Star Trek: Into Darkness Review

Star Trek is the most popular Science Fiction franchise, aside from Star Wars. It's no surprise that the reboot movie from 2009 did so well. It introduced the series to a whole new generation of fans, plus it somehow managed to be a prequel/alternate timeline for Trekkies. I have quite a few gripes with that obnoxious flick, but I won't deny that it succeeded in being a modern adaption. It's been four years, way overdue for a sequel. In fact, if we're going by two year deals, this should have been the third film. It's just too big of a gap. Was it worth the wait? Directed once again by J.J. Abrams, Into Darkness is not a perfect movie, but definitely better than its predecessor and a step in the right direction for the series.

The story follows James T. Kirk, whom is relieved of his duties after disobeying protocol. This changes when he's put back into the captain's seat to hunt down a Star Fleet traitor by the name of John Harrison. The film opens up with a fast-paced sequence on a planet called Nibiru. The scenery is quite lovely and shows how far special effects have gotten to the point where it can show off an alien planet's beauty. The plot gets going once the assault on the Starfleet commanders happens. Before that two major things happen, Kirk is told he's going back to the Academy and a Starfleet person accepts a deal from Harrison to save his daughter. It's a pretty powerful dynamic when you think about it, the guy blew himself up and the archive building with all the people to save his daughter. It gives the viewer an early impression on just how ruthless Harrison is. But is he the only really good character in the whole thing?

The primary thing I didn't like about the Star Trek reboot was the characters. It looked like Abrams and the team were doing their best to make all of them 'edgy' and 'modern.' Captain Kirk for example was one the most unlikable, arrogant, and obnoxious characters in the last decade. Bones and Scotty brought nothing to the table and Spock was a pale representation of his former self. Thankfully, almost everything wrong there is fixed in the sequel. Kirk (Chris Pine) is arrogant and annoying, but to a much lesser extent. This time we do get the feeling that he genuinely cares about his crew. When he said "I'm sorry" to them, it was one of the most powerful scenes in the movie. Spock (Zachary Quinto) is a highlight, instead of just trying to be a modern take on the classic character, he actually feels like a younger version of the Spock we all know and love. The battle between him and Harrison in the climax was fantastic. And finally, Scotty, Bones, Sulu, and Chekov are all great and actually feel like characters. Even Zoe Saldana as Lieutenant Uhura was pretty solid.

Dr. Carol Marcus got some mild hype in the trailers and such. Alice Eve just did not do quite a believable job. This is one of those cases were eye candy was the primary factor involved. I'm not saying it's Michael Bay bad, but really this character was truly unneeded and added nothing to the table. (To further the eye candy theory, just look at the short scene in the Shuttlecraft with her and Kirk.) Now, let's get on with the main event, the antagonist, John Harrison, or as I like to call him, KHAANN! Abrams and the marketing team did a stellar job hiding the fact that Khan was in this. There were constantly rumors of the egomaniac being in it, but he was hidden until the very end. He's rather different than his previous incarnation which hardcore fans may not like, but I thought he was great. He's definitely villain of the year material, Benedict Cumberbatch was easily the best actor in the whole thing.

One of the greatest parts of the film is the arrival of the USS Vengeance, which is basically a larger, darker version of the Enterprise. The trailers had you believe it was Khan's ship, but it ended up being commanded by Admiral Marcus at first. The second biggest plot twist, (the first obviously about Harrison being Khan) was that the Admiral was a traitor. It's pretty well done since the film has you believe that Khan will actually end up being a misunderstood hero and Marcus the villain. But, it doesn't go that way. First, you really have to admire the Vengeance's design and how it looked in conjunction with the little USS Enterprise. One of the best scenes is when the Enterprise goes into warp and then the Vengeance actually chases them and shoots them out of the warp field. The climax might be disappointing to some since Kirk doesn't get into a fight with Khan, it's Spock. It's definitely disappointing, but the battle between him and the Vulcan was fantastic nonetheless. The soundtrack is pretty solid, no complaints. It was nice to hear a remastered version of the classic theme.

Overall, Into Darkness is an enjoyable second installment in this rebooted series. Kirk is still too arrogant for my taste, but he isn't as grating to watch as the previous film. It's very nice to see the crew having a chemistry that was lacking in the origin, they actually feel like the Star Trek crew we all know and love. John Harrison, or rather Khan, is a fantastic antagonist and easily more memorable than Captain Nero. I look forward to the next installment. (Which hopefully will include antagonists other than the Klingons, because they weren't that impressive here, though their Predator helmets were pretty cool.)

4/5

Powerpuff Girls #1 Review

The Girls are back! Is the first issue a trip down nostalgia lane with a fun story?

Here's the official description from IDW

Citizens of Townsville, fear not! The Powerpuff Girls are back! In this IDW debut issue Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup are back to take down the meanest of the mean and the ugliest of the ugly! Plus, what fiendish secret is Mojo Jojo hiding? The answer is sure to surprise! 

In many ways, The Powerpuff Girls is the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic of yesteryear. A show supposedly aimed at girls, but quickly gained a following from both genders of all ages. It's easy to see why, it has great heroes, action, and the stories are both engaging and funny. It's been many years since the series finale, you can say the franchise has been dead. Leave it to IDW to resurrect it with a brand new comic series. Sadly, it will only be five issues strangely. Perhaps if they sell well enough it could evolve into an ongoing series. So, how does this first issue fare? I haven't had this much nostalgia in awhile.

Troy Little writes...and draws! It's pretty amazing how he handles both duties. The prologue is very appropriate, with the classic "The city of Townsville..." I'm guessing longtime fans will be the primary readers of the book. They, like myself, will hear the narrator and all the sound effects from the show throughout. Little perfectly captures the personalities of the characters. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are as diverse as they are in the show. Mojo Jojo is almost a parody of his former self, realizing that he keeps seeing defeat over and over again. It's an interesting change of pace since like the reader, he realizes it's almost futile to keep trying. There are quite a few jokes throughout, funny stuff such as Mojo talking about working in retail.

The art is perfect. It's almost as if the exact renders were taken from the actual episodes. Some might wish the book had more of a stylistic take, but I personally liked how it's 100% show accurate. Like with the MLP comics, there are lots of covers. Cover A is a pretty solid piece of the girls with a rather depressed looking Mojo. Cover B, C, and D all feature one particular Girl, so fans can pick their favorite. Those three combine to make the fabulous RI. The subscription variant by Stephanie Buscema is the most unique of the bunch and the one to get I'd say. As for store exclusive variants...there are too many awesome ones! I personally like the Hastings cover.

Overall, the Powerpuff Girls are back with a pretty great start to this new series. IDW has worked their magic again with bringing back a great property and giving it life once more. It's fun for everyone, whether you be a longtime fan or a new reader. Young and old alike can pick it up and have a blast, just like the show.

4/5

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Review

When one thinks of Final Fantasy, chances are the seventh game in the series first comes to mind. I recently played through it, and definitely see why it's legendary. The story is unbelievably engaging, especially the struggle with Cloud against Sephiroth. Since then, there have been quite a few things released relating to that particular game. Prequels, ovas, but perhaps the most popular and important of them all is Advent Children. Released in 2005, eight years after the game came out, it acts as a direct sequel, taking place two years after the fall of Meteor. I had seen it a few years ago, but now that I've actually played the game, I've gained a newfound appreciation for it.

The story like anything Final Fantasy related, (well, maybe not the Theatrhythm games) is pretty complex. Remnants of Sephiroth have risen from the Northern Cave and are looking for 'Mother,' aka Jenova. This Geostigma sickness is spreading, affecting especially the children, It'll take a reunion between friends to put an end to it and Sephiroth's revival. That's probably the best way I can summarize it. While obviously not as deep as the game's story, it's a lot to take in. And this is the only minor negative, you can't really appreciate this movie unless you've played the game. I don't suppose that is a negative, but it's definitely made for fans. (Which is also kinda refreshing in a way, since it doesn't bother trying to hook in newcomers and instead throws the player into the World Map once again.)

It's pretty cool to hear all the voices, everyone is pretty much perfect. Cloud is more quiet and passive than even his game-self, but one must expect that after all which has happened between the ending of the game and film. Tifa appears the most out of the group, and is just as cool as her game-self. (Her fight with Loz is one of the highlights.) It takes awhile for Barret, Cid, Yuffie, Cait Smith, and Red XIII to appear. I personally thought it was a blast to see them all in glorious CGI. Vincent, despite being an optional character in the game, has a pretty strong presence. He was definitely a highlight.

The villains until Sephiroth's return are his 'remnants,' Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz. The story doesn't do the best job establishing that they are Sephiroth's remnants. Unless you're really paying attention to every single word being said, you may miss that part. As for they themselves...they're okay. They're more annoying than likable and you can't help but want Sephiroth to come back already throughout since these guys are pretty lackluster. The Turks are surprisingly highlights, being what they were meant to be in the game: funny and likable characters. It was good seeing Rufus and his wanting atonement. I really like how it gave a flashback to when Weapon exploded his base in the game.

The CGI is very good, and looks quite stunning in glorious Blu-ray quality. The fights are fantastic, from Tifa's fight with Loz to Cloud's bout with Sephiroth, this film has some of the best fights you'll find. In the course of two hours, the film manages to squeeze in two major battles, the fight against Bahamut and the one with Sephiroth. Bahamut looks especially fantastic in this CGI rendition, full of power and some personality. The soundtrack is great, with a couple of themes lifted straight from the game. The biggest one is a new version of 'One Winged Angel.' Some parts of the soundtrack I thought could have perhaps been more lifted from the game instead of new themes such as the one with TIfa against Loz. Though, I do love how Loz's ringtone is the winning theme from the game.

Overall, Advent Children is a very nice companion piece/sequel to the legendary Final Fantasy VII. You can't really appreciate or truly comprehend what's happening without having played the game however. (Other than Vincent and Tifa, I don't remember any other characters being referred to by name except maybe Yuffie.) It's not very new-viewer friendly, but in a way it doesn't really matter in the long run since this was made for people that did play the game. It has fantastic CGI fights, the characters are a blast to watch in motion, and it's FF VII. Pick up the Complete Blu-ray edition if you haven't already.

4/5

Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 Review

The End Times, the book of Revelation, is probably the most popular story Christian movies like to portray. From Left Behind to A Thief in the Night, there are many films portraying the end of the world. One of the most interesting is Megiddo. The story is of course identical to many end time movies, but there are quite a few factors making this one stick out. If the book of Revelation was used to become a summer blockbuster, this would be the closest to that. There are faults, but overall it's a very enjoyable watch from beginning to end.

The Omega Code 2 is directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, who has directed many low-budget flicks. He's went on board to say he's not a 'Pentecostal Christian.' I find it interesting that they went with a non-Christian director to direct a Christian movie, many things could go wrong. But, I have no fault with the directing, Trenchard-Smith delivers a rather fun take on the story. The plot follows Alexander Stone and his rise to power. He has a vision of a new world order, and he's going to achieve it one way or the other. His brother David realizes his brother is evil, and will eventually have to make a decision concerning coming to faith.

First off, I really like how the story focuses on Alexander's/The Beast's/the Devil's rise to power. Many end time movies follow a main character, or a small group and their journey to faith while The Beast is a background force. The first 20 minutes of the story devotes its time to focusing on Alexander's early days and shows how the Devil used him as a puppet. It's great, Michael York does a phenomenal job portraying Stone. I have to give credit to the writers for some great pieces of dialogue. My personal favorite is when Stone says, "Television, wonderful invention. It does the work for me!" Stone was definitely a highlight, I would give Michael York and Emmy award.

David, Stone's brother, is technically the protagonist. He succeeds the president after Stone murders the latter. I have no problems with Michael Biehn's portrayal, it's pretty solid. I do think he converted to faith a little too fast, there just wasn't enough build-up. The whole scene in the church I felt could have been handled better. God sending a message to him was good, but having the people and priest turn to him and shouting "Save us!" was kinda strange. Another prominent character is Gabriella, Stone's wife. Her conversion was more fluid and felt more real than David's, her death was handled pretty well.

Now, the main thing I like about Megiddo is that Stone/The Beast actually transforms into his Demonic, Satanic true form. In a pretty awesome scene, he becomes the actual monster. I have never seen an End Times movie where it actually has The Devil reveal his true form, so that was exciting to see. The CGI is surprisingly good, it easily puts all SyFy Original movies to shame. (Which is kinda sad since this was made in 2001 while something like Sharknado is out of modern day.) The entire climax is pretty exciting, though the ending is slightly abrupt. It would have been nice to perhaps get a glimpse of the White Horse and Jesus riding on top of it.

Overall, Megiddo is a really fun take on Revelation. It's not very grim and chooses to be more of an enjoyable ride from start to finish. How many movies have you seen where you get to see the actual Devil in his demonic form? It is not the first end times movie I would recommend to someone however, since it lacks the powerful message of Jesus coming back. There are quite a few other films that symbolize that better. But, it's still one of my personal favorites. It shows that there can be a really good Christian action movie.

4/5

King Kong Escapes Review

King Kong Escapes, like Frankenstein vs. Baragon, was a joint effort between Japan and America. Fresh off his battle with Godzilla, TOHO was eager to use Kong in another feature. This movie is unique in many ways. It has a rather small Japanese presence, since two of the main actors are American and it barely takes place in the city. (In fact, it only takes place in Tokyo in the exciting climax.) This would technically be the fourth ever King Kong movie. It's what you get when Director Ishiro Honda grabs the 1933 classic and remakes it Godzilla style.

The story starts out in a submarine. Two scientists are studying papers of a giant ape, known as the King Kong legend of Mondo Island. They didn't plan on going, but after an iceberg falls on the sub, they're forced to land there. Kong awakens to the screams of a woman about to gulped by a dinosaur called Gorosaurus. Later Kong heads to the city where he'll have to battle his mechanic double built by the evil Dr. Hu, Mechani Kong, Apparently this is based on an old cartoon called The King Kong Show. Not many people are going to know that unless they visit the Wiki. (Now I'm quite interested in that toon.) From the start with Akira Ifukube's familiar theme, you can tell this is going to be a good movie. It has heart, it's fun, and you never feel like you want it to end. It's pretty much everything Peter Jackson's remake wasn't.

The main characters are Commander Carl Nelson, Susan Watson, and Jiro Nomura. The first two are American, while the latter is Japanese portrayed by famous Godzilla actor Akira Takarada. Nelson is portrayed by Rhodes Reason. He's a pretty solid character people will like. The most interesting of the three is definitely Susan, portrayed by Linda Miller. Her child-like voice and demeanor was pretty unique, and sometimes unintentionally funny. (Try to hold back from laughing in when she shouts, "Kong! King Kong!") The relationship between her and the title character is established nicely. Dr. Hu, portrayed by Hideyo Amamoto, is the antagonist. His look is a bit cartoonish, (then again it is based on a cartoon) but he succeeds in being a pretty entertaining villain. One of his highlights is when he shoots down the native. The other 'villain' is Mandame Piranha, portrayed by Mie Hama. (She was in the 007 film, You Only Live Twice.) She is very interesting right from the start, being the true leader but later has a change of heart. She is definitely one of the best characters in the whole thing.

The interesting thing about King Kong is that he's not a villain at all and is very human-like. This being a TOHO kaiju movie, they know how to handle monsters whether they created them or not. Despite being a giant gorilla, Kong expresses great emotion, even more so than the human cast. Suitmation will always be able to show that better than CGI. Admittedly, the Kong suit isn't as good as the one featured in King Kong vs. Godzilla. The factor tying this into the Godzilla-verse is Gorosaurus. TOHO could have gone the easy route and just put in a generic Tyrannosaurus/Allosaurus/V-Rex like all the other Kong movies did, but they made their own monster. (Which then appeared a year in DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.) Gorosaurus just looks good and his 'kangaroo kick is pretty cool. The fight between him and Kong was definitely a highlight. It's a shame he didn't get to do anything after DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.

The main antagonist for King Kong however is Mechani Kong, a robot dublimate. It's a pretty fantastic creation, it looks amazing forty-six years later. The climax in the city with it and Kong was pretty exciting. And also without the Robot Kong it's quite possible we would have never gotten a Mechagodzilla! All of these scenes are accompanied by Akira Ifukube's wonderful soundtrack. One of the themes that plays throughout the film you'll recognize from the early Godzilla movies.

Overall, King Kong Escapes is definitely the most fun Kong movie. With good characters, a classic evil villain, and giant monster/robot fights, it's a must see for any kaiju or Kong fan.

4/5

Frankenstein vs. Baragon Review

The 60's were the golden years for TOHO kaiju films. It gave us some of the all-stars, such as Mothra vs. Godzilla, MONSTER ZERO, and DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. One slightly overlooked film in that era is Frankenstein vs. Baragon. (Known in the US as 'Frankenstein Conquers the World.') Directed by one of the best directors of kaiju films, Ishiro Honda, this vs. movie is a truly unique one. It grabbed an American monster, much like what they did with King Kong Escapes, and turned his story into a Japanese giant monster movie. Its sequel, War of the Gargantuas. is much more well known. This film however is superior in a few ways. It features a great cast, compelling story, and some fantastic monster action.

The story has quite a unique start, with the prologue taking place in Nazi Germany back in 1945, World War II. The heart of Frankenstein, (technically Frankenstein's monster but like always we'll refer to the creature as such) is transported to Japanese hands. It is lost however in the midst of the Hiroshima attack. The heart later grows into a being and as the movie progresses he grows at such an amazing rate, to the point where he himself is nearly the size of Godzilla! It's a necessary thing, because he's going to have to battle an underground monster called Baragon. What I found interesting about the beginning of this movie was the very tiny use of monster scenes. Baragon gets a very small appearance in the first 50 minutes, besides that it's all about Frankenstein's story. In fact, before the climax hits, you're going to think Baragon was just put in to say the movie has a giant monster with no real relation to the story. The final fantastic half hour will change that mentality. The film does such a great job establishing Frankenstein's story that when Baragon shows up it's all the more satisfying. The primary reason why that was so well done is thanks to the cast.

Nick Adams is the main star, portraying Dr. James Bowen. You'll know him from his fan favorite portrayal of Glenn in MONSTER ZERO. Kumi Mizuno also stars, as Dr. Sueko Togami. You'll know her as Miss Namikawa also in MONSTER ZERO. They have such great chemistry together, it's very natural. Interestingly, all this time I thought this movie came out after Monster Zero, but this actually predates it. They must have done such a great job that TOHO wanted them back for the next Godzilla movie. Adams is by far one of the greatest actors of that era. He has sense of likability, authority, and plain cool demeanor throughout. The only line that bothered me was in the final scene when he said, "Perhaps, the best thing would be for him to die. After all, he's only a monster." After Frankenstein delivered Dr. Ken'ichiro Kawaji to him and Miss Togami, you would think he would have said something nicer about him. Mizuno appears to be such a veteran when it comes to acting her role to her best ability. Her motherly nature to Frankenstein was great, it's a shame she wasn't in much kaiju films post Monster Zero.

Baragon is what makes this a kaiju film, and he doesn't disappoint. The simple design is very effective, and I'm not sure making him 'cute' was intended, but it's a nice touch. One of the best scenes is when it focused on a group of chickens then the next scene it shows feathers coming from Baragon's mouth. It's rare that we see kaiju eating other creatures, so that was pretty neat. Overall Baragon is one of TOHO's best classics, it's truly a shame he didn't get to do anything in DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.The climax of the film makes up for Baragon's lack of appearing, The fight is fun and satisfying. It's also unique, since it's basically a giant human battling a dinosaur. All of this is accompanied by Akira Ifukube's wonderful soundtrack.

Overall, Frankenstein vs. Baragon is definitely one of TOHO's best. The story is nicely developed with one of the best climaxes from any giant monster movie. The team of Nick Adams and Kumi Mizuno act beautifully on screen. The International version is the one to watch, only cause of the completely random ending with the giant octopus. This is a definite must-see for any kaiju fan.

5/5

OZ: The Great and Powerful Review

OZ: The Great and Powerful was one of the more interesting films to come out of 2013. Directed by Sam Raimi, (director the Spider-Man trilogy) this movie serves as a prequel to the 1939 classic. The Wizard of OZ is in every sense of the word a true 'classic.' It is considered by many as one of the greatest movies of all time. With its pretty visuals, fun characters, and engaging story, it's a timeless tale. Many wondered if we would ever see a remake. (Not that anyone would ever want it.) Instead, this film took a more interesting route, deciding to tell the story of how the Wizard came to OZ and ultimately became its king. It also showed us how the Wicked Witches came to be. With its pretty visuals and likable characters, The Great and Powerful is a nice little movie for the family on a Saturday afternoon. It's not great however, just mildly entertaining.

The story follows Oscar "OZ" Diggs who gets sucked into a tornado. (Sound familiar?) The tornado brings him to the land of OZ, which is strangely named after him. It turns out there's a prophecy saying a man with the same name as the land will come and slay the Wicked Witch. Things aren't what they seem however, and in the end it'll be up to some tinkers, munchkins, and scarecrows against flying baboon monsters. The film starts out nicely, in black and white and with a smaller aspect ratio. An appropriate start, since that's how the original movie started. It's here that we're introduced to Oscar. The intro was a nice start, but once Diggs lands in OZ is when the true magic begins. But first, the cast.

James Franco (Harry Osborn from the Spider-Man trilogy) plays the title character. The main thing about him is his quirkiness, basically a toned down version of Robert Downy Jr.'s Tony Stark. Yes he's a ladies man from the start. Sure, some of the quirkiness is sometimes funny, but often it's not and it comes off as overacting the role. For example, the most awkward thing is when he lands in OZ. He protects Theodora from the baboons like he's an expert and she's not. Then he's not shocked at all to run into a flying, talking monkey. He takes it all in stride like it's an everyday occurrence, So yes, I definitely think they should have gone with someone else for the main role, or changed the script. Mila Kunis plays Theodora, the lady that becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. She play's the part well, fooling the viewer into thinking she's the good witch. However, the highlight is definitely when she transforms into her familiar green self. The acting is kinda cheesy, but it's appropriate and a nice homage.

Michelle plays the lovely Good Witch. It's interesting since she's a younger version of the one we know from The Wizard. No real complaints. Rachel Weisz plays Evanora, the Wicked Witch of the East. She plays the part really well, with beauty but deceit lurking. The other major characters are quite interesting. We have the little China Girl, whom was definitely one of the best, You can't help but feel very sorry for her in her first scene. Although, she went from broken little girl to having a sassy personality really fast, it was almost too fast. Though her scene in the house is the most touching. Then we have Finley, the flying monkey that becomes OZ's assistant. He's the Donkey to Shrek, the character everyone's going to like from the start. So yeah, the characters are pretty fun but OZ himself lacked that charm.

The land of OZ is a truly magnificent place to behold. Despite its age, the 1939 film's visuals look great. So you could imagine how glorious it would look with today's effects. It looks cartoonishly bright, but that's part of the charm. From the Emerald City to the Dark Forest, the scenery is quite lovely. CGI is abundant, but looks pretty good for the most part. The China Girl for example is amazingly done.There are a few key things I liked. The transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West was fantastic, and the laugh ranks as one of the best. It was also cool how the baboon creatures were portrayed as threats from the start. The climax of the film is pretty exciting. The scene with the scarecrows walking in the fog was really well done. And the scene with OZ's head in the smoke was pretty much his only 5 star acting performance. Danny Elfman composed the soundtrack.  (Who also did the soundtrack for the first two Spider-Man films!) It fits the movie well, there's even a few memorable themes.

Overall, OZ: The Great and Powerful is not really a 'great' movie. It's fun, with its bright scenery and characters. In the end however, it's unremarkable and I can't help but think they could have done a prequel story better with a different direction. For a much better fantasy movie, watch Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

3.5/5