tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24811586329974642062024-03-16T14:53:18.517-04:00Articles of DestroyerDestroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.comBlogger358125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-44447454793419497832016-02-28T21:27:00.002-05:002016-02-28T21:27:26.594-05:00Rurouni Kenshin (Film) Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Himura Kenshin is one of the few manga to be consistently 5 star quality. Each of the main characters are given fantastic development throughout the 27 volumes. It being samurai based, there's this feel of nobility which author Nobuhiro Watsuki conveys throughout, especially in the <span style="font-size: small;">title</span> character himself. Many manga have the character go through this arc of being a troublemaker/punk to a hero, but Kenshin from the onset is a noble character, with a tragic past. It's a refreshing read in the modern age. I would say it's shocking it hadn't gotten a live action adaption until this one, but the fact is that many popular manga have not been adapted.<b> (</b><b><i>One Piece,</i></b><b> </b><b><i>Naruto)</i></b><b> </b>and when they are, they're usually either unfaithful to the source material or just plain bad. <i><b>(Dragon Ball Evolution</b></i>, and more recently the <i><b>Attack on Titan</b></i> adaption.) With a noble character like Kenshin, adapting it would prove tricky with this track record. Director Keishi Otomo delivers a worthy adaption, expertly nailing what the character is all about.</div>
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If you've read the manga you know what to expect here. The film adapts the first main arc, and very faithfully at that. There are movies out there over 2 hours where you look at your watch while watching <i><b>(Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen</b><b>)</b></i> but not this one. That's the first sign of success. While there's certainly a lot of great positives to go over, there are some negatives. The fist one is how Sanosuke is introduced. Muneteka Aoki did a really good job portraying the character. He got the look and personality down. The problem is the writing. He joins with Kenshin and then the dojo unnaturally fast. His plot from the manga was partly cut, probably to save time. In this case, I think adding an additional 20 minutes deepening his character arc would have been better. Another thing is that Megumi also joins up with the dojo rather quickly. She barely had any words with Kaoru. This stuff happened smoothly in the manga but in the film it's a little choppy.</div>
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The biggest negative would have to be Teruyuki Kagawa's portrayal of Takeda Kanryu. Now Kanryu is not a likable character in the manga, and the film doesn't pretend he is either. But, Kagawa's rather comical acting took away from any little menace this guy possessed from the manga. </div>
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With those out of the way, we can discuss the many things the film did right, namely Takeru Satoh as the title character. This definitely rivals Kenichi Matsuyama as L from the <b><i>Death Note</i></b> series. Satoh grasps the peaceful nature of Himura, expertly delivering his quotes. His transition to serious Battosai mode was also fantastic in his battle with Jin-e. Kaoru was solid. It's still a little funny how she leads this dojo but loses every real fight she's in, but that's how the manga did it too in the arc. Yahiko was also solid. The character isn't given much to do, but again in this particular story he doesn't really do anything. Megumi's character arc was certainly interesting in the manga and the film manages to convey it well.</div>
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The fights are a lot of fun, and very well choreographed. One of the best things was the careful attention to detail. The choreography makes it a point to show in present day Kenshin is not killing anyone. With over 30 men rushing at him this is truly an accomplishment. Like the manga, the arc really ends when Kenshin battles Jin-e. While perhaps not as deranged as his manga self, Koji Kikkawa did a solid job portraying him and shows what a stark contrast he is to Kenshin. Saito has always been a fan favorite, and rightfully so. His hardcore demeanor with his sense of justice as a samurai police officer has always been compelling. The film nicely sets the kind of relationship he and Kenshin have in the prologue flashback. I'm looking forward to more of their interactions in the sequels. The soundtrack is very solid. Every theme which played at the onset of a fight scene was done well.</div>
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Overall, <i><b>KENSHIN</b></i> could be the archetype of a live action manga adaption. The first step is grasping who the main character is, and that is done here. The next is a faithful adaption of the story, and it adapts the first arc wonderfully. (It sadly does cut out somethings which would have made it feel truly complete.) The flashbacks to Kenshin's past were done really well, showcasing who he was back then in contrast to who he is today. The theme of redemption and not letting the past rule over is a major theme in the franchise, and I'm thrilled to see the film utilize that well.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4/5</b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-45623569873025935092016-02-14T23:52:00.001-05:002016-02-14T23:52:56.533-05:00RETURN TO OZ Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Hey have you seen Return to OZ?"</div>
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"Yeah I've seen Wizard of OZ."</div>
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"Of course, everyone has. But I'm talking about its sequel."</div>
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"There was a sequel?"</div>
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"Yes."</div>
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"When?"</div>
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"In the 80's."</div>
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"Never heard of it."</div>
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That's a conversation which is common when one brings up the sequel to the 1939 classic. I remember as a kid when Blockbuster was still around always seeing that cover with the giant pumpkin head. I was always greatly curious about it, but never got around to renting it. Though the film has always been in the back of my head to check out someday. We've all seen the <i><b>Wizard of OZ</b></i>, hailed by many as one of the greatest movies of all time. Imagine back in the day you saw the film as a kid, and almost 50 years later it gets a sequel. Unfortunately, it didn't fare well at the box office and critics at the time weren't kind to it. Still, with a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes that means quite a few liked it, with many saying it to be a more faithful adaption of the books than the classic. Interestingly, this is <b>Walter Murch's</b> only directed film. What we have is a truly interesting sequel that pays respect to the classic while introducing lots of welcome new elements. An excellent, relatively unknown novelty is how I would describe it.<br />
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Taking place 6 months after she returned to Kansas, Dorothy Gale keeps recollecting about her adventures in OZ, much to the dismay of her aunt. So, the latter brings Dorothy to a psychiatric ward for evaluation. But what ward in film has proven to be legitimate? As expected, they try to sabotage Dorothy but someone there helps her escape. Soon Dorothy winds up back in OZ and finds out it has been taken over by the Nome King. It's up to her to overthrow him and save King Scarecrow!<br />
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One of the big things I liked about the beginning is how it uses the events of the previous film. The tornado which destroyed Dorothy's old house is mentioned. Its consequences on the family is made known to the viewer, which is interesting. The ward is appropriately a pretty frightening place. I liked the dynamic between Head Nurse Wilson and Dr. Worley. Wilson is stern, while Worley is the seemingly nice doctor whom gets the patient to trust him. The lead-up to OZ is intense, and the only complaint I have is that the ECT didn't turn out to be anything more than a machine. With its design and words of hype, it's a shame it wasn't given more to do. Anyways, the real action of course begins when Dorothy wakes up in the middle of a barren OZ. From here the story is nicely paced as, like in the previous film, she meets her upcoming friends. Let's take a look at some of those friends.<br />
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Billina is Dorothy's chicken which accompanies her throughout the story. Billina is a very fun character to have around, providing funny lines. Denise Bryer did an excellent job voicing her. Tik-Toc was excellent, being sort of like the Terminator guardian to Sarah Connor in <i><b>Terminator: Genisys</b></i>. One of my favorite scenes was in the climax when Tik-Toc pretends to have his action stopped so Dorothy can get a head start at finding Scarecrow. Jack Pumpkinhead (<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ee/Jack_Skellington.png/320px-Jack_Skellington.png" target="_blank">Jack's</a> a pretty popular name) is introduced later in the plot. In retrospect, he didn't actually do much, but was nice to have around if only for his cool design. Scarecrow is the only character from the previous film to have a role with dialogue. While it would have been nice to see Tin Man and Cowardly Lion more, it was good to see the film introduce the other major characters in the OZ series.<br />
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How about Dorothy herself? While Fairuza's Balk portrayal isn't quite as iconic as Judy Garland's, she was still very good throughout. Her politeness, even to the Nome King, was fantastic. While there's great continuity between both films, there are some things missing. For one thing, Glinda the Good Witch isn't mentioned at all. The Munchkins which inhabit the land of OZ are also missing. Ozma is basically a much younger version of Glinda. While not quite as enchanting as the later, Ozma was still very good.<br />
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As many have said, the film is noticeably darker than the 1939 classic. Is this a negative thing? Many would say so. It's true the film does have surprisingly grim aspects. The headless dancing girls eludes to decapitations, and we actually see those heads later in the film as Mombi says she uses those heads on different occasions. The masks on the Wheelers when they first appeared were also creepy. I think the tone is fantastic and grips the viewer from the start until the end. These things, while dark, never leaves the overall fantastical atmosphere of OZ. I think <i>Return</i> is the very definition of how to properly do a "darker" story in a film sequel. <br />
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The biggest highlight may be the antagonist, the Nome King. From early on he is established as a true menace with his commanding voice. Every scene in the climax he's in was fantastic. The writing was incredible, having him be a manipulator. One of the best scenes is when he shows Dorothy the Ruby Slippers, stopping her in mid-sentence, saying <i>"No, MY Ruby Slippers."</i> He taunts her with the idea of she being able to return home, saying there's nothing she could do about her friends. Another great line is when he says, <i>"Perhaps you'd like to visit my fiery furnace"</i> which is followed by a scene of flames appearing. He's a fantastic character and Nicol Willamson did a superb job portraying him. His sarcasm and great anger made him a blast to watch. The climax features an intense race against time, followed by a last stand against a giant monster. The way it goes down, while perhaps meant to be funny, is a little anti-climatic. Still, the last act of the film was fantastic, on par with the climax of the 1939 film. The stop-motion used throughout was very good; the Nome King's final form looked really realistic. The servant face in the mountain was also very good. The soundtrack isn't anything special sadly. The best theme was in Mombi's palace, when the heads all woke and started chanting Dorothy's name. The viewer feels a sense of immense urgency when that started to play. (That, and the fact there were over 20 heads talking!)<br />
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Overall, <i>Return to OZ</i> is a very fun watch. It's a really cool sequel to the classic movie we've all seen and have ingrained in our memory. The story is much like a classic fantasy adventure with a character wanting to save the land from an evil ruler. It pays tribute to <i>Wizard</i> while introducing all these new elements. If you haven't seen this, I definitely recommend it. It's far better than the recent <i><b>OZ: The Great and Powerful.</b></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4.5/5</b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-68938417911940717802016-02-08T00:09:00.001-05:002016-02-08T00:09:09.064-05:00Fantastic Four (2015) Review<br />
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The Fantastic Four haven't had much success on the big screen. The two major film adaptions are usually in any "top ten worst comic book films" list. <i>"How difficult is it to make a film about a family of superheroes?"</i> is often the question. Apparently very, since FOX laid the series dormant for eight years. In this case, it was wise to reboot it. Last year saw the release of the revamp. Marketing was rather poor leading up to it, releasing perhaps the most generic trailer of all time and "hyping up" characters, such as Doom being a blogger. (Which thankfully was pretty much cut.) I've always enjoyed the Fantastic Four because of the family dynamic, which is really at the core of every FF story. This is something director Josh Frank's reboot didn't seem to understand. While not the worst comic book movie out there, it definitely deserves its razzie. Still, unlike the first origin story, it's certainly not boring and provides a rather bizarre experience for a longtime comic fan.<br />
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<i>Transported
to an alternate universe, four young outsiders gain superhuman powers
as they alter their physical form in shocking ways. Reed Richards
becomes Mr. Fantastic, able to stretch and twist his body at will, while
pal Ben Grimm gains immense strength as the Thing. Johnny Storm becomes
the Hum<span class="_dgc">an Torch, able to control and project fire,
while his sister Sue becomes the Invisible Woman. Together, the team
must harness their new abilities to prevent Doctor Doom from destroying
the Earth.</span></i></blockquote>
The beginning played it very good, showcasing how Reed Richards and Ben Grimm met as kids. It's interesting to see the dynamic back then since the comics haven't really explored it all too much. Fast forward to modern day when they're at college. This is where the problems begin. At the science fair the teacher literally <i>witnesses something get teleported away</i>, yet dismisses it as if it wasn't anything extraordinary. There's no indication that this is a world in which stuff like this happens, so the reaction was incredibly strange. The action really begins when Franklin Storm asks Reed and Ben to join up at Baxter Foundation to complete a device which Victor Von Doom had started.<br />
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It'd be good to go over each individual character, which accounts for a good chunk of the negatives. The blatant one at first is Susan Storm. (Kate Mara.) She literally smiled about three or four times in the two hour run-time. She showcased virtually no emotion and her face pretty much had the same expression throughout the whole film. In the comics Sue is one of the most caring individuals in the Marvel Universe. Here...nothing. I'm not sure if the writing forced her to act like a statue or Mara just can't bring emotion into her role. A primary example is when she finds out that Reed, Ben, Johnny, and Victor are in great danger. Her statement <i>"I'm trying" </i>and her completely stiff face expression was just sad. I'm tempted to say she's just as emotion-less as Bella in the <b><i>Twilight</i></b> movie series. (If that were even possible.)<br />
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You're going to see a pattern here with the acting. One of the most laughable scenes was in "the other dimension" (which in itself wasn't explained at all) with Victor grasping the hand of Reed before plummeting below. There's yelling but it <i>looks</i> and <i>sounds</i> fake. The point of peril in films is for the viewer to feel the character's anguish and danger. One doesn't get the feeling here. It watches like the actors are just reading lines off the script and yelling when necessary. The film often feels like a low budget college project in this regard, which leads us to our next negative. While as terrible as the last two <i><b>Fantastic Four </b></i>movies were, they at least retained the feel of the classic comic books. What the writing and directing tries to do here is make it a gritty (generic word, but it's the only one that fits) almost alternate history type of story. There's unnecessary language being thrown around just to have some edginess for example. Even worse, there's a scene where some of the characters get drunk. (Basically, the opposite of stuff you find in the comics.) Take away the name, switch around the powers and this wouldn't resemble an FF movie in the slightest. <br />
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Back to characters, Milles Teller as Reed is often a mixed bag. Sometimes he's good, but the acting is so lousy sometimes it's hard to say anything positive. In the climax for example, his one-liners to Doom such as <i>"Victor don't do this"</i> was so terribly acted one has to imagine how this got pass the green screen. Michael B. Jorden as Johnny Storm wasn't bad. He definitely got the humor down which the character is known for. Perhaps the film's biggest positive is Ben Grimm. When Jamie Bell becomes the Thing, he completely nails the character. <br />
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As they say, a story is as good as its villain. Unfortunately for the previous two films, they didn't pass the test with their depiction of Dr. Doom. With a reboot, FOX had another chance. Did they succeed? It's an interesting answer. The problem I have is not with Toby Kebbell specifically, but before transforming into the antagonist the writing should have tried to develop the hate relationship between him and Reed. Later in the climax Doom states to Reed,<i>"You always thought you were smarter than me."</i> This makes no sense, since the two had only known each other for about...a few days, weeks maybe?" There's no buildup to such a statement. With that said, when Doom becomes Doom, he was a very enjoyable antagonist to watch. He commanded the screen, something the old Dr. Doom never quite achieved. Sadly, the writing strikes again since his goals and motivations are poorly explained.<br />
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If it isn't evident yet, the writing is pretty bad most of the time. Not only in the lines spoken by the characters, but on the plotlines themselves. There are two primary examples. Remember the laughable scene when Victor seemingly plummets to his doom? (Unintentional pun, I promise.) This wasn't mentioned by <i>anyone</i> afterward. It's almost as if the writing forgot about it until later. Another thing is that Ben blames Reed for his condition. When Grimm captures Richards, he makes the bold statement of <i>"I'm not your friend."</i> Yet about 20 minutes later they're pretty much back to being buddies, and by the end that line is completely rendered irrelevant. Despite there not being too much action, the film thankfully manages to move at a solid place. The climax isn't terrible, and there are some nice effects utilized. In retrospect however, it's probably the worst action film climax of 2015. Nothing really "big" happens, and looks low budget when compared to say <b><i>Age of Ultron</i></b> or <i><b>Jurassic World</b></i>. (Even tiny characters in <i><b>Ant-Man</b></i> provide a more grand climax, though to be fair few can beat <a href="http://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/Ant-Man-Thomas-Tank-Engine-Yellowjacket.jpg" target="_blank">Thomas the Tank Engine</a>.)<br />
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Overall, <i>Fantastic Four</i> is one of the strangest comic book movies out there. It doesn't necessarily deserve its 9% on Rotten Tomatoes, but also doesn't really deserve anything above 30% either. The problem first from a comic book fan's perspective is that it doesn't look or feel like an FF movie. At least the previous two movies kept the family dynamic; here it's as if the goal was to make a sci-fi film with the characters in name only. It's truly bizarre, and an example that the "gritty reboot" isn't always the right call. I will however give credit for it having virtually no romance. But the language, the tone, the drunk scene, this is <i>not</i> the Fantastic Four. From a non-comic book fan's perspective, the writing is just bad a lot of the time. There is no great acting to be found here. The best FF film is still the unreleased Roger Corman one from the 90's. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2/5</b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-30979416597671095022016-01-25T00:20:00.001-05:002018-04-04T19:42:49.039-04:00TERMINATOR: GENISYS Review <br />
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I don't think I've ever met someone who wasn't a fan of the <b><i>Terminator</i></b> series. There have been many films having humans war with robots, but few as refined as this franchise. Interestingly, <i>Terminator</i> is much like <i><b>Alien</b></i>.
The first two installments are universally acclaimed (with the second
one in particular being hailed as two of the greatest action movies of
all time.) <b><i>Alien 3</i></b> and <b><i>Terminator 3</i></b> aren't as renowned. I would consider them both underrated, but those are reviews for another day. <b><i>Resurrection</i></b> is known as the worst <i>Alien</i>, and <i><b>Salvation</b></i> is known as the worst <i>Terminator</i>.
(Is T4 really that bad? I don't think so, but again a review for
another day.) Years passed and many thought we wouldn't be seeing
another film. Enter <b><i>GENISYS</i></b>. Marketed as a sort of reboot,
it appeared this film was looking to emulate the first two. In
some ways it succeeds in that. But, it goes about this in perhaps the
most bizarre way possible. <i>Genisys</i> has one of the most
convoluted storylines I've ever seen. It is however also one of the most
fast-paced and fun movies I've ever seen, so at least there's that.<br />
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The official description:<br />
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<i>When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance
against Skynet, sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect
his mother, Sarah (Emilia Clarke), from a Terminator assassin, an
unexpected turn of events creates an altered timeline. Instead of a
scared waitress, Sarah is a sk<span class="_dgc">illed fighter and has a
Terminator guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger) by her side. Faced with
unlikely allies and dangerous new enemies, Reese sets out on an
unexpected new mission: reset the future.</span></i></blockquote>
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What
I find most peculiar is the audience this film is attempting to cater
to. It tries to be a reboot, thus bringing in new fans while also
attempting to continue the ongoing storyline. Let's try to put this
bluntly: the story basically erases all the previous movies from
existence. It then decides to transform John Connor into a Terminator
for the film's antagonist. Sound insane? That's because it is. The
writing just doesn't do a good job explaining any of it. There's a
brief scene with Sara Connor telling Kyle Reece about this timeline
mishap. It's meant to inform the viewer, but instead of the viewer going
"Oh wow!" it's "Wait what?" It doesn't get any less confusing as the
story goes along. Interestingly, the film's first act even attempts to
retell the events of the first two installments. New fans will be almost completely
lost, and longtime watchers will be alienated by the poorly written time
travel aspect.<br />
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<br />
What the film does succeed in is action. This was one of the most fast paced films of 2015. Much like <b><i>Judgement Day</i></b>,
the film never lets go of its fast pace. The fight scenes are all
excellent and contain a large amount of tension. One of the best scenes
for example is when T tells Sarah Connor <i>"I'll be back"</i> before
skydiving into the helicopter. The final fight with John Connor is great
because the viewer knows T is severely outclassed, so it's fun seeing
how the heroes will get out of it since it's impossible to think of a
logical reason. As for the cast, they aren't bad...but are they good?
Kyle Reece wasn't a terrible focus throughout. Generic for sure, but not
horribly so. Sarah Connor has always been more on the crazy side, and
Emilia Clark does a solid job recapturing that from the older films.
(Though, can someone please tell me why "bite me" is even a saying?) The
romance between the two was pretty bad and poorly developed. The
obvious highlight is Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom after all these years
can still play an excellent T-800. (I will also give the story credit
for at least trying to present a reason why a robot would age.)<br />
<br />
<strike>It's always impressive when a film can keep at least one immensely surprising plot twist free from its marketing and trailers.</strike>
(I just found out that they had released a TV spot and poster spoiling
the twist, terrible move Paramount!) Based on everything we had seen, it
appeared the new T-1000 would be the antagonist. While lacking the
engaging cool factor of the original one from T2, this guy was pretty
solid. But, he was only a villain for about 20 minutes. The story takes a
180 and introduces John Connor as the antagonist. It was a bizarre
move, but definitely an interesting twist. Though, perhaps a little too
much. Connor's role in the franchise has always been the resistance
fighter, the person who leads humanity. To transform him into a
Terminator, even if Skynet forcibly does it, destroys a fundamental part
of the franchise. I can applaud them for taking a risk. Whether or not
that risk was worth it is another story.<br />
<br />
Later in the
story Reece and Sarah travel to 2017. At this point the story takes a
jab at how much we're invested in the internet. If computers become so
advanced and we're willing to accept basically anything when it comes to
being "plugged in," can we unknowingly let them take over? It's
fascinating how the story manages to squeeze in this allegory amidst the
chaos. The soundtrack is very strong, as expected from a Terminator
film. The tension is given even greater depth in each of the fight
scenes thanks to the themes.<br />
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Overall,<i> Terminator: Genisys</i>
is definitely one of the more interesting films I've seen in awhile. It
contains one of the most poorly written time travel plots out there in
relation to previous events. The action is some of the best however, so
at the very least one wouldn't be bored while watching. (Which is the
biggest crime a film can commit.) While very poorly explained, Director<b> Alan Taylor</b> knows how to deliver a story that doesn't lose its momentum. Plus, Arnold delievers another stellar performance as T-800.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3.5/5</span></b></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-30176583676065691392016-01-09T16:18:00.001-05:002016-01-09T16:18:34.800-05:00INSIDE OUT Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
There's never been a movie quite like <b><i>INSIDE OUT</i></b>. Pixar has a solid reputation of outdoing themselves. They're responsible for some of the finest movies in animation. <b><i>Finding Nemo</i></b>, <i><b>The Incredibles</b></i>, and <b><i>Toy Story 3</i></b> are just a few examples from the company's portfolio. There have been some misses (<b><i>Brave</i></b>) but every studio has a couple of hiccups along the way. <i>Inside Out </i>joins the greats. There may have been movies before targeting the human mind, but none as engaging, funny, and emotional as this one. Most of Pixar's films find a ground which is for kids and adults alike. As someone 20 years of age, I can say I have never been more engaged by a film from Pixar just with reflecting on how well-done the overall concept is executed.<br />
<i><span> </span></i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span>Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) is a happy, hockey-loving 11-year-old
Midwestern girl, but her world turns upside-down when she and her
parents move to San Francisco. Riley's emotions -- led by Joy (Amy
Poehler) -- try to guide her through this difficult, life-changing
event. However, the stress of the move br<span class="_dgc">ings Sadness
(Phyllis Smith) to the forefront. When Joy and Sadness are
inadvertently swept into the far reaches of Riley's mind, the only
emotions left in Headquarters are Anger, Fear and Disgust.</span></span></i><br />
</blockquote>
The story poses a question at the beginning, <i>"Do you ever look at someone and wonder what's going on inside their head?"</i> Putting it bluntly, the film is basically about emotions in a kid. That sounds like a complicated subject on paper. The story however establishes it well, and swiftly. We're treated to truly excellent animation from the start (some of the best from Pixar yet) and from that intro with Riley as a baby the narration carries it onto the title screen. Riley is definitely a good character, representing the archetype kid at this stage. What's interesting to think about is that the story takes place in the real world. Yes, her mind is filled with fantastical things, but it's meant to exemplify her thoughts and emotions.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
We have Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, and Sadness. First, I want to say I'm glad they went with the term "joy" over "happy." To have have inner joy is more substantial than being happy. Since we're on the subject, Joy is definitely one of the greatest characters Pixar has envisioned. While the writing for her is fantastic, a huge amount of credit goes to Amy Poehler for a stellar voice portrayal. These emotions imagined as characters are really interesting to watch. With different life events, it can be hard containing joy. Moving for a young kid for example, going to a new school, and things related can affect how they feel greatly. Watching the emotions go back and fourth in Riley's head was interesting because it's an analogy for how people do things in real life. Riley is generally a happy person, so Joy reigns supreme. So when gloomy events happen, Sadness for example starts affecting the thought process. The story expertly portrays sadness as reluctant, but it can be such a strong emotion we sometimes let it take away joy, as in the case with Riley in the classroom scene. She tries to be joyful, but recalling certain events from her move makes Sadness come out. <br />
<br />
Running away is a tough subject for parents, and it was interesting how the story tackled that here. Sometimes a person just doesn't "feel anything." We let our joy get buried beneath because we're so consumed with emptiness and "how wrong things look." We let our emotions anger, fear, and disgust run wild, and do something we normally wouldn't, and shouldn't. But at the last moment as Riley gets on the bus to complete the running away process, her emotions start to re-think. And what's fascinating about these few scenes is that it's not Joy who saves the day: it's Sadness. The story makes a bold move in portraying sadness here. Sadness is generally not an emotion we like, but it can be necessary. Without sadness, we can't allow others to comfort us, case in point with Riley's flashback memory to her hockey game. Without her showing sadness her parents wouldn't have known to comfort her then. How Sadness plays out with the other emotions is a really neat thing the film tells us to think about.<br />
<br />
The film besides going through the different emotions is also a story about memories. One of the funniest things is toward the middle act as two characters in Riley's mind go through "cleaning out memories." For example, they contemplate whether leaving in the names of the presidents is a good idea. They decide something along the lines of, "George Washington and Abraham Lincoln should just be left in." This is beyond hilarious because just think for a moment: do you know the numbered presidents besides George Washington and Abraham Lincoln? Almost everyone learns about the presidents but most of us only retain those two core president numbers, and we forget the others because having the complete knowledge isn't important to us. It's the same thing with them erasing a few years of piano practice back when Riley was younger. She no longer has a passion for that, so why would she keep in-depth memories of it? They would disappear as the years go on. (I took piano when I was younger, and because that's something I never pursued afterward memories of it has faded.) And then this idea of a pit where memories go and are forgotten: we don't think about them anymore. The film brings in an imaginary friend, who ends up having one of the most emotional scenes in the film as we see him being forgotten.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mgtuSpXxzik/VpFtrE7_nUI/AAAAAAAAEGQ/lqrjIG8ht4k/s1600/JOY_Render.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mgtuSpXxzik/VpFtrE7_nUI/AAAAAAAAEGQ/lqrjIG8ht4k/s400/JOY_Render.png" width="279" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joy reminds me of <a href="http://im.ziffdavisinternational.com/t/ign_ap/articlepage/h/how-pac-man-joined-the-super-smash-bros-roster/how-pac-man-joined-the-super-smash-bros-roster_myq2.1920.jpg" target="_blank">another character</a> whom is always smiling...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Overall, <i>Inside Out</i> is one of the smartest films I've ever seen. It amazingly portrays the human mind of a kid, as she goes through different emotions of a life-changing event. Not only that, but we're treated to brief scenes of other human minds, such as her parents'. The family interactions are great, and there really aren't any notable negatives to mention. (The mom holding on to the memory of an old boyfriend is unnecessary though.) Riley isn't some fantastical character; she's just a normal kid. And that's why this film is so engaging. It never dips out if its realistic atmosphere. Joy is always fun to watch, and the way the emotions interact with each other was fascinating. There's a lot that can be done in sequels if the company decided to continue. For now, what we have is a fantastic one-shot and well deserves the award for best animated feature of 2015.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>5/5 </b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-52539421198877142392016-01-01T02:31:00.001-05:002016-01-01T02:31:47.936-05:00STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Review<br />
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There are films every now and then that are simply more than "just going to the theater" for. One just goes to the theater to watch <i><b>Alvin and the Chipmunks</b></i> for example. Some films however are an event. These are the movies <i>everyone</i> is talking about. When you're sitting down at a pizzeria you'll hear across from the table in front of you about them in conversations. Examples include <i><b>The Avengers</b></i>, <b><i>Godzilla</i></b>, and <b><i>The Dark Knight</i></b>. If the box office numbers are any indication, then the subject film for today is an even bigger event than the aforementioned. <b><i>STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS</i></b> has been a primary topic in many fan circles for a few years now. When Disney announced they had acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, hype became real as the countdown to Episode VII began. In perspective, there hasn't been a major <i>Star Wars</i> production since 2005's <i><b>Revenge of the Sith</b></i>. (There was also the <i><b>Clone Wars</b></i> animated film in 2008, but that was just a launch pad for the the cartoon.) The stories have continued in comics & video games, but to the general public the saga ended in 1983's <b><i>Return of the Jedi</i></b> with the death of Darth Vader and the fall of the Empire.<i> The Force Awakens</i> is the first thing to officially continue the story. It's an interesting venture as it brings back old faces and introduces new ones. It tries to find ground between being a tribute to the old films while having a new story. J.J. Abrams delivers a film keeping the original spirit of the series. It's a flawed experience, but sill enjoyable.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i> Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy
faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First
Order. When a defector named Finn crash-lands on a desert planet, he
meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a
top-secret map. Together, the<span class="_dgc"> young duo joins forces
with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the
intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill),
the last of the Jedi Knights.</span></i></blockquote>
It's obvious from the start that the film is basically aiming to be the new <i><b>A New Hope</b></i>. The opening sequence is reminiscent of Darth Vader's invasion of Leia's ship in that very first film. While it's definitely interesting to see the idea of<i> A New Hope</i> being revisited, this can be the story's undoing sometimes. Sometimes it feels like more of a retread of the film rather than a tribute. When Kylo Ren first walks off his ship for example it's hard not to think of him as a second rate Vader. As the story goes on Ren manages to escape being thought of like that and becomes probably the best character of the whole thing. We'll go into more detail soon, but let's spend some time on the other characters.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Rey is a likable main character throughout. What's confusing is who exactly she is. The story hints that she could be Luke's daughter, but this isn't made evident. That's why the very last scene isn't as effective as it could have been since there isn't a definitive connection made between the two. Rey in the final act utilizing the force effectively came very sudden. Luke had two films to master it, so it came naturally there. But by the end of this film Rey is more than a match for Ren, who supposedly had been in training for sometime. Despite these things, Rey is still one of the highlights in the cast. Finn is the other main character, and provides most of the comic relief. While I did enjoy this story arc of a Stormtrooper betraying the Sith (or in this case The First Order) Finn is just over the top sometimes. For example in the later part of the movie when Han Solo motions to him to look behind, how did he not know what Solo meant? It might have been funny in the moment, but in retrospect it just didn't make sense. The final scene with him is also very unclear, especially with Rey's line.<br />
<br />
A rather major negative is the character of Captain Phasma. There's nothing wrong with her specifically, it's what the film does with her. For awhile marketing hyped her up as an important, powerful character. Rightfully so, because we've never seen a female imperial commander before in <i>Star Wars</i>. Combine that with the awesome armor and we have what could be a highlight, much like Boba Fett of the original movies. That isn't the case here. In her brief scenes she does nothing of importance. Her final scene involves her being thrown in the trash. <i>Literally</i>. What we have is the definition of a wasted character. I don't think anyone would have minded if they had cut down on Finn in favor of more Phasma. Hopefully in the next Episode she's given more to do. (Though it's hard to be respected by the audience after being thrown in the garbage!)<br />
<br />
What I find most amazing about the return of Han Solo and Chewbacca is how similar they are from the original trilogy. One can watch Episode's IV, V, VI, and then VII back-to-back and he/she wouldn't see any kind of change. Keep in mind that Harrison Ford's last film was way back in <i>Return of the Jedi</i>, so it's uncanny how he's able to bring back that character so effectively after all these years. Seeing the duo and C-3PO later in the story was like seeing old friends. <strike>Princess</strike> General Leia was very good, though has a minimal role. This is expected since the story isn't about the Resistance at first. The plot at its core is about finding Luke Skywalker. The reason given to why he's left is pretty poor, so hopefully that gets expanded on in the sequel. Because of his leaving things have gone to heck, so hopefully he feels some kind of guilt for making such a terrible decision.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Alright, now for Kylo Ren. This guy has the menacing look and persona. He was a blast to watch whenever he was on screen, much like how Darth Vader was in the original films. (One of the reasons why the prequels were boring in comparison is because they didn't have that ongoing engaging character.) As stated earlier, the character manages to escape being a second rate Vader. His conflicted arc is very interesting. The scene where he's talking to Vader's destroyed helmet and his line <i>"I will finish what you started"</i> was a powerful moment, arguably one of the most powerful of the entire film. I think one of the most interesting aspects of the story is that part of Ren's arc is a reverse version of the ongoing father son conflict of Vader and Luke in Episodes V and VI. It's really intriguing how the story went with this in the climax. Adam Driver did a solid job delivering the human aspect when the mask was off. Though, the people I was watching the film with made an interesting observation: he looks nothing like his father or mother. It seemed to me the story was aiming for a resemblance to the young Anakin Skywalker, but in doing so destroys the realism of him being the son of<span style="color: white;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: black;">Solo and Leia</span></span></span>.<span style="background-color: #444444;"> </span><br />
<br />
Snoke is the same thing as Emperor Palpatine, just 10x more generic. There's literally nothing interesting about him at all, so hopefully this is rectified in the sequel. The climax on the bridge was excellent, and contains a very unexpected ending in retrospect. Hopefully the final film in the storyline doesn't go ahead and copy <i>Return of the Jedi's</i> ending and have Kylo turn good. The thing is that it's mentioned by one of the characters here that <i>"there's still good in him,"</i> which is a reference to Luke telling his father that same line in <i>Return</i>. The thing is that here with the climax there actually is seemingly no more good left in him, which again is an interesting reverse version of the family conflict in the original trilogy. So to have him redeemed by the end would be almost a carbon copy of Vader's arc in that film. The soundtrack is fantastic, containing many of the old themes while featuring new ones which fit right into <i>Star Wars</i>. (Which is fitting, since John Williams came back to do the score here!)<br />
<br />
Overall, <i>The Force Awakens</i> is a worthy continuation in the beloved sci-fi series. Right from the iconic <i>"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far way..."</i> to the classic title screen music you can feel yourself filled with great anticipation. It's a quality adventure with fun characters for the most part. You feel invested in the conflict with this classic good vs. evil story. While perhaps taking too much from <i>A New Hope</i> (even copying the famous destruction of the Death Star idea) it's great to see the old characters brought back. Kylo Ren is an excellent antagonist whom I look forward to seeing more of in the sequel. Unlike <i>A New Hope</i>, this film leaves many plot lines open which as a whole might make the film feel incomplete, but as part of the larger story it's fine. It's definitely good to have <i>Star Wars</i> back in the spotlight.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">4/5 </span></b></div>
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<br />Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-1722401554702534042015-12-13T22:39:00.001-05:002015-12-13T22:39:31.375-05:00THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 ReviewWhen you watch a film in the theater, often you don't know what to
expect in terms of trailers. Aside from the jaw-dropping fact that we're
somehow getting a Snow White spin-off called <b><i>The Huntsman</i></b>, the obvious highlight was <b><i>The Boy</i></b>. The tagline<i> "When you Break his rules"</i> was so hilarious I felt the need to stop myself from bursting out laughing.<br />
<br />
With that out of the way, let's talk about the final movie in the <i>Hungers Games</i> saga, <b><i>MOCKINGJAY PART 2</i></b>.<br />
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<br />
<i><b>The Hunger Games</b></i>
is without a doubt great book series. The films have been very good in
adapting the source material. The first film set the tone well. <i><b>Catching Fire</b></i> was excellent. Now when it was announced that <i>Mockingjgay</i>, the third and final book, would be split into two films, many were displeased. Sometimes it works (many would agree <i><b>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</b></i> needed to be two films) but in the case of <i><b>The Hobbit</b></i> (In this case <i>three</i>
films!) it's been said there's so much buying for time and filler that
one begins to think that they're just being stretched out for more $.
Mockingjay thankfully fits more into the Harry Potter side of things.
Part 1 almost perfectly set the stage for the grand final battle without feeling like a holdover. Yes, there was at least one
completely filler scene, but overall Part I was great. Now here we
are, three years after the first <i>Hunger Games</i> and an end to another book series come to film.
Part 2 isn't perfect, but still nicely provides closure and pretty faithfully adapts the story.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span>Realizing the stakes are no longer just for survival, Katniss
Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) teams up with her closest friends,
including Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Finnick for
the ultimate mission. Together, they leave District 13 to liberate the
citizens of war-torn Panem and<span class="_dgc"> assassinate President
Snow, who's obsessed with destroying Katniss. What lies ahead are mortal
traps, dangerous enemies and moral choices that will ultimately
determine the future of millions.</span></span></i></blockquote>
I remember reading <i>
Mocklingjay</i> when it first came out and seeing how to end such a great a
concept for a story. When the first <i>Hunger Games </i>film came out, I was thinking,
<i>"Seeing some of the key scenes in Mockingjay is going to be something
else!"</i> As expected, this film is basically one big climax, as a Part Two
should be. We see Katniss finally taking the fight to the Capitol. The
road to there is interesting because as readers know, a few pivotal
characters meet their demise. The book definitely handles the deaths
better, but what happens in the film is effective. Jennifer Lawrence
once again does a fantastic job portraying Miss Everdeen. She can go from
super serious to extremely emotional in a very realistic manner. It's
great to see her character confident in her leadership role, and remains one of the better protagonists in recent years.<br />
<br />
Peeta has always
been a fan favorite, for being kind and a wise voice of reason. Unfortunately he spends most of the time being out of it here. I suppose the
leap to film made that entire plot point a little more grating to
watch than it was to read. Plus, he snaps back to attention right
after that kiss? That was pretty generic and sudden, even if that's how it was in the book. A negative thing I noticed here
is that Peeta literally murders a comrade when the flood happens.
This is never brought up by anyone after (besides Peeta himself later)
and it felt odd, and empty. Sure, it's established Peeta isn't in
his right mind, but him murdering one of their squad members and <i>no one</i> bringing it up was just crazy.<br />
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<br />
The
love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale was always unbearable to
watch, and here it's no different. At least here Gale is somewhat engaging throughout the story. His character arc comes to a sudden halt
in the climax; it would have been nice to get at least a final scene with him in the epilogue. Finnick always provides some genuine
comic relief. There's a few characters in the middle act
Katniss works with. Perhaps the most notable is Boggs, whom only appears briefly yet somehow becomes one of the most likable
characters in the series, so props to the writing. (Though, his role is more substantial in the book.) There are a couple
of other characters, but nothing noteworthy. The scene in the tunnel with Castor talking about how scared Pollux is of being underground was
unnecessary and didn't add anything to the film. (That entire plot
point is basically forgotten five seconds later.) We already have the
uneasy Peeta, we don't need another mention of uneasiness.<br />
<br />
Donald Sutherland as President Snow has been doing a marvelous job portraying the
character since his brief scene in the first film. I was really looking
forward to seeing the famous scene near the end of the book in the
flower garden adapted, and Sutherland nails the dialogue. President Coin
was an interesting and unexpected character in the book. It was
intriguing to watch her character arc develop and come to fruition
in the climax there. The main problem I have with her here is that she's simply boring. Still, I will give credit for the news
broadcast scene.<br />
<br />
A thing the film does extremely well
is make known to the viewer a very desolate feeling. The infamous underground battle with the "Mutts" was very intense. I think perhaps the
most well-done sequence is the brief one where the team finally gets deeper into the Capitol. The incinerators added a sense of dread and gives an
intense look into this war zone. Tension is greatly built up as
Katniss and Gale attempt to blend into the crowd with the <strike>Stormtroopers</strike>
Peacekeepers searching people. The climax in the book is infamous for
not having Katniss be the one to kill Snow. I personally thought that
ending was really well done and was looking forward to seeing it portrayed on the big screen. It played out well in the on-screen
adaption, and provides a satisfying conclusion to tyranny in the
story. The epilogue is great and provides definitive closure, as the book did. The soundtrack is solid throughout. A highlight
would be the drums in the background as Katniss walks in for the execution.<br />
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<br />
Overall, <i>The Hunger Games</i> film series ends
on a high note. Some things in the book were more bearable to get
through than the film. (Peeta's ongoing confusion for example.) There are
a few questionable things the film does, and ironically I would say Part 1
was better written. Coin was much better in the book; here she's
just boring and her character arc could have been much more engaging.
Despite all this, <i>Mockingjay Part 2</i> is a very good watch and does the
book justice. Jennifer Lawrence portrays Katniss Everdeen perfectly once again, and Snow was a very good antagonist throughout. Director
Francis Lawrence has delivered three quality adaptions. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4/5 </b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-25969684492544749592015-11-25T15:49:00.000-05:002015-11-25T15:49:00.993-05:00GODZILLA IN HELL Retrospect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b><i>GODZILLA IN HELL</i></b> ended last week with its fifth issue. For a short review, it was definitely interesting. Dave Wachter wrote Big G well and the art was very good. The shocking thing was the ending.<br />
<br />
Godzilla rises out of the ocean, in real time.<br />
<br />
So apparently the entire series featured Godzilla not in the actual Hell, but in his own personal hell. Basically, he goes through inner demons and eventually...conquers himself?<br />
<br />
I will admit the concept is pretty interesting. Godzilla never actually died...or did he? As I type this it becomes a little more confusing because Big G could have died but somehow came back to life after going through all this. I'm inclined to believe, based on the quote provided in the last issue, that he never actually entered Hell, but as started earlier, he went through hell in the mind, which is definitely interesting.<br />
<br />
Still, it could also be a disappointment since the descriptions kept telling us different things. Sure, one could make an argument that all the summaries were talking about hell inwardly. But one description talks about King Ghidorah sending him there, while another instead shows us the world blowing up because of a battle with SpaceGodzilla.<br />
<br />
As you can see, continuity wasn't consistent, making this the most confusing Godzilla related thing yet. Confusing doesn't equal bad, of course. There's too much unique storytelling for any fan to miss. The first issue established the tone with the <i>"Abandon Hope all ye who enter Here." </i>It was the perfect starter as Godzilla battled a nightmarish version of himself. The second issue might be my favorite, for Bob Eggleton's elegant writing and incredible art. (It was the first actual painted Godzilla comic!)<br />
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<br />
<br />
The third issue was perhaps the most strange. We had these Mothra angels trying to get Godzilla to enlist in battling the demons. As I said in my review, that was too cool of a concept to bring up and throw away. I was also not a fan of how it tried to depict these angelic beings as antagonistic. Considering the title, it would have been nice to see some angels aiding Godzilla out of the place.<br />
<br />
(But if this is some kind of dream landscape, then technically none of this actually happened in real time.)<br />
<br />
Issue 4 had Godzilla's two greatest enemies: King Ghidorah and Destoroyah. If this is a personal hell, then it's fascinating to see this since Godzilla himself considers battling these two together one of the most brutal things imaginable. The final issue sort of brings it all together. As already stated, it ends with him rising out of the water.<br />
<br />
So looking back, when looked at from #5 ending's perspective, <i>GODZILLA IN HELL</i> offers a very unique view into the mind of the monster, which very few things have done in the past. We see G enter his hell in the first issue, fighting a nightmarish version of himself. At the end of Issue 2 he battles whom he considers his greatest adversary. In Issue 3 we see the world, his home, blowing up. Issue 4 we see a nightmare scenario: him battling his two greatest foes. And finally we see him literally being turned into a skeleton in the final issue which is the final hell, death. But it doesn't end there. He rises, beating death, eventually reaches the summit, and rises out of the water.<br />
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Still, there are those strange dialogue inconsistencies. The issues are 95% without dialogue, but there is some contradictory narration detailing the events. This makes me think that the original idea was to have G go through the actual Hell, but in the end was changed. Besides the inconsistencies, the story is a definite must read. The Big G has never been in a story like this, and probably won't be again anytime soon.Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-22121111476438070612015-11-16T11:46:00.001-05:002015-11-16T11:46:35.475-05:00ULTRAMAN Volume 1 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Ultraman is one of the most popular TV/toy properties in Japan right now. Since its debut in 1966, it has remained consistently a hit over there. The actual quality of the shows has waned in recent years, but that's an article for another day. Interestingly, there hasn't been that many manga for the series. (Or at least, some we can find out about!) That's part of the reason why<b><i> ULTRAMAN</i></b> was highly anticipated. After being out for four years in Japan, it has surprisingly been licensed over here. Volume 1 nicely establishes the story and provides plenty of references to the original series while being something intriguing for new fans.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Decades ago, a being known as the Giant of Light joined Shin Hayata of the Scientific Special Search Party to save Earth from an invasion of terrifying monsters known as Kaiju. Now, many years later, those dark days are fading into memory, and the world is at peace. But in the shadows a new threat is growing, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero—a new kind of ULTRAMAN…</i><i><br /></i><i>Shinjiro is an ordinary teenager, but his father is the legendary Shin Hayata. When he learns that his father passed on the “Ultraman Factor” to him, and that he possesses incredible powers, nothing will ever be the same again.</i></blockquote>
What I found most appealing about the story is that it places itself in continuity after the original series. The intro was great, giving us a rather intriguing scenario: a future where Ultraman is only a memory. The Science Patrol museum was a lot of fun, showcasing Ultraman's final fight with Zetton in figure form. Interestingly, we have Hayata straight from the original show. It's really cool how it looks like he'll be an ongoing character. Then we have Ide also. If you're a fan of the 1966 series, there's a lot to like here. The beginning introduces us to Shinjiro, our main character in child form. There's a nice slow buildup of intrigue as we see he has certain abilities. This leads us to Hayata himself revealing to Ide that he too has powers. "The Ultraman Factor" the manga is calling it. It's quite fascinating, though explained rather quickly. Hopefully in the next volume it'll go into that a bit more.<br />
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<br />
In modern day the story really heats up, and also where we find at least one negative. Shinjiro might have been a happy kid back then, but here the writer (<b>Eiichi Shimizu</b>) goes out of his way to make him the stereotypical high school student. I suppose with not comprehending his powers it could be understandable. Still, it was grating to get through some of those school scenes. He seems to pick up later on when he's given the Ultraman armor. The pacing is very good. The slow unveiling to the antagonist is great. Is that Ultraman? Why does he have a center hole like him? That's why when Hayata says <i>"That's NOT Ultraman"</i> the reader is extra intrigued. So then who is he?<br />
<br />
The answer to this day is still one of the coolest scenes in the first volume. This alien revealing himself to be Bemular changes things quite a bit. Longtime Ultraman watchers will remember Bemular to be the very first monster Ultraman fought. This adds a mystery element to the story: has this monster transformed into an alien? Is this a new Bemular? His dialogue is a bit confusing when he says, <i>"My name is Bemular...and I'm your very first enemy!"</i> Is he referring to the fact that he was Ultraman's first foe? Or that he's the first to come? It seems like the latter, so it should be interesting to see how this Bemular connects to the original.<br />
<br />
The art by<b> Tomohiro Shimoguchi</b> is definitely very good, even great. The Ultraman armor looks really well done. Bemular however deserves even greater recognition. The art succeeds at making him appear mysterious and ominous. The fight in the climax between them was fantastic and if that's any indication we have many more incredible fight scenes to look forward to. The ending leaves us with a nice cliffhanger, introducing Alien Z-Ton to the mix. These guys have been a fixture in Ultraman since the original show, so it's a really neat ending. Plus, the art nails the design perfectly.<br />
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Overall, <i>ULTRAMAN</i> starts out strong. The writing is very good. It's obvious that both the writer and artist care about the source material. It is a must-read for longtime fans. It connects in a fascinating way to the first TV series and continues the story of Hayata, arguably the best Ultraman human host. Shinjiro I'm more mixed on as the protagonist, but it's only the first volume so we'll see where character development takes him. Bemular is firmly established as a great antagonist. Combine that with an intriguing cliffhanger and you have a reader greatly anticipating the next installment.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">4.5/5</span></b></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-85318901885277007072015-10-31T10:08:00.001-04:002015-10-31T10:08:46.293-04:00Out of the Water: Reflecting on God's Promises<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
As I rose out of the water this past Sunday at church, a joy had washed over me. Getting baptized was something that had always been on the back of my mind. Finally, after waiting too long, I went up on stage, shared my testimony, and walked down into the water. The anticipation made me nervous, but that nervousness disappeared as I walked onto the platform.<br />
<br />
I was happy to share my story, because it reminded me of how far I had come, and what could be an inspiration to others in the audience.<br />
<br />
After that event, I began to reflect on what it means to be a saved person, a Christian. Many people get so caught up in various denominations and rituals that they lose sight of the bigger picture. It's sad the key thing gets forgotten: the Good News.<br />
<br />
As I opened my Bible this past week I was reminded about some of the glorious promises God has made to his children, born again believers. Jesus states that <i>"this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up on the last day. For my Father's will is that <b>everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life</b> and raise him up on the last day."</i><br />
<br />
What a wonderful, simple truth which sadly many people just don't understand. Many choose not to believe in the Son, laugh, and walk away. And on other other side, there are those who believe that we somehow have to be good enough for God to accept us; we have to somehow make sure our good outweighs the bad in order for a belief to work.<br />
<br />
But what a great thing here Jesus Himself states. We'll never be good enough. He is the only One good enough, and we must simply believe in him. This is such a fundamental truth of Christianity that is skewed around. We don't "get good" enough for Christ to accept us. We strive to become good because His love compels us to change.<br />
<br />
I know this firsthand. For a few years I had an ongoing sin problem. When I came to faith, God planted something in me that has helped me stop and strive to be better going forward.<br />
<br />
And this leads me to this point, a verse I had never really thought too much about until reading through it recently. People bring up this concept of cheap grace to receive, but to continue living a sinful lifestyle. This doesn't make sense, because "<i>No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because <b>God's seed remains in Him</b>; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."</i><br />
<br />
A born again believer is a new person because they are born of God. And what's utterly fantastic is that He plants a seed, not just any seed but <i>God's seed</i> in that person, and it doesn't fade or go away. That's what separates Christians from the rest of the world. There's a seed inside us that grows as we follow Christ. The verse is not saying we are perfect people. Rather, it says we cannot go on deliberately sinning like we use to, because we have God's seed, His power within us.<br />
<br />
That is monumental to really just take a moment and think about.<br />
<br />
Finally, a verse that is quickly becoming a favorite and daily motivation is Philippians 1:6, perhaps the most fundamental promise for the Christian. <i>"He who began a good work in you<b> will carry it on to completion</b> until day of Christ Jesus." </i>What a promise, and let us not forget that <i><b>"All of Scripture is God-breathed."</b></i> Here is a promise saying God is going to finish the work He started in us ever since the day we came to faith. What a glorious thing to know that He is the One holding me together.<br />
<br />
God is going to finish the work He started in me, and that's a great encouragement to know I'm secure in Him. And since His seed remains in me, I'm bent toward doing the right thing. We still have a responsibility to follow Jesus throughout this life, and we're able to do that because God has given us the power through the Holy Spirit.<br />
<br />
These are such great truths to reflect on when worrying about things. God is going to finish the work He started in you when you came to faith. His seed will remain in you, and you are able to say no to sin, when in the past it was all too easy to give in. We look to the Son, and that inspires us to share this truth of salvation to others we run into.<br />
<br />
I'll never forget the day I was baptized. I encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to do it too if they haven't. It's a declaration of faith, and something Jesus commands His followers to do. As you read your testimony, your're reminded of how He rescued you from the bondage of sin and planted a permanent seed. In turn, we inspire others.<br />
<br />
God is awesome.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Verse references: John 6:39-40, 1st John 3:9, Philippians 1:6, 2nd Timothy 3:16</i></div>
<br />Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-42231558354950412015-10-05T11:18:00.001-04:002015-10-05T11:18:11.521-04:00SUPER MARIO MAKER Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
It doesn't take much to notice that the Mario series has been relatively quiet lately. The previous big game, <i><b>3D WORLD</b></i>, came out <i>two years</i> ago. If that wasn't sad enough, 2014 broke the chain of an important game coming out yearly. Yes, we got <b><i>Mario Kart 8</i></b> and...<b><i>Captain Toad</i></b>(?) but it was the first year in quite awhile not to feature the next 2D or 3D adventure. 2015 went vacant to the point I was starting to question if Nintendo was starting to run out of ideas or even go the Capcom or SEGA route...which is cease and desist for their mascot. Enter <b><i>SUPER MARIO MAKER</i></b>. This announcement was a complete surprise. At first the concept was just a little intriguing. <i>"Create your own levels? That could be fun."</i> was the mindset for many. As the months went on the hype level went extremely high as Nintendo really marketed it as the next big thing. By the time release day hit, it was one of the most hyped games of the year. <i>Mario Maker</i> is an amazing game, and really something we never knew how much we wanted. As a 30th anniversary celebrator, it's perfect.<br />
<br />
One of the early criticisms was that everyone would have to wait 9 days to fully unlock all the features, backgrounds, etc. (Some have been able to bypass that, but for the review we'll talk about how it's meant to go down.) I too thought it was at first silly to have to wait, but as I went through the days I actually started to appreciate this. <i>Mario Maker's</i> stage building ability is not complex like <i><b>Little Big Planet's</b></i>, but you'll want to experiment slowly to fully appreciate each individual feature. For example, we don't have access to pipe sub-worlds until the final day, which might sound tedious on paper. But during those eight days the player would have mastered all the other features and they could prepare for the pipes because they know it's coming.<br />
<br />
Once you have everything, the sky is almost the limit on what one can do. There are over 1,000,000 levels uploaded online. Some are fun, some are excruciating, and some are both. It's amazing what can be done because one can literally almost create their own game with these tools. Of course, while creating levels represents 50% of the draw, the other half is of course playing other creators' levels. A person can literally sit for hours just going through other creations. Plus, for a more standard way to do it we have the 100 Mario challenge. It's a great feature to play other levels in a systematic way. Expert mode is actually extremely difficult and I would say even more challenging than <b><i>The Lost Levels</i></b>!<br />
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<br />
The usage of Amiibos in this game might just be the most innovative. If you for example put a Pac-Man Amiibo the Gamepad, you can summon the chomper himself. You put him as a Mystery Mushroom and when you or someone grabs it, they instantly transform into Pac. It's a really neat gimmick since there are lots of characters whom can appear. (Even those without a 2D sprite, such as Olimar!) It's also fantastic how Nintendo added the little touches and didn't just make the Amiibos palette swaps of Mario. For example, when running as Sonic he does Spin-Dash, and with Pac he goes into his classic arcade self. It's a shame these only work in the 8-bit gameplay, but it's understandable.<br />
<br />
One of the most interesting things about <i>Mario Maker</i> is its ability to play with backgrounds not seen in respective games. For example,<b><i> Super Mario Bros. 3 </i></b>introduced the airship level. So, if you were to switch to 8-bit mode, we would get a retro version of the airship. It's the same with <b><i>Super Mario World's </i></b>ghost house. The possibilities will always be endless. One will be spending a lot of time in the Course World (online) part. There's a great level of satisfaction every time one uploads a new level. The problem is that everybody is limited to 10 at first. This wouldn't be a problem if say every month we're able to upload more. But that isn't the system. The system is that you're only able to upload more once a bunch of people star your levels. Here's the thing: there are over a million levels, so there's a good chance yours will get lost in the shuffle. I've had the game since about opening day and still stuck at 10 levels. It's a disappointing system because the player becomes less motivated to make new stages since it forces them to delete old ones.<br />
<br />
While making levels is absolutely glorious, there are still some interesting loopholes one comes to notice as they make more and more. For one thing, boss fights are basically non-existent. Sure, we can have Bowser at the end with the axe as usual. But how about those Bowser Jr. battles in NSMBU where you<i> have </i>to beat him to proceed? In <i>Mario Maker</i> there's no real way to make a set boss battle where it requires the player to beat it. In the 10 Mario challenge for a primary example Nintendo obviously wants you to beat Bowser Jr., but why bother when you can just bypass him and hop in the pipe? Another thing is that while 1-Ups are always nice, there's technically no real use for them since each level is self contained. If there was a checkpoint system, then the 1-Ups could be utilized. In fact, it's strange that there's no checkpoints since <i>Super Mario World</i> and<i> New Super Mario Bros. U</i> both have a checkpoint system.<br />
<br />
Still, despite those loopholes, make no mistake: the level making is a true achievement in the history of gaming.<br />
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Overall, <i>Super Mario Maker</i> is a special game, and fitting for the franchise's 30th anniversary. It's extremely fun creating stages, for there are almost limitless things one can do. Amiibos are put to fantastic use. It's disappointing that one can only upload 10 levels at first, since there's a good chance the player will be stuck at that for awhile. Still, don't that deter you from picking this game up. Trust me, there's nothing like it on the market.<br />
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<br />Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-71716769162759347672015-09-22T16:21:00.001-04:002015-09-22T16:21:50.478-04:00WABBIT -A Looney Tunes Production Premiere Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>WABBIT</b></i> is the latest installment in the Looney Tunes saga. I was personally dismayed because it came at the cost of the immensely underrated previous show. Still, Bugs Bunny is almost always engaging and despite comedies on Cartoon Network being terrible 99% of the time, Looney was made for the funny format. So, let's take a look at each segment individually and see if this show is worth continuing...or scrapping.<br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">"Buddha Bugs"</span></b></i></div>
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One of the best things about an all-time classic like Looney Tunes is that there's no need to establish the characters. The viewer knows who they are. It's too bad the story here is pretty terribly written. So Yosemite Sam is stealing again, but when he runs unto a temple elder (Bugs Bunny in disguise) he finds out there's better treasure to acquire. Bugs has him do "tests" to prove Sam's worthy of receiving it.<br />
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This opening episode is not a good way to start the show. The running gags are annoying and I found myself with not so much a smirk. Yosemite Sam is grating to watch. (And if that wasn't enough, we're reduced to him running around in his underwear...) All the intelligent writing that was present in <i><b>The Looney Tunes Show</b></i> is non-existent here in this rather mindless episode. At least Bugs had one good line: <i>"A prosperous journey begins with the first step."</i> Perhaps the next few segments are better?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1/5</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"Now and Zen"</i></span></b></div>
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This one has this squirrel named Squeaks run into some ninjas. Bugs Bunny is of course thrown into fray. This was much better than the previous one. Bugs had some of his signature humor and it almost felt like a classic Looney Tunes episode. The ninjas though were confusing since they weren't people...but what? <a href="https://youtu.be/LZ0epRjfGLw?t=27s" target="_blank">The world may never know.</a> The intro had some nice background music.<br />
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Let's hope the next two are as good!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4/5</b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"The Inside Bugs"</b></span></i></div>
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This one has Yosemite Sam (once again, hopefully they don't overuse him, cause it seems like that's the case) escape the bank with the "loot" as he calls it. His getaway car isn't what he expected: Bugs Bunny is the driver. This episode was definitely fun as we see Bugs in his traditional trolling persona. Still, there are a couple of needless moments. The running gag of Sam being thrown to and fro in the car got old quick. Really, by the third time a seat belt should have been buckled. And the police looking dumb is so overdone and annoying that the score will be lowered.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3.5/5</span></b></div>
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Can the last one end on a high note?<br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">"Sun Valley Freeze"</span></b></i></div>
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This one has Bugs take a journey to go on vacation at a nice beach. Sadly, when he pops up his head he finds out he's in a snowy mountain. Then apparently a friendly version of Big Foot was following him. Not only that, but hazmat hunters are out to get the monster. This episode was very grating to watch, mostly because of how dumb Big Foot is portrayed. Not only that, but there's this glaring animation error present throughout the entire episode. Most of the time Bigfoot has no hands, but then sometimes they magically appear out of nowhere. It's strange, and I still can't figure it out.<br />
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There was virtually no funny moments to speak of here. The running gags are annoying, such as when Big Foot constantly throws Bugs at the mountain, missing the top. It felt like I wasted a good five minutes of valuable time.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">0.5/5</span></b></div>
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Well, <i>"Wabbit" </i>wasn't the worst thing I've seen, but it wasn't anything resembling good either. It's sad because the writers of the previous show put so much thought into the stories. Here it's like the writers of this show decided that only an extremely young audience will be watching, so why bother trying? Parents are better off buying the Golden Collection box sets for their kids to showcase how slapstick in cartoons is really done.Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-17433288922678175102015-09-02T19:25:00.000-04:002015-09-02T19:25:13.490-04:00MAGGIE Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Generally speaking, most zombie stories follow a certain path with one word: survival.<i><b> Dawn of the Dead</b></i>, <b><i>Quarantine</i></b>, and <b><i>World War Z</i></b> for example all follow this idea of surviving in an unnatural event, or a resistance to take back the world. That's why when a film like <b><i>MAGGIE</i></b> comes along, it's easy to write it off as another un-dead flick. That would be one of the biggest mistakes a person could make.<br />
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<i>Maggie</i> follows the story of Maggie Vogel, whom has been infected with an un-curable disease. Her father does not want to put her in quarantine, yet knows that she is going to die, and he has the choice to finish her himself. As you can see, the film itself simply with that premise separates itself from all other stories. I love a good action film like <i>WORLD WAR Z</i>, but there's something really engaging about watching a drama set in this type of world.<br />
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Of course, dramas can become incredibly boring, even with a cool concept/franchise behind it. (<b><i>Superman Returns</i></b> is the perfect example.) The actors involved here really nail the great script. Abigail Breslin as the title character portrays a believable girl as she goes through this unfathomable ordeal. Teenagers in film are rarely portrayed well, so it was refreshing to see a likable character. The slow transformation from human girl to monster was brilliantly done. The viewer can feel the emotion as she breaks down not being able to control the virus from kicking in.<br />
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Arnold Schwarzenegger's character's relationship with his daughter was nicely established. The viewer can feel his inner sadness as a father as he's given the option to kill Maggie himself, or bring her to quarantine where they'll do it. No matter what she's going to die, so it's rather bleak. How does a father, or anyone deal with that? How does anyone deal with the knowledge there's no cure for a fatal disease? The film poses some intriguing questions.<br />
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That's not to say there's absolutely nothing negative. With its rather short run time, it feels like there could have been a bit more. Maggie's step mom's arc ends abruptly for example. The ending is effective and powerful, plus it gives a frightening perspective I've never seen established before in a movie. But it ends rather too suddenly, with no real end to Wade's, the father, arc. It feels like there should have been something additional. But, this stuff doesn't take away from the quality of the story. While this is not action, there's still one great action scene where Arnold unveils his<i> Terminator </i>skills on a zombie.<br />
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Overall, <i>Maggie</i> is a must-see for longtime fans of the zombie sub-genre, and general drama watchers in general. It tells a powerful story of a girl whom is infected with an un-curable virus, and her relationship to her father. The choreography, acting, and writing are all excellent. I've avoided spoilers because I truly want you to go check this out. The fact it's PG-13 and not R is a nice change of pace too. A story with zombies doesn't have to be overly gory to be effective. <i>Maggie </i>makes the viewer contemplate about life, sickness, and reminds<i> "to make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil"</i> and that <i>"now is the day of salvation"</i> (Ephesians 5:16, 2 Corinthians 6:2) because one never really knows when their last day will be.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4.5/5</b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-36233554158478562732015-08-20T12:45:00.000-04:002015-08-20T15:11:48.041-04:00The Salt, the Cheese, and the Tiers: On Super Smash Bros. -The Concept and Falsity of Tiers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember being at a <b><i>Super Smash Bros. Brawl</i></b> tournament awhile back. Before the actual matches began, there was friendlies being done. I was utilizing Mario and holding my own against two others. One onlooker told his friends something along the tines of, <i>"You guys are letting a Mario survive all this?"</i> That statement always bothered me, but I knew it was a joke since Mario is typically not known as one of the better characters in that particular game. This is the concept of "tiers," which in a nutshell states who the best characters in a game are and the worst. But what makes a character better than another? This concept is especially popular with the latest installment in the Smash series, but is it a really true concept and something that should be followed?<br />
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In video games, often there's such a thing has characters having unfair advantages. In <i><b>Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3</b></i> for example some characters literally have far inferior heath bars and nothing backing them up. Krillin for example has so little health in comparison to Goku it gives the latter an extremely unfair advantage. It's games like this when the disadvantage is so obvious that one simply has no reason to play characters like Krillin or Yajirobe, even if the player likes them a lot. This type of stuff doesn't exist in <i><b>Super Smash Bros.</b></i> Yet, many will say that there's such a thing as <i>bad </i>characters in the game. Sheik at the moment is known as the best character. So, a much lower tier character such as Dr. Mario should have no shot against her. As evidenced here, this is simply not the case...<br />
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Some might say that a single battle isn't enough to gauge this type of thing, since "flukes" can happen according to many. Well, let's pit Pac-Man, whom has never been known to be a fantastic character, against someone whom is constantly being put up in the tier list: Zero Suit Samus, in 3 battles back-to-back.<br />
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My opponent obviously knew what he was doing, but my Pac-Man was just simply better here. Stuff like this tell me that that people really think too much about tier lists and the like. Players abandon their characters to play as top tiers just because many claim they're the best. Isn't that just a little disappointing? Let's say for example you've been playing with Samus throughout all the games. And when the new one comes out, you're still playing as her. You enjoy her moveset, and find yourself mastering all the different things she can achieve. You've even beaten quite a few Sheiks, according to many the best character in the game. Then someone comes along and tells you Samus is actually the worst character in the game. You're great with her, but because you find out that most agree she's the worst, you abandon her. Sound fishy? That's because it is.<br />
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Let's take two characters: Pac-Man and Sheik. They have vastly different movesets and can achieve quite a bit. On their own however, they can't do anything. They are immobile; they need a person controlling them. All characters are equal in that sense. Then we grab two people. An expert Pac-Man will almost always beat a rookie Shiek, and vice versa. What if you pit two people whom know their characters pretty well? I was listening to the narration for EVO, and one of the broadcasters made the statement of this match-up as <i>"unwinnable for Pac-Man."</i> As we can see, this is simply not the case...<br />
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A person can train their character to beat anyone. For example, just a few days I managed to beat the word champion of the game, ZeRo, in a match on tourney mode.<br />
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Many will be quick to point out that he wasn't using Sheik, his main, rather he was using Little Mac. Would the battle have gone differently? Let's hypothetically say it would have. That wouldn't be because Sheik is inherently a <i>better</i> character than Little Mac. Rather, it'd be because ZeRo has mastered Sheik so well that it's just supremely difficult to overcome him.<br />
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There is such a thing as bad match-ups. Mega Man against Rosalina is a fight in the latter's favor due to her being able to absorb whatever Mega shoots at her. This doesn't make her a better character than Mega Man, she just has the advantage. A classic example is the original Pokemon anime. Near the finale before <i><b>Advanced </b></i>started, Ash had his Charaizard battle Blastoise. Both Pokemon are equals; they are the final form of their species and both trainers have been on similar journeys with them. But Blastoise has the edge due to being a water type. Does this mean he is better than Charizard? Not at all. Then in a surprise turn of events, Charizard takes the win, showing that even having the advantage doesn't guarantee a win.<br />
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Sheik, Rosalina, and Zero Samus are great characters, but I believe <i>every character in the game has the capability of being the best. </i>Unlike many other fighting games, there isn't an obvious unbalance here. And when an anomaly seemingly appears, Nintendo has been quick to fix it. (Meta Knight being much less over-powered, Robin becoming slightly faster, etc.) If you find yourself doing well with say Duck Hunt and like the way he plays, don't feel like you should switch just because many say your character is more on the average side.<br />
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Of course, if you find yourself liking Sheik's moveset for example, by all means grab the character. The problem is that people give up on their mains just because many say certain characters are superior. Then there's this illusion that losing to certain characters means the player isn't quite that good. If say Luigi lost to Mewtwo, many would question Luigi's player skills, no matter how impressive Mewtwo looked, simply because Mewtwo is known as one of the worst characters in the game. This kind of thinking hurts the competitive landscape as less and less diversity is seen since everybody is flocking to characters people claim are the best. Then the other characters aren't taken seriously when in actuality they can be equally impressive.<br />
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Here's a saying to remember, <i>"Tier power is all in the head. It's really all about the person playing the character, building a connection, learning their moveset, and being creative. Every character has the potential to be the best. You just have to make them the best."</i><br />
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Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-54774811851142239952015-08-15T14:07:00.001-04:002015-08-15T14:07:13.399-04:00BIG HERO 6 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>BIG HERO 6</i></b> garnered a considerable amount of hype prior to its release on November 7th last year. Disney has been consistent in delivering quality animated installments. The fact that this particular one was superhero oriented, in line with Marvel Comics, added to the hype. Many people going into the theater had no idea it was actually based on a comic. Even a lot of Marvel readers didn't know. (And the fact Marvel is against re-releasing the older comics means people will probably never get to read them.) I was unprepared for the amount of fun and emotion felt going into this film. <i>Big Hero 6</i> is a fantastic watch and ranks with the recent greats such as <b><i>Wreck-It Ralph</i></b> and <i><b>Frozen</b></i>.<br />
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<i>From Walt Disney Animation Studios, the team behind "Frozen" and "Wreck-It Ralph," comes "Big Hero 6," an action-packed comedy-adventure about the special bond that develops between Baymax, a plus-sized inflatable robot, and prodigy Hiro Hamada. When a devastating event befalls the city of San Fransokyo and catapults Hiro into the midst of danger, he turns to Baymax and his close friends adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. Determined to uncover the mystery, Hiro transforms his friends into a band of high-tech heroes called "Big Hero 6."</i></blockquote>
After the gorgeous scenery in the intro, we're treated to an intense "bot fight" as they're called. (Think <b><i>Beyblade</i></b>, just with <b><i>Pacific Rim</i></b>-style appearance robots!) Just by these two sequences the viewer can see just how incredible the animation is. Everything is fluid and the characters are given a range of emotions. The story then takes a different turn as we see the relationship between the main character Hiro and his brother Tadashi. The first 15 or so minutes established this perfectly, which is great since it takes some movies over an hour to establish a realistic, touching relationship.<br />
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That's why Tadashi's death was so effective. It added a dimension of emotion to the story and remains a backdrop for the entire film. Disney has employed many saddening scenes in their films, but I must personally say this is one of their strongest yet. It's hard to go and watch things like <b><i>The Nut Job </i></b>or <i><b>Minions</b></i> when <i>BIG HERO 6</i> employs this kind of writing and emotion. The story moves at an excellent pace going forward. One could say things happen a little too fast, because in basically less than a few weeks a bunch of kids get suits and become essentially superheroes. But it's so much fun and the characters are all likable that one simply cannot say that as a negative.<br />
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The only main negative perhaps is the antagonist, Yokai. He has a menacing design and commands a presence for most of the film, (not to mentioned accompanied by a stellar soundtrack) but the way his alter ego is driven mad doesn't quite appear right. It is true that nice people can go the other way when faced with a tragedy, but here it really could have used a little more deepening. Still, the writing deserves props for not going the generic route and making Alisair the man behind the mask. Baymax is a great character and the relationship established between him and Hiro is done very well. That's why in the climax when the robot makes a heroic sacrifice the emotion is felt.<br />
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It's rare in a movie when <i>every</i> main character is likable. Honey Lemon, Wasabi, GoGo, and Fred are all very good focuses. With just being a little over 90 minutes, there wasn't too much time to give each character backstory or deepening, but the writing managed to incorporate each personality well. It's nice to see genuine friendship portrayed on the screen. Hopefully the sequel will explore them a little more. The action scenes offer some unique imagery since Yokai uses microbots, which made for some fast-paced action. The chase scene was well done also. As stated already, the soundtrack is quite great. From the villain's intro to Baymax's programming to destroy, this is definitely one of the strongest soundtracks from Disney yet.<br />
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Overall, <i>BIG HERO 6</i> is another quality animated installment from Disney. It features great characters, fantastic animation, genuine emotion, and stellar themes accompanying almost every scene. It's a great watch for an individual, or the whole family. <i><b>The Incredibles</b></i> finally has a competitor for best CGI superhero-inspired film.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4.5/5</b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-122763236564828862015-08-11T17:54:00.000-04:002015-09-22T14:55:03.323-04:00BATMAN VS. ROBIN Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am not a fan of Damien Wayne. The character has been nothing short of an unlikable brat and basically just there to be an edgier Robin. He wasn't the only reason why <b><i>Son of Batman</i></b> was more on the average side however. That film, while of course entertaining, is definitely one of the weakest animated Batman films due to mediocre story progression. There was some hype for the sequel because it would be, partially anyway, adapting the famous<b><i> Court of Owls </i></b>arc from the comics. For some odd reason however they decided to title this one "Batman vs. Robin." The title didn't make sense then, and it still doesn't make sense now. Nonetheless, <b><i>VS.</i></b> is a far superior watch to its predecessor.<br />
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<i>The shadows of Gotham City are no place for a child, but Damian Wayne is no ordinary child. Now bearing the mantle of Robin, he blazes a headstrong and sometimes reckless trail alongside his father, the Batman. While investigating a crime scene, Robin encounters a mysterious figure, Talon, who leads him on a life-altering course through the depths of Gotham's secret society known as the Court of Owls. It's a dangerous journey that will force Batman and Robin to face their most dangerous adversaries... each other!</i></blockquote>
Naturally, the film starts out with Damien going against Batman's orders. It's extremely hard to find this character likable since every time he's on screen he's either a) going against Bruce or b) hurling insults. The story does an okay job developing him as a character however, which deserves praise. Sadly, the short run time of 74 minutes is sometimes felt. For example, Damien almost right away following Talon came off as unrealistically fast. Perhaps the most glaring thing is when Samantha is revealed to be the grand-master of the Court. Bruce is never made aware and that entire romantic subplot feels wasted and forgotten.<br />
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It seemed like based on interviews the writing was really trying to make aware that this was<i> not</i> a "Court of Owls" adaption, rather it uses elements from the arc. Interestingly, the final product is quite the opposite. It's actually an adaption while forcing Damien into the story. I for one was thrilled to see it go down like this. But it should be noted that the title doesn't make sense. It really should have been called "Batman - Robin: Court of Owls." The two do of course fight, and it's well choreographed, but it doesn't justify the title. (Though, perhaps the purpose was to lure in people whom might not know what the Court is. After all, who wouldn't pick up a film called "Batman vs. Robin?")<br />
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The story begins with a rather creepy intro, which is appropriate since the Doll Maker is quite a surreal character. I must give props to "Weird Al" Yankovic for delivering a fantastic voice portrayal of the villain. Talon was a highlight, as he was in the original comic. We're treated to some intriguing backstory establishing who he was. The dialogue he has with Damien throughout is interesting to listen to. The climax with him in the cave was intense, though his actions seemed a bit out of whack. With the Court destroyed he went to finish off Batman. I suppose one could make an argument that he still wanted to take out Batman so he could be the crime fighter in Gotham. Nonetheless, his actions seemed rather moot without the Court in the background.<br />
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Nightwing, like in the previous film, was a welcome addition. His brief scenes just further shows that a story centering around him and Batman would be far more engaging than a Damien team-up. (How Damien managed get the upper hand on Nightwing <a href="https://youtu.be/LZ0epRjfGLw?t=27s" target="_blank">the world may never know.</a>) Alfred is given a fantastic role, reminding Bruce that sometimes we just need to have a little faith. The fight scenes, as usual, are very well-done. From Batman's fight against the un-dead Owls to Damien's battle with Talon in the climax, they offered some impressive visuals. Not knowing how much of an adaption the film would be to the comic, I was surprised and thrilled to see the infamous hallucination sequence adapted. We rarely get to take a look inside Batman's head and see his fears, so like in the comic it was interesting. The soundtrack is definitely solid; there's a certain level of theatrical quality the themes bring to the table.<br />
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Overall,<b><i> BATMAN VS. ROBIN </i></b>is far superior film to its previous installment. The story is better, the pacing is better, the fights are better, <i>everything</i> is better. As a partial Court of Owls adaption it succeeds. It even somehow manages to Incorporate Damien's story into the arc. It is however not perfect, and nowhere near the quality of greats such as<b style="font-style: italic;"> Under the Hood </b>and<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b><b><i>The Dark Knight Returns</i></b>, but is still a very entertaining watch. As long as you refrain from attacking the screen due to Damien's infuriating character, you will be engaged from beginning to end.<br />
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<br />Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-55733223679073181862015-08-01T15:52:00.002-04:002015-08-01T15:52:05.052-04:00ANT-MAN Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many people were surprised when <b><i>ANT-MAN</i></b> was announced for 2015. It was not because of the character, but the release date. The most famous thing the character is known for in the comics is the creation of Ultron. But, this doesn't happen in the Cinematic Universe. It was decided that Tony Stark would be the creator, which isn't the first time Marvel has toyed around with the idea. (<i><b>Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow</b></i> for example.) Another shocking thing was that instead of having the well-known Henry Pym as the title character, it was going to be Scott Lang. Marvel has been quite on a roll lately with quality installments one after another. While <i>Ant-Man</i> doesn't reach the greatness of the previous three movies, it's nonetheless a solid entry in the series.<br />
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<i>The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.</i></blockquote>
Interestingly, one of the most well-known things about this movie is more on the controversial side. Originally Edgar Wright of <b><i>Scott Pilgrim</i></b> fame was set to direct. Infamously, he left due to creative differences. (Marvel loves to keep a tight knot on their films.)<b> Peyton Reed</b> replaced him. How Wright's version of the film would have gone is an interesting thought, but now completely irrelevant. So, how does Reed deal with all these script rewrites? The film does suffer from a few problems, one of which we'll address now.<br />
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Near the beginning is the Baskin-Robbin's scene, which I couldn't stop thinking about throughout my viewing. A customer literally comes in and asks for a burger. After being told the place doesn't sell them, he then asks for <i>"whatever is hot and fresh."</i> I've never seen such bad writing in a high budget summer film. It was so unrealistic I had to question whether or not it was real. Then the scene following where the cashier (Scott Lang) talks to his boss afterward is so unrealistic it's like <i>"Huh?" </i>Marvel loves comedy, but this goes to some pretty cringe-worthy levels.<br />
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Thankfully, the rest of the film never goes that low. Paul Rudd as Scott Lang portrays a pretty solid protagonist for the most part. The redemption story underneath it all of a man whom wants to be a real father to his daughter is quite touching. Michael Douglas as an older Hank Pym was a highlight, and ironically more engaging than his comic book counterpart for the last ten or so years. (A prequel show with him as the original Ant-Man would actually be welcome!) Evangeline Lilly as his daughter Hope portrayed a believable character whom is angry with her father in regards to the death of her mother. The scene where Pym reveals to her the nature of his wife Janet's death was touching and easily one of the most emotional scenes of the Marvel movies yet.<br />
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Unfortunately, the romance between Scott and Hope is poorly established and feels completely tacked on at the end. It would have been far better to have it develop in the next movie. It would have been more organic and realistic, but alas the writing decided to go the generic route with it. Scott is accompanied by a trio of friends, though the only notable one is Luis. (Michael Peña.) He was used mainly for comic relief, and some scenes were definitely cringe-worthy, but in conjunction he did have some of the funnier segments. If the writing can downplay some of his going over the top just for the sake of comedy, I wouldn't mind seeing him brought back for the sequel.<br />
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How about Corey Stoll as the antagonist, Darren Cross? Like a good number of Marvel films, this guy is completely and utterly forgettable. The writing tries desperately to make him sympathetic and gives some pretty generic antagonist lines to help. (It doesn't help.) The fact that we just saw the amazingly written Ultron a few months ago also doesn't help matters. This guy is basically a poorer version of Obadiah Stane from the first <b><i>Iron Man</i></b>. At the very least, the Yellowjacket design is quite impressive and a treat to see in action. If only the wearer was at least a bit engaging.<br />
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The usage of Ant-Man's shrinking ability was definitely something intriguing to behold going into the film, but I never thought just how smartly utilized it would be. Lang is able to turn little then big again in a flash, which made for some pretty unique and awesome fights scenes. I've never seen the comics utilize his ability like this. In fact, usually in the comics the shrinking is treated as a slow process, which makes the film's usage a refreshing change of pace. (I wouldn't be surprised if the books started using this more prominently now.)<br />
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Every scene with Lang turning small offers very unique imagery and engagement we haven't seen since the <b><i>Honey, I Shrunk the Kids</i></b> days. Not only that, but seeing ants up close and personal was a lot fun. In fact, after watching this movie the viewer may like ants so much that he/she may reconsider stomping on one next time. The core of the story is the "heist" on Pym industries, and it's a blast to watch. The final battle against Yellowjacket was one of the most innovative of Marvel showdowns. We have the characters battling in a suitcase and even next to a Thomas the Tank Engine. (Whom deserves an Oscar by the way.) The soundtrack is pretty solid. There aren't many truly standout themes, though the one which played during the suitcase fight scene at least deserves praise. <br />
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Overall, <i>ANT-MAN</i> is a solid solo film introducing a character whom actually proves to be one of the most interesting with his shrinking ability. There is some mediocre writing which stops it from being called "amazing" like <i><b>Winter Solider</b></i> and <b><i>Guardians and Galaxy</i></b>, but there's more things to praise than there are negative. The action is a lot of fun and just different than what we're used to seeing. Also, the film takes some great advantage of being part of a shared universe. Unlike <i><b>Iron Man 2</b></i>, this film knows how to incorporate itself into the bigger picture while at the same time being a standalone story. I personally look forward to seeing the character again in <b><i>Captain America: Civil War</i></b> next year.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4/5</b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-30058594419975076902015-07-30T00:44:00.001-04:002015-07-30T13:19:25.697-04:00Justice League: Gods and Monsters Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When <b><i>GODS AND MONSTERS</i></b> was first announced, it garnered a considerable amount of hype when compared to recent DC animated features. The reason for this was that Brice Timm would be involved. (He was the creator of the classic DC Animated Universe after all.) <b><i>Justice League</i></b> to this day is regarded as one of the greatest cartoons in history, and for good reason. So to see Timm taking the reign of a JL project after all these years was definitely exciting. Some of that excitement became divided when it was also announced it would basically be an <b>Elseworlds</b> title.<br />
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There was some disappointment because the thought of seeing a traditional JL story with Timm was a dream. Still, many were curious to see a new take on the classic team. (Plus it would be a nice break from <b><i>The New 52</i></b>.) <i>GODS AND MONSTERS</i> is a very interesting watch from beginning to end. It is definitely a unique tale worth checking out. Plus with Timm, the writing is triple a plus with one of the most unexpected plot twists in recent history.<br />
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<i>In an alternate universe, the Justice League uses brutal force to maintain order on Earth. When scientists begin dying, the world's governments challenge the League's dominance.</i></blockquote>
The main draw obviously is the new take on Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. With just 72 minutes to tell a story, there isn't much time for long-term character development. The film nonetheless manages to give each individual character unique backstories. Superman as the son of Zod was certainly most interesting, though Wonder Woman hailing from New Genesis was great too. Batman's was of course the most down to earth, though is so diverse you could have swapped him out for another character.<br />
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When the team first appeared I was worried with them mercilessly killing bad guys that the film would just be about making a gritty version of the League just for the sake of edge. If this wasn't Bruce Timm, it might have gone that route. The story moves at a solid pace, making sure the plot is at the front while the viewer is also treated to different versions of these iconic characters. Throughout we see their relationship to the government and even Superman's Zod genes of wanting to take over. Since we're not used to these new takes, the dialogue is extra engaging.<br />
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A glaring negative is in the climax. When trying to break the League's building shield, Superman makes a mini-speech, flies into space, then dives back into Earth in dramatic fashion. But back on Earth Batman is able to deactivate the shield and then Superman magically appears in the building, completely negating his scene from before. It's bizarre and as if the editing and writing departments weren't working together here. Also, while Luthor is a great character in this take, his arc is rather rushed at the end and comes out of left field. The soundtrack in particular is a highlight. In fact, it's one of the strongest soundtracks from any DC animated film yet. (Right from the epic intro theme the viewer knows he/she is in for a treat.)<br />
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Overall, <i>GODS AND MONSTERS</i> is a intriguing take on DC's greatest heroes. There's no denying it would have been nice to see Bruce Timm do a more traditional story, but there's something engaging about this particular new take of the characters. By the end, the viewer is ready for more. The fight scenes are great and the plot twist added a whole new dimension to how you look at the story. Put any skepticism aside and check out this movie.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4.5/5</b></span></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-26516582963868061892015-07-22T19:23:00.001-04:002015-07-22T19:23:58.967-04:00TERMINATOR 2: Judgment Day Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Action movies are one of the most popular types of film. They in concept serve a movie's purpose: to entertain. Its always fun to see action combined with another genre, such as fantasy, or in this case science fiction. <b><i>Terminator 2</i></b> since its release has been critically acclaimed and regarded as <i>the </i>summer blockbuster. This film and <i><b>Aliens</b></i> (which interestingly enough was also directed by James Cameron) are often looked at by longtime movie watchers as the ideal action films. With <i><b>Genisys</b></i> just seeing release, I thought it was time to head back and see why <b><i>Judgment Day</i></b> is held to such a high regard. After watching it, it is unfortunate to see why so many action blockbusters fail so miserably. If they took a peak at how this film did it, they could see some success.<br />
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The plot is pretty well known by now, so we'll keep it brief. In the future, John Connor sends a reprogrammed T-800 back in time to protect his younger self from Skynet's robot, the T-1000. Sarah Connor, John's mother, has been thrown in a mental hospital, but she's quickly thrown into the conflict. The film opens up to the near future, with a destroyed Los Angeles. It's a fantastic setup, and 24 years later the Terminators with their laser guns still appear very frightening on the TV screen. The main story is of course in the present, so the future scene serves as a backdrop to it and a tease of what a plot completely set in the future would be like. (We finally got that in the immensely underrated <i style="font-weight: bold;">Terminator Salvation </i>18 years later.)<br />
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The reason why I believe this film is above most modern action movies is the emphasis on the conflict. When T-1000 arrives, the story becomes essentially about him chasing John and T-800 protecting him. The conflict is always at the front without much emphasis on the personal lives of the characters. This isn't a bad thing because in a sci fi action film, the conflict is the most important aspect. This is not to say there's no character development here, but the writing doesn't try to make it about them. It's about saving the future.<br />
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Films like <b><i>Transformers</i></b>, <i><b>Battleship</b></i>, and <b><i>Edge of Tomorrow</i></b> add in unneeded comedy, exposition, and attempt to make the characters quirky or something rather than focusing on the plot at hand. "Judgement Day" never once feels like it lets up on the conflict. Just about every scene is important in forwarding the story. The viewer is engaged not because mainly of who the human characters are, but because of the conflict driving them. This is of course greatly helped by Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal of the Terminator. T-800 is a fantastic focus as we see his emotionless demeanor and how he slowly learns to be a little more human. It never becomes cheesy to the point of a Predator mimicking human words in <b><i>Predator 2</i></b>.<br />
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John Connor in this particular film has got to be one of the most unlikable kids in film history. According to the film's universe, he would be 10...yet has enough juvenile accounts to fill a person at age 17. Not only that, but he curses in almost every scene he's in. Realistically, I just don't think someone at that age would be utilizing this kind of language. In fact, he doesn't act like a 10 year old at all throughout. If everything else wasn't so great, he could have truly dragged down the story. (The problem with <i><b>Jurassic World</b></i> was its reliance on mediocre characters over the story.)<br />
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Linda Halmilton as Sarah Connor does the deranged act pretty solid. It kind of reminds me of the rather crazed Ellen Ripley in <b><i>Alien: Resurrection</i></b>, which isn't a bad thing. Besides Arnold however, the true star was T-1000, portrayed by Robert Patrick. This guy is known as the best antagonist of the series, and for good reason. Every scene he's in he commands a presence. The interesting concept of him being able to liquefy himself into basically any object is a pretty cool effect that doesn't look dated at all.<br />
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There's nothing worst than an action movie being boring. (We're looking at you, <b><i>Wrath of the Titans</i></b>.) The action in "Judgement Day" is some of the best you'll find. The first battle scene between the Terminators set the tone for what was to come. The chase scenes are arguably the greatest in film history. The best part is of course the final showdown. It's fantastic, epic, and no quirky gimmicks stopping the fight. (Such as with<b><i> Thor: The Dark World</i></b>, which had one of the most mediocre climaxes in comic book film history.) What a lot of modern films like to do is add gimmicks to the fights, but what most of the time really works is just simple punches and throwing around. The climax here is ideally what all finishers should strive to be like.<br />
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Overall, I believe that Terminator 2 is the archetype of action films. It's basically a blueprint a lot of movies have looked at and failed to emulate. The characters here aside from John Connor are engaging. The conflict is the driving force, with them basically along for the ride. If they were bad characters, we'd have a problem. This is one hole a lot of modern films have. The plot might be interesting, but most of the characters are written so poorly that they drag the story down. (All four "Transformers" movies.) On the flip side, if the characters are boring and one-dimensional, the action is going to feel shallow with no point. (Once again, "Wrath of the Titans.") "Judgement Day" manages to find a perfect balance of solid characters and emphasis on the plot, which is accompanied by a great soundtrack. I would definitely defend the sequels, but there's no denying that T2 stands the test of time of being perhaps the greatest action film and one of the best movies overall.<br />
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Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-53606178395013660262015-07-18T12:06:00.001-04:002015-07-18T15:10:41.519-04:00Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion Review<b><i><br /></i></b>
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<b><i>Puella Magi Madoka Magica</i></b> on the outside looked like your typical magical girl anime, which of course isn't a bad thing. <b><i>Sailor Moon</i></b> is the one that popularized the genre, and many have followed suit with engaging, often cutesy adventures. "Madoka" was far different. It tackled themes such as true friendship, salvation, faith, and manipulation. The 12 episode show is on par with <b><i>Serial Experiments Lain </i></b>with its thought-provoking storyline. That's why <b><i>Rebellion </i></b>was an interesting idea. The show ended rather well, with Madoka basically becoming a god and rewriting time. It displayed the true kindness of a friend, and ended with hope. So, a sequel wasn't really necessary. Still, it would be nice to see the characters again. The film puts Homura in the spotlight as she tries to figure out why things don't seem right. "Rebellion" was a fantastic adventure, once again showcasing friendship and displays satisfying finality...until it all goes down the drain. The final act not only destroys the film, it completely and utterly destroys the entire franchise.<br />
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The story starts out mysteriously for the viewer because we have Homura, Madoka, Sayaka, Kyoko, and Mami having adventures stopping nightmares which take physical form. It's fun, and interesting because when looked at generally the entire first act is a look at what the show could have been if it didn't tackle the deep themes. Here we have a team with flashy Sailor Moon-like transformations, stopping monsters and having tea together afterward, with them even singing a <b><i>My Little Pony</i></b>-like song to save the day. Not only that, but Kyubey is basically a Pokemon mascot. It's a "perfect" reality, and quite brilliant. Of course, Homura eventually realizes something is up and goes on a journey searching for the answer.<br />
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To me, it was obvious that this was an "ideal" reality. (Shows such as<b><i> Under the Dome</i></b> and <b><i>Falling Skies</i></b> have done this not too long ago.) What's not obvious is what exactly is causing this. The plot twist that it was mainly Homura's doing was great, but not half as great as the fact it was also Kyubey's experiment. We'll address that in a second, but first it's important to mention the cool things which transpired inside the fake world. Perhaps the best scene was the fight between Mami and Homura. It was well choreographed and just plain epic. The soundtrack throughout the film is as expected solid, but the best themes play right before and during this battle.<br />
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The sad part about being just 12 episodes is that some characters just don't get enough satisfying screen time. In the case of "Madoka," just about all the characters were engaging. Kyoko for example only got to appear in a few episodes. So, it was great seeing her get a substantial role here. She has some great humorous lines, especially when speaking to Homura about what the former should or not be remembering. The imagery isn't quite as psychedelic as the show's, (it's still insane of course) but still provides some of the most unique graphics in anime. Scenes with the distorted faces on the people was probably the creepiest thing I've seen in awhile.<br />
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Kyubey is a fascinating character and great antagonist. He doesn't consider himself evil, yet with no emotions he manipulates as he pleases. The entire sequence with him revealing what he's been doing to her was fantastic. When she shouted,<i> "You want to control Madoka don't you?!"</i> and then the chase scene the viewer can feel the intensity build up as he explains his plan. Seeing Homrua turned into a witch was a sad, but engaging scene as we see her friends unite to help her, much to the amazement of Kyubey This leads to the would-be best scene of the movie.<br />
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Homura has been through a lot in the 12 episodes and this movie. The friendship established between her and Madoka is unparalleled. This is evidenced in the dialogue between them on the hilltop. It's a sad state when your best friend no longer exists physically and you're the only one who remembers, like it was all a dream. That's why the scene where Madoka ascends from the heavens to take Homura with her was so effective. It was closure, plus Homura would be with her best friend forever. The dialogue Madoka speaks to her, <i>"Whatever happens to you, good or bad, you're still you and I would never abandon you. So don't give up. Have faith!"</i> is reminiscent of God making a promise to never forsake those whom have pledged faith, then at the end of the day the person is taken up to Heaven. If the scene above was the ending, it would have been fantastic since it basically ties together everything.<br />
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Unfortunately, this is not the case.<br />
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In a surprise plot twist. Homura stops Madoka from taking her, and somehow, <i>somehow</i> beats Madoka and becomes a god herself, essentially rewriting time again. Homura actually uses the word <i>evil</i> to describe herself. Let's first look at how this doesn't make any kind of sense. For one thing, there's no way Homura could actually stop Madoka. She's a god, (or concept as the series calls it) so there's no way Homura grabbing her can somehow bend the rules, no matter how you look at it. (The explanation given is pretty poor.) What's worst however is that this move isn't consistent with Homura's character throughout the show and majority of the film. She's a concerned friend whom at the end of the show comes to terms with what has transpired. She vows to keep fighting because it's what Madoka would want. In the movie she fights to destroy the fake reality and stop Kyubey from gaining access to Madoka. And then, when it's time to go be with her best friend, (what she's always wanted) she literally goes insane and (for no reason) turns evil literally.<br />
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This not only destroys Homura as a character, it destroys the very foundation of Puella Magi. The show ended with the portrayal of hope. The ultimate sacrifice was made. True friendship prevailed. Love, hope, and faith was evident in the finale as Madoka took the burden for all Magical Girls. The show had some dark turns, but at the end the theme of standing up to the demon's schemes and an act of love standing triumph over them prevailed. That's the core of the anime. Rebellion undoes that ending completely. It out of nowhere makes Homura a traitor, insane, and pure evil. It undoes the sacrifice Madoka made. It in effect makes the entire anime moot.<br />
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One could perhaps make an argument that the entire final act was an ingenious plot twist. It is correct to say that it's unexpected. The problem is that there's zero build up and no indication in the anime or film that Homura was on the verge of becoming evil. It is the definition of cheap shock value. It would be the same as a 12 issue comic book where the hero faces torment every issue but never gives up having hope. In the final issue he succeeds at saving his family and friends with the sunset behind him. Then a few years later a one-shot is released where it undoes that. It makes the victory irrelevant. The decision to have Homura do what she did is a slap in the face to the incredible anime, her fans, and the franchise. As the ending unveiled itself and the credits started to roll I could feel this inner annoyance because it completely and utterly disregards Homura as a character and what the anime meant.<br />
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Rebellion was one of the best anime films I've seen in awhile up until the final 20 minutes. It had everything a sequel should be: it added without hindering the completed story and provided satisfying closure. There's such great symbolism, emotion, and finality to the scene when Madoka comes to take Homura away. Sadly, what happens afterward turns the film upside down. It is by far the worst ending I've personally seen to anything. The plot twist isn't smart, it's terrible. To put it in blunt terms: the ending is total garbage. There's no coherent explanation given. It takes away the essence of hope, and evil wins. It's hard not to want to watch this film because it's a canon sequel, but it ruins what is one of the best anime of all time.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1/5</span></b></div>
<br />Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-61064004600711609792015-07-13T14:41:00.001-04:002015-07-18T12:08:16.394-04:00Puella Magi Madoka Magica Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anime in the USA has never been that popular with the general public. Ironically, it often transcends writing that is often seen in many American cartoons. The Japanese aren't afraid to utilize themes such as religion, death, emotion, and other things which make many shows being aired on Cartoon Network look just <i>sad</i>. But, an article comparing American vs. Japanese animation is for another day. The anime in question for today is known as <b><i>Puella Magi Madoka</i></b>, which follows 14-year-old Madokda Kaname. She's given the option to make a contract with a creature, which afterward she would be given power to become a Magical Girl in order to battle witches! If the show had gone that route with simply Madoka fighting off evil entities with her friends and in the final episode fight the biggest one, it would have still been a cool show. But that's not what this anime is about.<br />
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"Madoka" deals with themes such as friendship, sacrifice, the greater good, selling your soul, and ultimately hope. It captures viewers with compelling dialogue and makes the viewer really think abut life, the world, and what it means to love others. On the outside the show appears to be much like <i><b>Sailor Moon</b></i> where these middle school girls in costume fight evil monsters. This show takes that concept and turns it upside down. The intro scene to anything is what grabs a viewer; to see the city in ruins and a lone girl trying to fight is enough to pique interest here. After that scene the show takes some unique routes to the finisher.</div>
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The main character is of course Madoka. The theme song constantly teases her in her getup as a Magical Girl so the viewer is wondering, "Well, when is this going to happen?" since episodes go on with her still just in a normal form. Then the show turns this thought process around later on, making the viewer decide they actually <i>don't</i> want her to become one. For the first few episodes the show is somewhat identical in plot to other monster-of-the week programs. It's when we start to learn a little bit about Homura Akemi, the other main character, that things start to change drastically. Unlike long-term shows such as <i style="font-weight: bold;">Naruto </i>or <i><b>Digimon</b></i>, "Madoka" doesn't have the luxury of being over 100 episodes, clocking in at only 12. It is truly astounding what is accomplished in just these episodes. Characters are deepened and viewers grow attached. For example, Kyoko, who at first was the most annoying and unlikable character, ended up being one of the most likable just a few episodes later. Her death, and all the main deaths were extremely sad, which means the writing succeeded at engaging the viewer.<br />
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Back to Madoka, in some other show she could come across as weak and annoying for all her crying, but not here. She's a true friend, and very few shows today display what true friendship is all about. (Other than <b><i>My Little Pony</i></b>, try finding an American cartoon where it perfectly displays the love of best friends!) The other main character is Homura Akemi. She is obviously fantastic. Too often we have "tough" characters in shows with no real reason why they are like that. They're just there to be cool. Homura's backstory in episode 10 breaks this trope. We see that she knows Madoka in a different timeline and comes to know her as a true friend. So, what happened in the present day for the previous nine episodes is given a whole new meaning.</div>
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The plot twist with Homura being a time traveler was a very cool one, though might be one of the show's only plot points which wasn't explained properly. Her wish was to be able to meet Madoka all over again, which she does, but then she's able to repeat the process over and over. Perhaps the wish meant that she would be able to do that continually, but it could have been worded a little better. It's not a major thing in the long run. Her love of Madoka is perfectly looked at in two scenes: the one where she falls on the floor in tears and the one where she hugs Madoka inside the former's house near the climax. Again, you have to give credit to the writing for making the viewer feel invested and share in the sentiment with just a few episodes </div>
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Obviously the most intriguing character might just be Kyubey. In another series, this cat-like creature would have been the mascot and companion like Luna in "Sailor Moon" or Snarf in <b><i>Thundercats</i></b>. But once again, all magical girl tropes are dropped here as the viewer slowly learns just who Kyubey is. He is quite a brilliant character, being basically a manipulator without evil intent, in his mind anyway. According to him, emotion is a disorder in his species, and by using his contracts to turn girls into witches it serves a greater good for counteracting the spread of entropy in the universe. When one thinks about it for a second, Kyubey is never actually portrayed as purely evil, just as an entity keeping a balance. It's brilliant writing when something like this creature can be portrayed as evil and not evil at the same time.<br />
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Still, despite any thought process about greater good, at the core viewers knows what Kyubey is doing is wrong, and they can feel the despair as Madoka desperately tries to convey that. Throughout, I think the show harkens witches, Kyubey himself and the Labyrinth to demonic influences. In episode 4 we have a bunch of people being fed with the thoughts that it's better to leave the Earth by killing yourself. In that same episode Madoka is flooded with unwanted memories where she's made to feel guilty about almost everything. (With angel-like beings playing the images, making it appear like she's even more wrong, and then being pulled in every direction.) Not only that, but in Homura's backstory there's a voice prompting her to just die. Then we have Kyubey whom is basically manipulating Madoka into accepting a contract with him, which is basically a deal with the devil. He uses things such as telling her that only if she transforms could she save her friend (the scene near the climax where he basically tells her that Homura holding on to hope is meaningless comes to mind) to simply just saying whatever wish you want can be granted. The classic question the show asks is, "Is there a wish you'd be willing to trade your soul for?" It's a classic scene of the devil as he tries to get a person to see what kind of temporary satisfaction is alluring to steal that person's soul. I don't know if the show intended for these things to be a comparison but with the religious themes present throughout I wouldn't be surprised. </div>
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Mami is another main character, whom dies way too early. Her death was handled well, and her presence is still felt afterward. Again, she didn't appear long but somehow the writing made her one of the most likable characters in anime history. That's why the viewer feels a sadness when we see her get chomped by a witch because it was right after she revealed she had a found a true friend in Madoka. The emotion in this show is incredible. The scene when Sayaka, (we'll address her in a sec) breaks down at the fact that her friend is going to steal the guy she's been in love with forever away would have been groan-worthy if this were any other show, but it's handled wonderfully here.</div>
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The friendship established between Sayaka and Madoka is established very well. That's why the former's death was perhaps the most heart-breaking to watch. The fact that she got turned into a witch added an extra dimension of emotion. It's important to now mention perhaps the most iconic aspect of the show: the imagery. For the most part it's normal animation (and pretty crisp too) but when the girls delve into a Labyrinth the graphics become trippy. When the butterflies appeared in Episode 1 I had no idea what I was watching anymore. The insane cartoony, creepy, and unique graphics never got old. Seriously, there's nothing quite like this show for those scenes alone.<br />
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You might hear this show be compared to <b><i>Serial Experiments Lain</i></b>, and for good reason. That show has so many different thought-provoking themes which one never truly forgets. People still debate what exactly the series even meant. "Madoka" goes down some similar routes, especially with the final episode. When Madoka finally decided on her wish to become a Magical Girl she found a loophole where she managed to essentially rewrite time & reality. The fact that Kyubey was shocked and said, <i>"Are you trying to become a god?!"</i> when before he tried to coerce her into becoming a Magical Girl with the words, <i>"You could become the god of this world!"</i> gives proof that he's truly a manipulator. The writing truly succeeded at making one one of the greatest anime villains of all time. Now, about that final episode...</div>
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The final episode of a show like this is usually 3 things: 1, a finisher, 2, controversial, and 3, open to interpretation on purpose. "Lain" is a perfect example of this. While Puella has some of these elements, it's definitely more clear-cut than "Serial Experiments" in providing a finisher. Since Madoka basically became a god, she rewrote time where things preceded as normal, just without her existence. Somehow Homura is the only one that remebers. Why? Well, perhaps being a time traveler herself has given her that ability. Or perhaps being a god, Madoka put her memories inside her. It's a fascinating ending, and the entire scene in space displays what it means to love your friend. </div>
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The soundtrack is definitely a highlight. The main theme is fantastic, and the use of a heavy violin upped the mood. (Case in point in Episode 8, against the rain.) As mentioned already, the show asks some tough questions. The subway scene for example was definitely off-putting. But it wasn't there just to display language, it was there to show how a good chunk of humanity operates. Sayaka is there wondering if it's worth truly fighting for them when she hears a conversation like this. Is it worth it when most of humanity is like this? The answer is of course yes, as when Madoka in the final episode says, <i><b>"If someone ever tells me it's a mistake to have hope, well then I'll just tell them they're wrong, and I'll keep telling them until they believe, no matter how many times it takes."</b></i> At the end of the day, there's always hope. Despite all the crying, deaths, and end of the world, Madoka at the end displays that hope does exist. The show's ending might appear open-ended to some, but to me I think it's nicely showcased with 1. true friendship & sacrifice and 2. a person standing up the devil's schemes, or in this case Kyubey. Her saying of,<i> "I'm here to take that burden for you"</i> is reminiscent of the Cross of Jesus Christ, and in many ways she's represents that: a second chance. Right before the world is about to be destroyed by evil, she comes, offers her life to give everybody another chance of redemption. The Magical Girls who were basically under condemnation because of their contract are lifted of that burden. Likewise in the real world, because of the Cross people who were under condemnation are given a second chance through faith. Whether or not this was the intent of the ending I'm not sure, but one thing I can say with certainty is that the show did a great job showcasing the love of a friend, and someone whom inspires hope in others. I'm reminded of the verse from John 15:13, <i><b>"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."</b></i><br />
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Puella Magi Madoka is a much-watch. It takes a popular genre and modifies it extremely. What appears to be a happy show is much more interesting. While not going to perhaps the surreal levels of Serial Experiments Lain, it nonetheless is a show along similar lines. The plot twists are astounding and you get very attached to the characters. The insane imagery when they battle witches in the labyrinths is worth the watch alone. Then in the real world the subtle imagery with things like flies forming together on a streetlamp to look like a skull and the classic portrait of "The Creation of Adam" above in the scene with Madoka's mom and the teacher add to the overall atmosphere. The hype for the final battle against Walpurgisnacht was excellent. (Not to mention the epic choir!) All of this is accomplished in just 12 episodes. Madoka definitely belongs in everyone's top 5 anime of all time.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">5/5</span></b></div>
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Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-88507145484980306942015-06-28T18:14:00.001-04:002015-06-28T18:14:44.459-04:00On the Supreme Court's Decision to Legalize Gay Marriage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8Cy8kqZZjM/VY91XdnxQrI/AAAAAAAAD2A/z4Jg-0zH6rg/s1600/cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8Cy8kqZZjM/VY91XdnxQrI/AAAAAAAAD2A/z4Jg-0zH6rg/s400/cross.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." ~Mark 10:6-9</i></blockquote>
<br />
I have always found it interesting how things that were originally meant to be something are now taken to mean something else. The rainbow when it's first mentioned anywhere in history is in the book of Genesis when God makes a covenant with Noah. Thousands of years later people have taken the rainbow and use it for something else.<br />
<br />
And that's what's been happening since the beginning of creation. People take parts of the Bible and modify it to fit their purpose. Many just simply discard it altogether. By now all of America is aware of the Supreme Court's decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states. For years this has been a battle, and slowly the Biblical viewpoint had been getting pushed away as people who wished to do things their way made their voice loud.<br />
<br />
For many this decision was one of celebration. All through my newsfeed I see things such as #lovewins and rainbows. For the Christian the decision should come as no surprise because things are said to get a lot worst for the culture. Eventually people are going to start looking at other things to redefine, because if marriage doesn't have to be absolute in their mind, does anything? Why should something like say adultery be considered wrong? There are many things people will just say, "Eh, I don't agree with the Bible, so I'm going to vote for things that make me personally happy and just seem right to me." Someone whom is an advocate might question the Christian, "So is God really in control?"<br />
<br />
The truth of the matter is that God is going to let people do what they want. If many wish to go the other way, He's going to let them. People are either for Christ or not. There's no in-between or neutral ground. Interestingly, many so-called Christians support gay marriage as if it can be adopted into the Bible. By now it's considered completely normal and to think otherwise makes the person seem out of touch and crazy.<br />
<br />
For the true Christian, even things like this can be used to strengthen his/her faith. For one thing, now that it's legal all over people are going to expect Christians to either adopt the viewpoint or keep quiet about their beliefs. Many believers will think now they'll have to be quiet about their belief. That's not how it should be. In the world, whether it be at school, college, message boards, or in the work place, we're going to be tested and attacked. Friendships will be lost. But our faith, the most important thing, will be strengthened as we face opposition and stand up for the Truth.<br />
<br />
Th next most important thing is to not let ourselves grow bitter. We need to be loving more than ever. If we catch ourselves attacking people with things like "You're a sinner!" (because we all are) they will not be open to hearing about the Gospel. We need to not let ourselves think there's no hope for others. God can work miracles in people. We just need to showcase the love of Christ that is within us. Not everyone will be convicted, but some will, and you have to remember that. We need<br />
<br />
The Supreme Court can enact anything it wants. It will never change the foundation God has established. People might think they're in charge, but ultimately no one is. God lets these things happen to show the folly of our thinking. A Christian has two jobs in light of this decision. One is to stand firm and not let his/her belief be shaken when faced with opposition and persecution. The second is to be loving to those around them, showcasing the Gospel of Christ to an ever more fallen world.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." ~Romans 1:16</i></blockquote>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-83123225574152165842015-06-25T00:54:00.000-04:002015-06-25T00:54:31.113-04:00On the Concept of Pro-Choice <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i26mAYEL0Mo/VYuDrp7ZYSI/AAAAAAAAD1s/iH7HJ1DoQa0/s1600/dove-clip-art-13047399991392516098dove-md.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i26mAYEL0Mo/VYuDrp7ZYSI/AAAAAAAAD1s/iH7HJ1DoQa0/s1600/dove-clip-art-13047399991392516098dove-md.png" /></a></div>
<br />
When it comes to "sensitive topics," many churches in America choose to ignore them. Here we have the subject of abortion, which always ignites some heated discussion. As I talk about this I am aware by even opening up a stance I'm inviting hate comments and even perhaps ruining acquaintanceships. Some might tell me since I'm not a girl I have no say in the matter. Some might say since I'm just some college kid my say has no importance. None of that matters to me, all I care about is delivering a message. Many will stop reading right now, some will read then laugh it off, and then a few will feel a conviction. The latter is whom I'm writing this too.<br />
<br />
So, I present a hypothetical story scenario where I run into someone whom is considering having an abortion...<br />
<br />
________________________________________________________________<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>As I walk through the park on a warm August day I run into someone whom I've talked with many times while doing the register at work. As I approach her at the bench she's on, she smiles, recognizing me. As I sit down I say, "Hey how's it going? Perfect day for the park!"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Ha, yeah." She replies.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I detect a hint of sadness in her voice, so I decide to pry a bit.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Everything alright?"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>She looks above for a second, then replies,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Just contemplating."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I could tell despite not diving into the subject that she wanted to talk about it, so I went ahead and asked,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"About what?"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Pausing for a second, she responds...</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"As you can tell I'm about five months pregnant, so I've been deciding whether or not to get an abortion. My friends and parents both agree that's it's the right move. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for an appointment, so I'm just here thinking about whether or not to really go through with it."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Well I think the answer is obvious." I reply.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"How so?" She says, surprised by my quick answer.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Well for one thing, many don't realize about the emotional trauma that takes place afterward. There's a feeling of emptiness and many later on in life look back and deeply regret that decision. I think in the present we should be eliminating decisions which we might deeply regret later on in life!"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Hmm. But what if I don't care about a supposed sadness and believe that a person has the right to do it?"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I pause for a second, then look at her and say,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"That's true in some way, you do have a choice to kill him/her. Just as I have a choice whether or not to kill you at this very moment. I of course do not wish to do that. No one should want to kill somebody whom has done them no wrong, right? But let's say by some odd reason I did want to kill you, that I didn't want you in existence, why shouldn't I be able to? I wouldn't and couldn't because I know God is with me. That's from a moral standpoint, what about a reason why someone without faith couldn't, in their mind, kill a person? Because it's against the law. Murder/killing is worth up to many years in prison. But for some reason Congress has made it legal for women to kill individuals. So, when you think about it, Congress has literally established a statement that says it's legal to kill innocents! It's a contradiction. So, if somebody advocates pro-choice, they're literally advocating a contradiction."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"A very interesting conclusion." She says.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I continue, </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Basically, let's say a criminal appeals to Congress to enact a law where killing someone they don't want in existence is legal. Most people would laugh at this statement, but they fail to realize something like that was approved 42 years ago!"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>She responds, </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"I didn't think of it like that. But what is a person supposed to do if she isn't able to care economically for the child, the father has vanished, and has no family to give them to?"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"I think you know the answer to that, but for some reason it doesn't seem that popular. Adoption is a real, successful concept. Many couples are looking to adopt a newborn baby!"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>After saying that I pause for a second, then conclude with...</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Many say an embryo/fetus doesn't count as a person. That's a pretty strange statement is it not? A fetus doesn't become a person...it is a person. Imagine if your mother had decided she didn't want you being born. Then, well, you wouldn't be. That would entail a person has the right to kill someone whom is the definition of innocent. Perhaps a would-be mother thinks she's doing the child a favor because the doctor said he/she would live a handicapped life. Should that give her the legal right? Again, the same principles apply. Life is precious, even if the life has disabilities. A person still has feelings, emotions, and a personality, so to deny that because someone thinks it would be best is just simply unethical when you sit down and truly think about it."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>She looks down for a few seconds then at me...</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"You've given me a lot to think about."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Great!"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
________________________________________________________________</div>
Life is precious. It needs to be protected. If a person for a second can let go of pride they can see that to advocate pro-choice is to advocate planned murder. Many people have let pride blind them into thinking that they're supporting some empowerment cause and betterment for humanity. On the other side of things, maybe a person has done this at one point and deeply regrets it, wondering if they can be forgiven. My friend, if you have gone to God in Christ, He does not hold that against you.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb." ~Psalm 139:13</i></div>
Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-80546596714300853502015-06-20T02:32:00.001-04:002015-06-20T02:32:10.092-04:00The Christian Single<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4tKSTO4WPM/VYUBrF4rKBI/AAAAAAAAD1Y/zT1oijEkD-4/s1600/20150517_212157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4tKSTO4WPM/VYUBrF4rKBI/AAAAAAAAD1Y/zT1oijEkD-4/s400/20150517_212157.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't like romance movies. Especially young adult ones.<br />
<br />
Why you ask? Most of the time these love stories are very one-dimensional. The greatest reason however are their heavy reliance on a "modern" definition of dating and being in relationship. Most of the time do you ever hear the word "marriage" being broadcast? How about Purity?? Some might call me "old fashioned," but really if you sit back and think for a second, you begin to realize that what I'm talking about leads to far better contentment and joy than what is being preached in most movies today.<br />
<br />
Sadly, as jarring it may be to watch, a lot of romance portrayed in media is reminiscent in high schools and colleges today. This is where the Christian single often finds himself/herself stuck. Everything around them says to "test the waters," "it's okay to not be pure if it's safe," and "dating relationships don't have to lead to a long-term thing known as marriage."<br />
<br />
Not every Christian wants to be in a relationship of course, such as the apostle Paul in the New Testament whom had the gift of singleness. Unfortunately, not everyone has that gift and they yearn to be united with someone special. A person talking about this to another might receive an answer such as, "You have Jesus, that's all you need." While that's true, it doesn't help at that very moment because somewhere the person still has that empty feeling, that wanting as they see everyone around them, including their Christian friends, getting into relationships.<br />
<br />
I don't say these things as some person whom is immune to all this. I get it. In my high school days all I could think about was getting into a relationship. I liked the <i>idea </i>of being with someone, which is the mindset of a lot of high schoolers. It's the wrong mindset let me tell you. If all you think about is a crush for example, it will lead you into a depression. Many fall into the sad mindset of "Why doesn't anyone have feelings for me?" For awhile I was like that, watching people around me get into relationships. Not only my friends, but people whom I knew were the opposite of humble. It can be tough not becoming angry when you see people whom are not compassionate like you get into a relationship. You're left wondering, "Hey I know I'm kind and compassionate and yet he/she is in a relationship?" I used to go around thinking like this until something finally hit me...<br />
<br />
One might I was just getting tired of the whole thing and prayed earnestly to God that He would would reveal to me something, and that it was truly my desire to meet the one for me. After that prayer I went on Facebook and the very <i>FIRST </i>thing on my newsfeed was a picture with the words...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"God is writing your love story."</i></div>
<br />
At that moment I felt a conviction I had never felt before. It was then that I realized that no matter how hard I pushed for something, it wasn't going to happen, unless it was God's will. It was then I stopped wondering and started trusting Him. Now I wait patiently as He is writing my story.<br />
<br />
My friend, I'm not going to pretend that it's easy. But I believe that if you have made a decision to follow Christ and if it is a desire in your heart to be united with someone, then God is going to make it happen, but when He knows it's the right time for you. Maybe he wants you to concentrate on finishing high school, maybe he wants you to focus on completing your degree, there are many factors. But it <i>will </i>happen. I know it's not easy to resist the culture when it says that it's okay to date with nothing in mind for the future, that's it's okay get involved physically when books, movies, and music says it is. I understand. It is however worth it to keep yourself pure and with a positive mindset for the future.<br />
<br />
I'm in college and have <i>never</i> been on a date, so I understand what it's like. It's not easy, but be cheerful anyway. Don't grow jealous of others. Stay connected with church ministry and keep yourself active. If you're in high school, keep your mind focused on getting it done. If you're in college, keep your mind focused on getting your degree done. Everything else will fall into place at the right time. Build your character spiritually. Then when you meet the one whom God has kept, it will be truly special! :)Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481158632997464206.post-6567957104264305902015-06-14T02:08:00.001-04:002015-06-14T02:08:26.901-04:00Looking Back at the SUPER MARIO BROS. Movie <i> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fKq23mkl7t4/VXdM351W4zI/AAAAAAAADxs/-kKO1zMsyrc/s1600/super_mario_bros_xlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fKq23mkl7t4/VXdM351W4zI/AAAAAAAADxs/-kKO1zMsyrc/s640/super_mario_bros_xlg.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Tagline still cracks me up</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<i>"Trust the fungus."</i> ~Luigi<br />
<br />
I remember almost ten years when I came across <b><i>Super Mario Bros.</i></b> at Blockbuster. My parents had warned me that it was no good, but as a big Mario fan I had to see it for personal honor. That night me and my sister watched it and were confused afterward. <i>"What was that?"</i> was ringing in my mind. Ever since that watch, I've always considered it to be one of the worst movies of all time. That was over a decade ago and I was maybe 8. Perhaps watching it now I could have a new-found appreciation for it, or at least like it somewhat. It's important to realize that up until that point when it released in 1993, the games were only up to <i><b>Super Mario World.</b></i> No 3D titles had been produced yet. The only real storylines were in the booklets and little pieces of dialogue. With that in mind, could I perhaps see this movie as actually okay, or a unique adaption of the series at that point in time?<br />
<br />
No, it's still utter garbage.<br />
<br />
As a Mario Bros. adaption.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sRuyEQOiI2w/VXdUTa0zWWI/AAAAAAAADzE/5lZmqWIIifQ/s1600/125fa3666769ffd8a4cc478ed8baa6690e70b015.jpg__846x0_q80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sRuyEQOiI2w/VXdUTa0zWWI/AAAAAAAADzE/5lZmqWIIifQ/s400/125fa3666769ffd8a4cc478ed8baa6690e70b015.jpg__846x0_q80.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
There are some movies while watching where you're like, <i>"Huh...what were they thinking? Who writes this stuff?" </i>Apparently the idea was to have this film be the real story, with the <i>game itself being the adaption</i>. Huh? Not only was this a terrible idea, what we got was something so incredibly bizarre that one has to wonder if Directors <b>Rocky Morton</b> and <b>Annabel Jankel</b> knew anything about the games at all. Of course, else-worlds adaptions could be interesting, but not here. Imagine yourself a kid in 1993 going to see the big movie of the Super Mario Bros, the heroes in a colorful world where they battle an evil dragon over a lava-filled castle to save the lovely princess. Picture the complete opposite of that and this is what "Super Mario Bros. The Movie" is.<br />
<br />
What's also truly a shame is that this was the first theatrical video game movie. Have you wondered why there have been so few since? People are too frightened because of the flop that is the Super Mario Bros. Apparently the late Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo would "get drunk just to make it through the filming process." I suppose it'd be hard not to fall into that with this bizarre feature. So instead of the Mushroom Kingdom where there are beanstalks, happy face clouds, and castles, the idea was to have an alternate dimension of the real world. So throughout the story it's basically set in Brooklyn. How disappointing is that? It's been said that Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto got the idea of the Mushroom Kingdom from <b><i>Alice in Wonderland.</i></b> These things are whimsical and fantastical, providing a solid adventure to the player/viewer. None of that is present here in this dark and dreary place. This is immensely disgraceful to the Mario name, because a major part of what makes the games fun is its bright and colorful worlds where you never know what danger will present itself.<br />
<br />
One has to wonder what they were thinking when they grabbed classic characters and turned them into something else. For example, take a look at this guy...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eBllirwQkGc/VXdOwauQMaI/AAAAAAAADyA/KyAEM11mUME/s1600/Toadsmb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eBllirwQkGc/VXdOwauQMaI/AAAAAAAADyA/KyAEM11mUME/s1600/Toadsmb2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Remember good ol' Toad? These little guys are supposed to be the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom. Many are direct helpers of the princess and aid the Mario Bros. The most iconic thing about them is their mushroom head. Does that transition into the film?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-piHgPpWmPrY/VXdPKdBS7wI/AAAAAAAADyI/m0hWpWiLQNE/s1600/Toadmovie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-piHgPpWmPrY/VXdPKdBS7wI/AAAAAAAADyI/m0hWpWiLQNE/s1600/Toadmovie.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Whoa! Who the heck is that? That my friend is supposed to be the character above. From this alone you can tell the director had no care for the source material in the slightest. Let's take a look at another example...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sekLn_GIMTc/VXdP-a6zcQI/AAAAAAAADyU/unfk-TsBwfI/s1600/SMB_Goomba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sekLn_GIMTc/VXdP-a6zcQI/AAAAAAAADyU/unfk-TsBwfI/s320/SMB_Goomba.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Goombas are the common enemy in the Mario games. The idea is to have the Bros. stomp on these little evil creatures and continue onward. How about the movie?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HqosTI8AOYo/VXdQbdwK1yI/AAAAAAAADyc/GSRsdXNzgSQ/s1600/Goomba_Movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HqosTI8AOYo/VXdQbdwK1yI/AAAAAAAADyc/GSRsdXNzgSQ/s1600/Goomba_Movie.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Yes, they're human-size</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At this point the director is just grabbing names he's supposed to use and assigning them to to these monstrosities of characters. Still, not everyone is bad. Yoshi was good and the puppet used was fantastic. I am particularly pleased with the fact they didn't forget his elongated tongue ability. One could make an argument he was the best character in the whole movie. Him, or the little Bob-omb that saved the day in the climax. The writing for the characters ranges from okay to downright terrible. Nowhere with anything having the Mario name should a Brother say, <i>"Where's Daisy butt-breath?"</i> Speaking of Daisy, it is truly bizarre that she was used instead of Princess Peach, whom has been the main character throughout all the games. Daisy has only appeared in one game, <i><b>Super Mario Land</b></i>. Samantha Mathis doesn't do a bad job with her character, being one of the most likable of the cast.<br />
<br />
How about the Mario Bros themselves? I gotta give credit to Bob Hoskins for his portrayal of Nintendo's mascot. Despite not having the greatest script, he really gave it his all for the character, At that point in time in 1993, I could even call his portrayal of Mario "not bad," even solid. John Leguizamo as Luigi fairs decent enough. Why he has no mustache I don't understand, but it's a minor thing I suppose. Unfortunately he's the one subject to the worst lines, from the "Where's Daisy" to the one listed at the top of the review. Still, the relationship established between the two Brothers is very good. If this were another movie with another script, they could have been great adaptations of the iconic plumbers.<br />
<br />
We all know who the antagonist of the franchise is...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Duli86vciRU/VXdSRkJlgWI/AAAAAAAADyo/uI6HCMS62c0/s1600/BowserSMW1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Duli86vciRU/VXdSRkJlgWI/AAAAAAAADyo/uI6HCMS62c0/s320/BowserSMW1.png" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Bowser is an evil dragon, king of a turtle species called Koopa. In the movie however...<br />
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Yes, in the film he's basically a human. Ignoring that for a second, Dennis Hopper doesn't do a terrible job with the character. He's subject to being too much of a cartoony antagonist sometimes, but putting aside the fact this is supposed to be Bowser he isn't too bad. The climax has him <a href="http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Features/2009/04/Awesomely%20bad%20movie%20scenes/Screens/part%204/Supermario3--article_image.jpg" target="_blank">turn into a T-Rex</a>, which was cool, but in less than 30 seconds he's reverted to goop. If the Mario Bros. had actually battled him in that form, the film would have at least ended on a high note.<br />
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There are so many bizarre scenes that one thinks the directors just wanted to make <i>their</i> movie with Mario names for the characters. For example, the entire dance scene in the bar has no business in Super Mario. The car chase scene isn't reminiscent about what transpires in the games either. And another thing, the soundtrack. After the promising intro using the classic theme, the film quickly succumbs to boring, generic music. It reuses the same theme for the Brothers over and over, which is quite grating and just feels mindless in comparison to the well-put-together themes of the games.<br />
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Still, there's a reason why I listed it as garbage "as a Mario adaption" above. Putting that to the side for a second, the film doesn't make for a bad watch on a Saturday afternoon with the family. The worst crime a film can commit is be boring, and one thing Super Mario Bros. is not, is boring. There are no scenes that drag on; it's pretty well paced for the most part. This does not mean it resembles anything resembling a good movie. <b><i>The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl</i></b> is a good comparison. That movie is so kid-friendly the writing hurts, but it's still pretty entertaining. Super Mario Bros. is a bizarre movie with some awful writing, but it's too entertaining to put it in the unwatchable category.<br />
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Overall, Super Mario Bros. will always remain a peculiar watch. It unfortunately killed video game adaptions before they even began. The decision for it to be basically its own thing was a truly awful choice. Nobody went to the theater for that, they wanted to see their games come to life. The series is all about adventuring through bright, colorful, and dangerous worlds to save the princess from an an evil dragon. Here it's not even a shadow of that. It was exciting when they finally got their red and green outfits on. Sadly, the scene is basically ruined because in the very next one was the elevator. Most of the stuff in this movie is complete opposite of what Mario is supposed to represent. Still, despite that, the film is entertaining, which the American adaption of <b><i>Godzilla</i></b> from 1998 couldn't even be. (The two are always fun to compare adaption wise.) SMB is an interesting novelty to check out for sure. It's not one of the worst movies of all time as I thought when I saw it all those years ago, but still not anything resembling quality.<br />
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<br />Destroyer14http://www.blogger.com/profile/11315910481120364653noreply@blogger.com1