father character, something that had become rare in animation today. The kids are great too, including Jack Jack who is hilarious as ever, and though Dash has a different voice actor (which I know is unavoidable) I am very pleased that it sounds so similar to the original and my suspension of disbelief was preserved.
Go watch this movie, it's worth the wait and really fun to watch. If you loved the original you'll love this movie too. It's great. Super great. 9/10. Really fun to watch.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Best Superhero Trilogy Risen at Last
The Dark Knight Rises has gotten a bad reputation as of late that it is not as good as the Dark Knight. What could? Seriously, what could possibly beat that superhero movie? I dare say this is equal to the first installemnt Batman Begins and some scenes are Dark Knight level quality, so I can wholeheartedly say that I was very pleased by this movie.
This is a very satisfactory conclusion to not only a movie trilogy but also a superhero trilogy. Everything that Batman Begins was building up and almost everything that the Dark Knight had expanded on are fully realized here. We see a complete story of Bruce Wayne and how his quest to save Gotham and defeat injustice comes to an end. Christian Bale does a pretty good job here as usual as well as Michael Caine. The real star though is Tom Hardy, he is phenomenal as Bane. Heath Ledger may be the best Joker, but Tom Hardy will make all future Bane's have to turn their heads. Ann Hathaway does a good job too as Selina Kyle and she is far more interesting than the other female actress who plays Miranda Tate, man she is boring. I swear, it seems that the only characters who are boring in Batman are the women, they just don't do that much besides be plot devices. Selina is definitely the best of the bunch and it's refreshing to see a female with an actual personality.
Anyway, the story is what really shines in this movie. Some people might have been a bit annoyed by the communist undertones with Bane's character and the stuff that happens with Gotham, and I myself am kinda annoyed that the police are so lazilly removed from the movie but other than that I don't really have many problems with the story. The opening scene is just amazing and manages to top the bank robbery opening of the last movie! Its unbelievable that they managed to make such a kickass opening to a film and you become fully convinced that Bane means business. The struggle to take Gotham from Bane and his revolution is nothing short of epic and you are immersed with the story. The stakes feel really high in this movie and it makes the viewing experience a roller coaster ride.
I easily give this movie an 8/10 and reccommend that anybody who likes Batman and Nolan watch this movie. It's a damn good conclusion and it wraps the trilogy together nicely.
The Last Airbender (2010)
The Worst Shyamalan Movie and a Disgraceful Adaptation
Oh boy, here we go, the poster alone should have been a red flag. Even the damn poster looks depressing. And what's going on there anyway? Eleven from Stranger Things using Harry Potter magic to move blue fire? Saying that is being extremely generous.
The movie starts with no emotion beyond the somewhat decent introduction which bears the closest resemblance to the TV show. It dies pretty fast. There's no energy, no enthusiasm from the actors, no nothing. We have characters like Sokka who is pronounced "Soak-ah" and looks like Anakin from Episode 2, or perhaps Damian Wayne on a diet. Everybody else looks like either some generic white person or a generic Indian person, and it's distracting as all hell. Whitewashing is already controversial in even good movies, and this movie just proves that it is still very much a thing. And since the actors themselves are terrible, it only makes the whole experience worse.
But the one fatal flaw with this movie is the storytelling. It doesn't seem like it would be that hard, but the writing is mutilated by Shyamalan and made atrocious. There is no way I can describe it, the only way to understand it to watch it, and I fricken dare you. The first problem is that most of the story is exposition as one thing is explained without anything actually shown and then followed up with more explanation. Didn't these morons ever hear about the rule of "show don't tell?" The dialogue spoken by the characters themselves goes against all common sense when it comes to writing; even George Lucas wouldn't be able to write this. They don't speak fluently or with natural emotion, instead, we get the droning uninspiring lame dialogue that doesn't embody how people feel but rather what they think and even then it's only what's plainly obvious. Try listening this for hours without ever managing to laugh or smile once. There's not enough substance to keep you entertained before you simply have to acknowledge that the writing is terrible! And when the storytelling even "attempts" to replicate the Last Airbender it not only looks cheesy but it looks stupid. The TV show elements look dumb and nothing even looks remotely natural. Beyond that, I can't describe how stilted and boring the storytelling is. It is so awkward, so uninspired and so meaningless that I honestly thought that this movie was some sort of prank made by a YouTuber! That is completely inexcusable when the director has clearly proven that he can make good movies when he doesn't have his head up his ass! You have better luck turning the Super Mario Bros movie into a political drama!
Some of the worst adaptations to ever exist include the Animal Farm cartoon, as well as movies that we have recognized as distinct failures. Examples include Daredevil (2003), Land of the Lost (2009), The Cat in the Hat remake (2003), Dragonball Evolution (2009), any of the Fantastic Four movies, Inspector Gadget (1999), and I believe that Catwoman (2004) was regarded as the worst adaptation of all time. But now that I've seen The Last Airbender, this takes the cake. It's hard to compare because they're different types of adaptations. I'll say that for a TV show to movie adaptation THIS IS THE WORST I'VE SEEN YET! That is one hell of an accomplishment.
The Last Airbender is also beyond any doubt the worst Shyamalan movie I have ever seen. Do not watch this movie, there is nothing to enjoy. If I could give it 0 stars I would. The only thing I liked were some of the visuals, otherwise, I didn't like a damn thing. And for those who like the TV show, don't even think about watching this. There's nothing to enjoy and you will only end up disappointed.
Surf's Up (2007)
The Penguin Movie that Holds Up
Surfs Up is a funny and engaging movie that still holds up today. In actuality I give this movie a 7.5 but I want to increase the rating of this movie because this should be praised more often. And I'm gonna explain why.
Surfs Up is not only a well made parody of surf movies/documentaries but it's also a well made comedy that just so happens to have penguins. However, before I explain why this movie is so awesome I'm gonna start by talking about the things I don't like in this movie.
Unfortunately, the story is not all that original nor is the moral. It's just a story about an underdog who wants to win fame and glory but ends up choosing friendship and humility in the end: think of Cars, in fact, compare this movie to Cars before you compare it to Happy Feet. The main character, Cody Maverick, wants to be like Big Z, an ultimate Penguin prodigy surfer, at the start of the movie and he wants to be just like him. Throughout the movie, when he finally meets Big Z, he is told that he should pursue his own way and not just follow in Big Z's footsteps especially when he learns that Big Z's motto "Never give up, find a way because that's what winners do" turns out to be dismissed by Z himself. But there is no payoff from this dilemma. Cody never finds his own way and by the end of the movie he just ends up being like Big Z so the moral never hits home. I mean he sort of does in that he sacrifices winning to save his friend, Chicken Joe, but he still ends up like Z and never finds his own way. Instead we get the "there's more to life than glory" theme which is important but not all that original, I mean Cars did this. If they had made it where Cody had to accept that he lost and still come back that would prove that he did find his own way and not just end up as Big Z. The thing about this movie that sort of redeems it is that Big Z ends up being inspired by Cody to show his face again and be proud even when he lost years ago. Still, I don't think it saves the moral and I'm still disappointed. However, I will give props that the theme that is present, "more to life than winning" is about sportsmanship and not environmentalism, something that would have been easy.
I don't want to complain the whole time though because there is a lot of stuff that I like. The animation is really breathtaking, that water animation looks really alive especially the animation at the end, however the wind and sand animation is also well done. This is because real life surfers were consulted to help make the water animation look so realistic and that hard work shows. Speaking of which, I love that surfers like Kelly Slater and Rob Machado are in the movie, it makes it feel more authentic as a surfing movie and adds a few laughs. The jokes themselves are really funny and there is some real humor to find in this movie which all audiences can appreciate. Not all of the jokes are comedy gold but most of them are.
Now for the elephant in the room. I like Shia Labeouf in this movie a lot. I think that not only is he extremely funny as Cody Maverick, but he's also really likable. He really sold me in this movie and I really liked him. I know he is only a voice-acting role but I still really enjoyed him and I see this movie as proof that he can be likable and funny. Jeff Bridges is also really funny in this movie and he's full of energy as Big Z, I really loved his humor and sarcasm. I enjoyed him just as much as I enjoyed Shia Labeouf's performance in this movie. I also enjoyed the other characters namely Chicken Joe and Tank Evans, they got lots of laughs.
However, none of this compares to the number one thing that this movie does: it feels like an authentic mockumentary of surfing documentaries. You can tell that the makers of this movie did their homework and really went out of their way to parody both surfing movies and surfing documentaries like Endless Summer. The way this movie takes on the idea of a fake documentary never gets old. The camera scenes and fake interviews are hilarious and it almost feels like watching an awesome surfing documentary. Surfers can really enjoy this movie as can the casual fan of comedy/parody so I highly recommend that people watch this movie. It's fun it's entertaining, I just really like it. Peace.
Bambi (1942)
The Simple yet Heartwarming Story of the Disney Deer
Bambi is one of the first Disney stories to be made and honestly it's one of the best. It's a simple slice of life story that encompasses the meaning of beauty, which is increased by gorgeous Disney animation. This movie is great solely due to how visually impressive it is, something that modern animated movies seem to struggle with. The animals and scenery are very lively and when one watches this movie it really feels as if one is staring into a storybook that comes to life.
Sometimes, you don't need a movie to have a very complex story to be effective and this movie is proof of it. It has perhaps some of the most violent and heartbreaking scenes in a movie, especially a Disney movie. I won't spoil it but you can probably guess what it is, heck you might already know what it is, but let me tell you that is just as impactful as everyone says. However, the movie is still heartwarming and will make you feel good as much as it will make you sad. It's a film about nature and it gives a unique and well written take on the...cough cough....Circle of Life...cough cough. I know that sounds bad but before The Lion King, there was this.
This movie stands above many Disney films and has aged almost perfectly. If Disney ever tries to remake this movie it just won't work because this is a timeless film. It was one of the best from the Golden Age of Disney and proof that Walt Disney knew how to make amazing stories. I give it an 8/10 and think one who likes both animation and Disney should give it a watch.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Spielberg's Ultimate Adventure Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first of the Indiana Jones trilogy and definitely the best. This movie redefined what an action adventure movie could and should be. After the epic Horror Adventure that is Jaws comes the epic action adventure, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. This movie easily deserves 10 stars for it's sheer innovation, directing, visuals, and entertainment ability. Here's why.
Harrison Ford is a perfect choice for the awesome hero, Indiana Jones. An archaeologist who dreams of fortune and glory, he embarks on an adventure to find the Ark of the Covanent and save it from the Nazis. Harrison Ford is perfect in this role and it's so refreshing to see a badass hero that everybody can root for simply because he's awesome and embodies everything we want from an adventurer. Every moment of him is simply cinematic gold and it makes him shine against everyone else, even himself as Han Solo. That's not to say that the supporting actors aren't great, they are, but he's the main character and he steals the show which he should.
Steven Spielberg really went out of his way with this masterpiece. The practical effects and stuntwork isn't just phenomenal, it's almost godlike! The action is jaw dropping in its awesomeness to the point where it almost doesn't even look like a movie, it looks like a portal into somebody else's universe: Spielberg's universe. What visual effects that are used are so good that it makes modern day action flicks look like stupid college projects that got F's. Michael Bay ain't got nothing on Golden Age Spielberg! Every scene screams with action and it just gets better and better all the way through but it never forsakes the story in place of action. Modern day directors need to take notes from this movie.
Once somebody watches this movie, you soon find yourself in a trance in which you can never get sick of it. Nobody can get sick of Indiana Jones, it's not possible. Go watch this movie and you will be very pleased. Or just listen to the Golden John Williams music, that works too.
Tarzan (1999)
The Best Adaptation of the Jungle Swinger
Tarzan is an underrated masterpiece made by Disney before the 3D age. I found this to be very engaging and very entertaining. Mostly because this movie is beautiful to look at and has truly great animation. The color scheme feels lively and active, one can really appreciate the beauty and wonder of the jungle and the animals that inhabit it.
Furthermore ths story is also amazing and very entertaining. While it's not a perfect retelling of Tarzan nor is it an accurate one, it works and feels like an original retelling of this epic. My favorite character is Kerchek who is a really cool character and one who really adds life to the narrative. Tarzan is also a welcome character who really is fun and exciting. He starts off decent but ends up becoming awesome. This movie feels like a great adaptation of Tarzan which feels alive and refreshing unlike the live action reboot.
The soundtrack in this movie is also amazing and Phil Collins really shines. The music is amazing and adds the Disney magic to this movie and it works so well because the music can be enjoyed outside of the movie. Overall I give it an 8/10 and think it's a pretty great Disney movie. Give it a watch.
RWBY (2012)
The Sad Story of RWBY
RWBY makes me sad. It didn't use to be this forgotten series like it is now and nowadays it seems to be a show that doesn't know where it's going or what it was in the first place. If you don't know what RWBY is that's normal. I don't know what RWBY is! And I don't pretend to think that it's some hidden jewel in the world of anime anymore. RWBY is the definition of a forgotten series. Before I rip into how this series fell from grace so hard, I'm gonna talk about the good stuff. Let's begin with RWBY Volumes 1-3.
RWBY takes place in a world that's pretty much a mix between the Walking Dead and Harry Potter, and believe me when I tell you that this is not as insane as it sounds. The story is about a girl named Ruby who wants to become a huntress, but to do this she has to team up with her lovable sister Yang, the ice Princess Weiss, and the closed off rebel Blake. These characters are so much fun to see on screen and it's great to see them interact with one another since they have great chemistry. There are some side character's too but they don't really steal the show all that much and they don't take attention away from the protagonists and that's a good thing. The plot is pretty straightforward and it doesn't try to be larger than it is. The first three volumes have buildup and we learn about the world of Remnant in a way that moves the narrative forward. Then it has one of the best climaxes I've ever seen in an anime and there is plenty of emotion throughout this sequence.
After Volume 3 ended, Volume 4 came out AKA: the beginning of the end. This volume has one problem, one flaw that kills the show. This is the problem that it has and it has made RWBY a forgotten series. The problem is the terrible..PACING! When I talk about pacing, I mean plot progression and the flow of entertainment. In the last three volumes, the pacing isn't that bad. It's pretty good. There is slow buildup between events and each volume seems to carry the story further and expand on the lore. In RWBY Volumes 4 and 5, the pacing becomes inexcusable. Action scenes don't feel natural, story elements are too heavily reliant on exposition, character arcs are too convuluted and the narrative just completely loses it's mind. The plot becomes boring when so many things are going on all at once to the point where the audience can't become invested. If the audience can't get into the story, the show falls apart.
And you know how I talked about Side Characters not being the focus in the original three volumes. Where here, it's the total opposite! There's only like one side character who's sort of interesting and everyone else just falls flat and fails to warrant attention. The anime is hurt even more when it doesn't know how to handle so many characters within the narrative. Too many characters is a bad thing when we don't have enough time to care about them.
People like me who were once big RWBY fans have kinda just turned our back on this series because of these issues. RWBY needs to get it's act together if it hopes to become an amazing series again. Until it does, it's going to remain a forgotten one.
The Matrix (1999)
A "Cool" Sci Fi that's Outrageously Overrated
I liked this movie. But damn! Number 18 on IMDb with a score of 8.7??? That's not appropriate for the movie's overall quality. There is some good here, don't get me wrong, but it's not as if it's some Godlike Sci Fi! They really think this movie is better than Alien? Better than Blade Runner? Better than Star Wars A New Hope? Better than Planet of the Apes? Better than 2001 A Space Odyssey?
First off the whole Bullet Time thing is just a ridiculous slow mo effect that must have really looked cool back then! In the modern day, this "Bullet Time" did not age well and looks ridiculously dumb not ridiculously awesome. As for the sound effects used, I honestly thought The Phantom Menace was more innovative than this movie. The story itself isn't that unique or special, I've seen other movies tackle these concepts before. Hell, one Twilight Episode is all I need to get what this movie is about and yet people didn't freak out then! I don't think Neo is a particularly interesting character and I find his story dull and lackluster. There are a few other things I don't like but none of these are as prevalent as to what is listed above.
As for what I like, I gotta admit that I liked Morpheus and thought he was an interesting character. And while the story is kinda unoriginal, I still liked it and they do it well just not as amazingly as everybody seems to think. I also admit that the gun battles are actually pretty damn cool and some of the visual effects really are breathtaking even if once again they're overrated. The one word I would use to describe this movie is "cool!" This is a very cool movie and I do recommend that you check it out and get your own opinion on this still popular movie.
I give this movie a 7/10 because I don't think it's all that revolutionary but I still enjoy it and I might watch it again sometime and I'm glad it saw it in the first place. If somebody decided that "No, it really is a masterpiece" or conversely "Yes, this movie is garbage that's outdated" then you are welcome to think that but for me I see it as a "cool" sci fi that's outrageously overrated.
Batman Begins (2005)
The Batman Movie that made Bruce Wayne Awesome
The movie that started the best Superhero trilogy of all time is definitely one of the best superhero movies to be made. It's shame that the Dark Knight's greatness casts a shadow over this amazing origin story but then again it's kinda hard not to do this. That said, Batman Begins is an amazing story with some phenomenal acting and storytelling. First I'm gonna talk about the story.
This story does something rather risky, it focuses less on Batman's story and more on that of Bruce Wayne's story. Mark my words, you will not be disappointed by this choice and you will come to think of Superhero movies differently. This movie delivers in making Bruce Wayne an awesome hero who becomes darkness to take on the forces that corrupt Gotham City. By the time he becomes Batman, we have connected to him and we are ready to see him become the Caped Crusader in full glory, and Batman's introduction.......oh man......it's awesome and it's something you have to see to believe.
This movie sets up this amazing trilogy to a great start and it achieves this so well because it adheres to as much realism as possible and really goes out of it's way to make Batman seem possible. This is best seen in the cinematography. The amount of practical effects in this movie is insane! The stunt choreography is well done and the amount of detail is truly amazing. Anyone who loves Batman will be satisfied.
One last thing to talk about, the actors. Christian Bale is an excellent Bruce Wayne and he is a badass hero who is awesome to watch. The voice is a bit strange but other than that there's not a damn thing wrong with him. Watch this Batman and you will never look at Ben Affleck the same way. Michail Caine is a great Alfred who really adds fantastic emotion to the character we never thought we could love. Cillian Murphy and Morgan Freeman are also great and...do I really need to explain Gary Oldman? Well, he's great. And lastly, Liam Neeson is kickass! He is my favorite character in the whole movie and I loved every second he was onscreen. Liam Neeson is pure gold as Ducard and you can't help but see a badass warrior who does no wrong in this film. You are the best, good sir.
Batman Begins is an amazing Superhero movie that truly is amazing and still remains one of the best Superhero origin stories every made and one which I will continue to love for all time. I easily give this movie an 8/10 and hold it much higher than any of the modern Superhero movies especially the Marvel ones. If you love Batman, if you love Christopher Nolan, if you love good storytelling, go watch this movie.
Wind River (2017)
2017's Underrated Thriller that Deserves Love
Wind River is a cruelly underrated movie from 2017. Since 2017 has been one of those amazing years for cinema, this isn't surprising but it hurts when something like Three Billboards gets all the praise when this amazing crime drama get's nothing at all from the Academy Awards. It has phenomonal acting and a really good story, one which is not often told.
First off, this is the best performance I have seen from Jeremy Renner. He plays a devastated father who seeks to redeem his life and you wanna cheer for him since he's a figure who deserves redemption. Yes, one who DESERVES redemption! I am so sick of the failed father figure cliche and movies and I hate it when it's done lazily. Why does every father in movies have to be Adam Sandler? Can't we have a movie with a stable working relationship. Of course not! It's hard to write those movies and it's a lot easier to have the generic divorced family get's back together at the end plotline which I am just sick of! That being said, Jeremy Renner's character Cory is a failed father but it doesn't focus on him getting back with his wife it's about him coming to terms with his mistakes as a father. That's way more interesting than just him being a father who fails comedically and a father who lacks awareness. Then, in the story, Cory goes out of his way to track down a murderer who killed an innocent women and the case has some emotional impact on him since his daughter suffered a similar fate. This allows us to feel sympathetic towards Cory and want him to succeed. It's genius!
Then we have Elizabeth Olson and she plays a really good really compelling FBI agent. She's not some generic female lead who's just great at everything, she just knows how to do her job. Her character, Jane, joins Cory and asks for his help because he knows the land and how to hunt in the frozen wilderness while she knows how to be a good cop who can handle herself in a fight. If this was a Marvel movie she would be doing Karate and be completely unstoppable and that's not realistic. Showing her struggle in the Wyoming Wilderness is may more compelling and gives her a reason to ask for Cory's help. Every second they spend together demonstrates good chemistry and I can really appreciate how both characters sort of bond with each other.
But the number one thing this movie does is tell a story that deserves to be told. Let me explain. I've seen lots of crime dramas, but most of them happen in cities with generic cops vs criminals. How often do you see a crime drama in which it's not black people vs white people but native American locals vs White American outsiders/ Not many I bet. What's even better is that neither side is shown to be pure good or pure evil, both have their own problems which hurt their communities. I won't delve too deep into the plot but let me say that it really gives an accurate portrayal of the deep tensions that impact these two communities, tension which only fuels the suspense as the hunter and FBI agent team up to take down a criminal.
This movie is a wild ride that is suspenseful and compelling. The social commentary is in the background and you can make your own conclusions without having to be told what to think. If you want a good crime drama that actually "feels" suspenseful rather than looks suspenseful give this a watch. 8/10 pretty good flick.
Get Out (2017)
A Welcome Addition to the Horror Community
For a while I was becoming pretty convinced that it was impossible to make a movie that focuses solely on being a good movie. Not trying to throw in political themes or the director's private views so he could please people, no, just a damn good movie that's fun to watch!
Get Out is that movie, one which I have throughly enjoyed watching. It's a damn good horror movie because it has psychological horror about being powerless and trapped in a world you can't escape. That's really powerful and it's great to see a movie focus on this often unexplored psychological aspect of fear. It felt like watching a really good Twilight Zone episode that just so happened to have a black actor in the leading role. Daniel Kaluuya kills it as Chris Washington, he is such a cool everyman. You can really relate to this guy regardless of who you are, he seems like an average chill dude who you want to hang out with. This perfectly helps you relate to a character. He's our outlet into the story and our way of becoming immersed in the horror.
One thing that kinda frustrates me though is how everybody sees this movie. For those who call it politically correct nonsense about evil white society, I almost want to punch these idiots in the face! This isn't something like Mudbound where you instantly realize what the movie is about without even having to see it, Get Out pushes racism and white prejudice in the background so it can focus on the story, not the political climate it happens to be in. People who praise or hate this movie on the grounds that it tackles racism are people who didn't get the point of the movie. This movie is not about political themes but everybody thinks it is because it has white villains. For those people, leave your damn politics to CNN and just appreciate a movie because it's great!
Get Out is great, and if you like horror movie and want a good modern horror movie, give this a watch. I love the classics and I will adore movies like Frankenstein and Bram's Stoker's Dracula to death (literally), but sometimes I wanna watch a modern movie where the real villains are the monsters inside the people we think we know. It's a great movie. It's really fun! Go watch it!
9/10 great movie that holds up well and a welcome addition to the horror community!
Gekijôban Poketto Monsutâ: Myûtsû no Gyakushû (1998)
Mewtwo Strikes Out but not in Japan
Pokemon movies tend to be bad movies, at least that's what everybody normally thinks if you have never seen the Japanese version of these movies. Japanese subs can never save the movie but they do help them tremendously. And this movie has that most apparant.
Okay, so here's the deal with this movie. The English Dub is like a good bad movie which is stupid a lot of the time but still fun to watch, kinda like a funny Shyamalan movie but the Japanese Sub is infinitely better, but not enough to save the whole movie and is comparable in quality to something like a good Shyamalan movie. The reason is that the movie itself is the same between the two but the writing, themes, and music choices are actually superior in the sub than in the dub. The reason is that although the dub music sounds good, there are choices made in the sub version that really make certain scenes a lot more engaging and powerful with one exception, the opening song. The song in the Dub is kickass awesome while the sub's theme song is really stupid.
Thematically, the sub is also a million times better. Rather than subverting and ignoring the original message of the movie with dumb politically correct nonsense, the sub carries an interesting series of moral questions that actually build on one another. The movie has effort put into the message which is reinforced by dialogue, scenes, and actions performed by characters and Pokemon. Furthermore, the message isn't obvious and you have to think about what's going on. However, some things are kinda wrong with the dialogue at times and some lines unfortunately don't make sense, however it is still better than the dub's dialogue.
However, with that said the Sub can't change certain plot decisions made in the movie meaning that a lot of stuff can't be explained with logic. However, the explanation is actually there for most of the sub and has things that can be understood if one pays attention to the movie...for the most part. This is something the dub doesn't do, it just lays down a bad explanation for events that doesn't make sense to the viewer(s) and you just have to break your suspension of disbelief.
The voice acting in the sub is also way better. People sound organic and conversations feel natural between people in the sub while people in the dub sound stupid and corny a lot of the time with a few exceptions.
Overall I'm giving this a 7/10 for the Sub while the dub gets a whopping 5/10. If your gonna watch this and want a bad movie, watch the dub you will not be disappointed. If you love Pokemon, like me however, and want a better movie (not great) but better movie please don't watch the dub, just listen to the Pokemon theme in the dub and then watch the Japanese sub. It is a lot better and way more enjoyable.