The progression of my face during "dat ending":
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) → (⚆ _ ⚆) → ( ಠ_ಠ) → (ಥ﹏ಥ) → (ಠ▃ಠ) → ┬──┬ ノ( ゜-゜ノ) → (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
I'm still left in shock...
I can't honestly say more about it than that in fear of spoiling it. It was a pretty nice and interesting take on the zombie movie genre and definitely something a little bit different (especially with that ending). Not sure how I feel about the movie as a whole so I'm gonna wait to fully digest it and let the ending settle in before a final rating. Probably a 7/10.
Possibly Shinkai's best work so far, and as a massive fan of both 5cm and Garden of Words I do not say that lightly. The animation is breathtaking as always but some scenes go beyond mere visual splendor and are just mesmerizing. The characters are so fun to be around and you'll find yourself rooting for them and hoping it all works out. I was slightly concerned when I saw the "boob fondling" scene in the trailer but even that becomes a genuinely charming gag throughout the movie, believe it or not!
As to be expected of Shinkai, the film also takes you on a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows and keeps you guessing how it will end until pretty much the last minute.
I cannot recommend this enough.
If you're looking for an action and "turn brain off now" film, just don't watch it and spare us the 6-7 hearts review.
I for one, am very tired from 500$m crap like Indi Day and Marvel's poop. So I was very excited to watch this one.
This one is more like Spielberg's Encounters from the Third Kind. It's more about the characters in the film and the amazing journey they go through. It's mostly about the human behavior that will make you think.
While it's not an End of the World aliens movie like Battle: Los Angeles, it still offers great amount of military presence and plenty of stuff that's going on.
So if you actually want to care about an intelligent movie and use your head - go. Otherwise, go watch an X men.
Highly recommended for some audience 10/10.
2-feb-2017 edit: Just came out on Bluray and I saw it again. Definitely keeping my rating.
Watching again at July-2023, excited towards Dune II : Excellent. Excellent film. So called plot-holes listed here are negligible when the overall product is really thoughtful and masterfully crafted.
[Slightly Spoilerish] Without even having seen David Robert Mitchell previous movie "The Myth of the American Sleepover" I'm quite certain that both movies have some similarities despite the first one not being a horror movie at all. I also think that is one of the main factors when it comes to this film, it doesn't feel like your typical horror movie while still showing off it's influences.
The big bad here is just "It" - a being taking the form of someone known to the victim who is slowly but steadily walking toward it's target. The only way to get rid of it is to have sex with someone else but if whoever is on top of it's list dies it falls back in the chain. Simply put: If you can't deal with it, fuck someone else and better look for someone who can either handle it or has a high chance of passing it on too.
Unlike many teen horror movies the girl who "gets" it and her group of friends are written more realistically and go about it reasonably. Unfortunately it seems that no one in the curse chain was creative enough then despite it being not completely dumb there seem to exist more than enough methods to keep "It" in check.
Nonetheless, it's a solid movie relying more on atmosphere than a body count or jump scares.
I just saw this in theaters on a XD screen (basically IMAX) and this was one intense and wild f'n movie. Heavy emphasis on intense. I'm actually someone who loves 3D movies, rollercoasters, VR, etc. but even I was starting to feel a little queasy during some of the hectic parts of Hardcore Henry (albeit I just ate a ton of Chipotle right before watching it...). While the plot is nonexistent and the characters are just sometimes (batshit) crazy, the action is what sets this apart from any other movie that I've seen and is basically all the movie is. If you thought Mad Max: Fury Road was all action, you haven't seen nothing yet. And once the (dope) action starts, it literally does not stop for the entire 90 mins that the movie is running. You will not get any sort of break whatsoever. So be prepared. I actually wished there were a few more periods of non-action just so I could rest myself (aka not feel sick).
This is a unique viewing experience to say the least and takes the "shaky cam" style to a whole new level. The first person view was even "shakier" than I expected going in but it helps to emphasize and capture the frenetic action/destruction that occurs to all in Henry's path. HH will probably be the closest mainstream "VR-esque" experience that most people will have until later this year with the PSVR or they're lucky enough to have experienced the Occulus Rift or Vive, so it is definitely worth checking out if you are interested in that tech at all. Now if you are a person that gets sick by anything with too much movement, DO NOT WATCH this movie. You will get sick. I can guarantee that.
For those who love action movies and want to see one of the most unique cinematic presentations in a while, you're going to be in for a treat. Just don't eat any Chipotle right before seeing this :P
I finally got around to watching Interstellar after all this time last night and boy... I thought that the movie was just fantastic. I'm kind of baffled at why there is so much hate for the movie. There are maybe a couple of plot holes and inconsistencies here and there while some things go beyond the scope of "believable science" but damn if it isn't one hell of an enjoyable movie.
It's definitely on the long side but I was so engrossed throughout the entire movie that I just didn't care. Great performances by the McCounaghey and Anne Hathaway in this one along with a fantastic soundtrack. Don't listen to all the hate and watch it if you're up for one hell of an adventure (albeit a long one).
Just watched the first movie/ova and this sequel today. I enjoyed this little adventure a lot more than I thought. I'd shouldn't have expected anything less from Trigger. The cast is fantastic and just so lovable. I actually thought this sequel was a bit more fun than the original just due to it having some more substance to it. So Trigger... give me moar!!
Just came back from the first official showing. My mind was officially blown / "awoken". Simply amazing. Best movie experience that I've been to in a long time (ago in a galaxy far, far away). This is what a Star Wars movie is supposed to be like.
The fusion of the new cast and the old was masterfully done and I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie not knowing what was coming next. Adam Driver and Daisey Ridley absolutely stole the show in this one but I honestly ending up loving all the new characters. The only downside is that I have to wait until 2017 & 2019 to complete this "new" adventure. I am contemplating if I should freeze myself in carbonite to shorten the wait...
I may or may not be watching this a few more times in the coming weeks (while doing my little dance)...
http://i.imgur.com/ZN51S64.gif
I came. I saw. I feels'ed.
Goodbye Mushishi. Please come back to my life again at some point.
This movie was just pure Marvel at its best, firing on all cylinders (which means that it was absolutely spectacular). We are set off on one wild journey in a universe that not many other than the more hardcore Marvel Universe fans know of. I wasn't quite sure if this one was going to be as good as it was hyped, but I was gladly proved wrong. While Guardians of the Galaxy doesn't have quite the star power or following of The Avengers (honestly, what does?), I thought that the cast had just as good if not better chemistry during this hell of a raucous adventure. To pull off one of these large cast/group movies is no easy task. Zach Snyder, please take notes for the upcoming Justice League movie (and Batman vs Superman).
The standouts of this movie without a doubt are Chris Pratt (playing Peter Quill) and Bradley Cooper (playing Rocket) but all the characters (even the supporting ones) contribute to the hilarious dialog and tone of this movie. I never thought that I would laugh (and even shed a tear) from hearing the same line, "I am Groot" about 20 different times. Vin Diesel deserves an Oscar nomination for this one :) The humor is so good and ever-present that if I didn't know any better, I would have thought this was a summer comedy. The effects are absolutely stunning and the set pieces are quite original and brilliant.
Go watch GotG in the theaters and support this brilliant freshmen performance from this new generation of Marvel stars because, come on, "they're the Guardians of the Galaxy, bitch." I'm thrilled for this new franchise and where the new expanded universe is heading. Bring on The Avengers 2 and more Thanos!!
Mamoru Hosoda strikes again. In my opinion, this is his best overall work surpassing The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars. As Miyazaki and Ghibli seem to be slowing down a bit, Mamoru Hosoda is ready to take the torch. The concept of wolf children growing up in our world is something that I've never seen, but the themes of acceptance, finding your own path in live, and, of course, a mother's love are what truly hold and elevate this movie. The duality in the development of Yuki and Ame and where they want to end up in this world are the highlights of the film. I can't wait for the dub to be released. Go watch this ASAP.
Well this was definitely better than the first Hobbit film as there was no hour long goblin chase scene. I found the movie to be pretty enjoyable particularly the dynamic scenes between Smaug and Bilbo, and the extended character development of Bilbo and Thorin. The action was great fun although drawn out and unrealistic/ridiculous at times (like all Peter Jackson films). Someone just has to get Peter Jackson a damn editor already. I honestly don't know what other scenes he could possibly add on to a Special Edition version (but I know that he probably has a million). Still, I'll be ready for my final trip back to Middle Earth next year.
I thought that the movie was just alright until the last third where shit just went crazy. Just like Mima, I couldn't tell what was real or not. This was definitely a unique and awesome mindfuck. Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Millennium Actress, Paranoia Agent) is without a doubt a master of the psychological thriller genre. I just wish that he could have gotten the chance to create many more films.
This was a very beautiful and moving film by Makoto Shinkai. As the title suggests, it is a story about a growing separation and the effects it has on childhood sweethearts, Akari and, in particular, Takaki. Even though it was only an hour long, by the end I felt like I was truly feeling the pain and longing that had dominated Takaki's life for so long. I was initially disappointed by the ending (what can I say, I'm a sucker for happy endings) but after rewatching the film, I really appreciated that they didn't go with the cliché finish. Takaki not being reunited with Akari and finally deciding to move on from his past, which till that point held down and ate away at his life, was far more powerful and resonated with the themes of the film. The animation, art and music were beautiful like in all Makoto Shinkai works. I can't think of a better way to spend an hour of my time (except, of course, maybe sending a text to my long forgotten fling).
Sword of the Stranger was definitely an unexpectedly great movie in my opinion. The relationship between Kotaro and Nanashi is developed very well (for a movie) and helps to drive the film forward. I loved the fluid animation and exciting choreography of the action sequences and the music always seemed to fit the mood. The climatic fight/battle-royal at the end was absolutely epic. While the plot was not too original, it served its purpose in getting Nanashi to kick ass and shut many mouths. And I actually liked how the ending was kept open showing how wounded Nanashi was after the battle and that there was no nearby town. I just hope that Nanashi didn't die (although all the hints show that he probably did with this being his last sacrifice).
This was a very well done romance movie and clearly shows that Goro Miyazaki is making strides as a director himself (Tales from Earthsea was just so convoluted). The characters are very nice (though nothing too deep) and the story goes at a nice (although at times slow) pace. The art and music are spectacular as one would expect from a Ghibli film. The only big thing that I'd like to add is to definitely watch this with the English dub. I actually found that it added a lot more to the experience with many extra added lines (there are seriously quite a few monologues/lines that are not in the Japanese version), a better translation and much more natural dialogue versus the Japanese subs (at least the retail Japanese ones that I think that I saw it with). This reminded me a lot of Whisper of Heart although not quite as developed as that classic. Anyway, this is a definite watch for any Ghibli or romance movie fan.
Millennium Actress, which is directed by Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Paprika, Paranoia Agent), is without a doubt his defining masterpiece in my opinion. This movie is a complete directorial tour de force and Kon literally blew my mind away with the editing, style and art that he displays in almost every scene. This is ultimately a biographical story about a young girl chasing after her first true love while becoming a popular Japanese movie actress but it morphs into something much more.
Millennium Actress probably had one of the most unique forms of story telling that I've ever seen in a movie. I loved how Chiyoko's story had a dualistic perspective as Kon seamlessly melds together images and scenes from the story of Chiyoko's own real life and from her famous films (which vary wildly from taking place in the Sengoku period to post-WW2 Japan to outer space). These transitions really add to the feeling and intensity of Chiyoko desperately chasing after and searching for her lost love. And you can't help but fall in love with the passion shown by both the main characters, Chiyoko and Genya. Just as Chiyoko says at the end, it was the "chase" that she truly loved and, by god, this film was one hell of a thrilling chase. This is an absolute must-watch for fans of Kon's other works.
Man. Mind. Blown. This was one epic movie. SHAFT took this in a completely different direction than I originally anticipated. This sequel to the series (technically the movies if you listen to the creators) really delves into our favorite magical characters but the real star of this is Homura without a doubt. I truly realized (after reading explanations online of course) the extent of her pain, suffering and love that she went through in order to "save" Madoka. She truly develops and transforms as a character throughout this movie into someone even I didn't anticipate at all.
The animation, style and action are spectacular as always with this being a SHAFT production. While I thought that the first 30 minutes of the movie were a bit slow, shit immediately got crazy after that. And that ending... You'll have to see it for yourself. There were definitely some pretty confusing parts of this movie but after taking it all in (and some outside guidance), everything really does fit together and creates a fitting sequel to the series. I liken this as the End of Evangelion for the Madoka series. Now, I'm craving for some more magical girls goodness.
I'm not gonna lie. I laughed my ass off during 22 Jump Street (and so did the entire theater). While it might not have been as fresh as the first one, I enjoyed that the movie completely embraced the fact that it was a blatant money-making sequel and it made the movie all the better (essentially the complete opposite of how The Hangover/Crapover 2 handled it). It actually became quite a bit of the running joke and I nearly died during the credits. Hill and Tatum still have that amazing chemistry in this movie that we remember from the original and shared some pretty close and intense moments in their brolationship. This movie posed very real and deep questions that made me question my own bromosexuality and I loved every second of it. Definitely check this out if you enjoyed the first or love comedy.
"Mission Accomplished." ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪
- George W Bush & Sony Pictures
I'm watching this... For FREEDOM!! 'MURICA!!
http://i.imgur.com/4PZuwRl.gif
Just skimmed through most of the movie but, wow, I felt that was even rushed for a recap. I did enjoy the TV series when it first aired so I'm still looking forward to seeing what KyoAni will do with the whole Kuriyama amnesia bit.
"El Psy Kongroo" has finally returned for one last finale (this is the official end to the series) and boy was it worth the wait. As an absolute lover of Steins;Gate (I'm possibly biased), this was a very fulfilling and emotional conclusion to the series and really did a good job of tying up loose ends and plot holes that still existed. As the original Steins;Gate was a story about the journey, struggles and decisions of Okabe through time, this movie gives Makise (one of my favorite tsunderes) a turn to shine and really emphasizes the feelings and conflicts of love that the current Steins;Gate world-line Makise was facing that were only touched upon in the OVA.
The continued development of the romance and the true revealing of feelings between the two time-crossed lovers were a treat, and the creators were able to give a more in-depth explanation of the reading Steiner ability and deja vu effect. I and, more importantly, Makise could also finally understand the pain that the current Okabe was still going through even though he had "saved" everyone which was a critical development in my eyes. I also really liked the difficult struggle between the "scientist" Kurisu and the "woman" Kurisu on the decision of whether to risk saving Okabe against his "wishes". The movie could have maybe touched a bit more on the other characters, but in 90 minutes, the resolution of the story between Makise and Okabe is the most important thing to nail down (and they definitely accomplished that).
It starts a bit slow (as do all Steins;Gate related things) but the emotional pay-off is well worth it in the end. You definitely have to have seen the series and OVA in order to get any of this. I loved the movie and it's a must watch for anyone who has seen Steins;Gate. This is the end that we have all been waiting for so don't delay and watch this immediately. Here's to one final goodbye and "tuturuuuu".
I finished watching the second movie and just... wow. I honestly have no other words.
I love this series. Both movies are bringing back so many awesome memories and overflowing with so much nostalgia. Makes me want to play the game all over again (minus the insane grinding). The story for P3 was definitely than P4 and sooooooooo much darker and it is really showing with this adaptation and in the second movie. I'm getting the feels all over again just watching the movies. Can't forget about the music as well. Goosebumps. Also, Mitsuru (and Yukari for me as well) is just... perfection.
The second movie definitely improved on the first but that may be mostly due to the story getting to the good stuff. The animation quality has been superb and you honestly don't really get the feeling that your watching something replicating a "game" like P4A (other than some of the "big" shadow fights). Events and interactions just seem to flow a lot better and seem "real".
Anyway, I love 'em all. Two more to go. Can't. Wait. And #TeamYukari.
This was a great adaptation to one of my absolute favorite games of all time. It's been a little while since I played the game, but its glory was all starting to come back to me as I was watching this first movie. While I enjoyed P4 as a game more, P3 definitely has a better and darker story which is more suited to an anime adaptation like this. And I think that from the first movie alone, the P3 movies have already shown to be better than P4 the Animation. Also, how can a movie with Mitsuru not be awesome?
I do think that Yuki Makoto (the name of the MC) was a bit too anti-social to start but I guess that it leaves a lot of room for him to develop in the next movies. We were beginning to see glimpses of it in the last quarter of the movie. The visuals were top-notch (much better than in the P4 anime series) and I think that the battles played out pretty well and never got too repetitive. While some may say that too many of the social links were cut, I thought that the creators did a great job with the pacing of the movie and were able to still flesh out the main characters with the little time given without things feeling rushed. And the music... Wow. Shōji Meguro is a based god amongst men. When I started to hear the high school and the dorm theme music, I just about lost it. All I need to hear is "Living with Determination (Iowato Dormitory Arrangement)" and my life will be f'n complete. If you haven't heard it, play the link below on repeat for the next 2 hours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRYSk12SZvw
I am a complete Persona homer so I may overlooked some of the flaws of the movie. Still, I'm completely pumped for the next set of movies and I'm interested if the creators will still go with the same dark ending as in the game (perhaps with FES material added in) or make an anime-original ending. I'm kind of hoping for an original ending just to experience something different but the original ending is epic itself. Anyway, I can't wait for the next movie (and Persona 5!!) to come out and get some more Mitsuru action.
#Persona4eva
Damn, Redline was one epic movie. I can't believe it took me so long to check this out. The animation is out of this world (those 7 years of production did not go to waste) and the whole movie just oozes style. I'm not even a fan of racing but this had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. Also, that OST was just bumpin'. I'm still listening to REDLINE DAY (feat. Rob Laufer) from the credits as we speak (click below). Madhouse can do no wrong.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was such a beautiful movie made by Studio Ghibli and directed by Isao Takahata (of Grave of the Fireflies fame) based upon the famous Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. This is a movie that should truly be considered a "work of art". The classical Japanese art style, which left in sketch lines and seemed to be painted on, took a little getting used to but ended up being spectacular especially with the concluding moon parade sequence. Along with the music and singing, these elements were incredibly immersive and really helped to transport me back to 10th century Japan. The portrayal of all the characters' emotions really stood out to me from the combination of the superb voice acting/singing and vibrant and dynamic art (definitely go with the original Japanese VAs). I could really feel all the pain, suffering and emotions that Kaguya was experiencing throughout the movie. It was just all around top notch work.
The story itself was heart-wrenching (for me at least) and fueled by the emotions of Kaguya. Takahata definitely went with a more somber and emotionally distraught interpretation of this famous tale. As the viewer, you could really feel the love between Kaguya and her parents, but empathize with how they struggled to understand each other at times. At times, I felt so frustrated by Kaguya's father that I just wanted to slap the shit out of him even though he meant the best. I'm also a sucker for happy endings and I definitely got hit by the feels train at the end. That beautifully animated flying sequence when Kaguya and Sutemaru were finally reunited really had me going but then BOOM. And then came "the ending" (I don't want to spoil any of it so you'll just have to watch). I did feel that the story was a little hard to follow and unclear towards the end but this was when we were entering "artistic license" and "rampant symbolism" territory. It was pretty clear that Takahata wanted to leave some things open to the audience's own interpretation.
All in all, an excellent watch and definitely Takahata's best work since Grave of the Fireflies. I recommend watching this with the original Japanese voice actors but the English dub didn't do a bad job either. I hope that Ghibli will continue to take on more eccentric projects like this in the future. I would have definitely loved this movie even more if it had ended on a happier note, but this is how The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter goes. You don't mess with a 1000+ year old classic. Anyway, get out and watch this because you don't come across a piece of "art" like this too often.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was such a beautiful movie made by Studio Ghibli and directed by Isao Takahata (of Grave of the Fireflies fame) based upon the famous Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. This is a movie that should truly be considered a "work of art". The classical Japanese art style, which left in sketch lines and seemed to be painted on, took a little getting used to but ended up being spectacular especially with the concluding moon parade sequence. Along with the music and singing, these elements were incredibly immersive and really helped to transport me back to 10th century Japan. The portrayal of all the characters' emotions really stood out to me from the combination of the superb voice acting/singing and vibrant and dynamic art (definitely go with the original Japanese VAs). I could really feel all the pain, suffering and emotions that Kaguya was experiencing throughout the movie. It was just all around top notch work.
The story itself was heart-wrenching (for me at least) and fueled by the emotions of Kaguya. Takahata definitely went with a more somber and emotionally distraught interpretation of this famous tale. As the viewer, you could really feel the love between Kaguya and her parents, but empathize with how they struggled to understand each other at times. At times, I felt so frustrated by Kaguya's father that I just wanted to slap the shit out of him even though he meant the best. I'm also a sucker for happy endings and I definitely got hit by the feels train at the end. That beautifully animated flying sequence when Kaguya and Sutemaru were finally reunited really had me going but then BOOM. And then came "the ending" (I don't want to spoil any of it so you'll just have to watch). I did feel that the story was a little hard to follow and unclear towards the end but this was when we were entering "artistic license" and "rampant symbolism" territory. It was pretty clear that Takahata wanted to leave some things open to the audience's own interpretation.
All in all, an excellent watch and definitely Takahata's best work since Grave of the Fireflies. I recommend watching this with the original Japanese voice actors but the English dub didn't do a bad job either. I hope that Ghibli will continue to take on more eccentric projects like this in the future. I would have definitely loved this movie even more if it had ended on a happier note, but this is how The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter goes. You don't mess with a 1000+ year old classic. Anyway, get out and watch this because you don't come across a piece of "art" like this too often.
I didn't knew what to expect about this film and at the beginning I thought that it wouldn't be nothing special but then it started to get interesting.
Scenic Route tells the story of two friends who go on a road trip but their car broke down in the middle of desert with no water and no food. In hey start attacking and offending each other about the decisions that they made for their lifes. In despair they start to get totally crazy.
It's a simple story with a stunning desert setting that can keep you entertained but with some flaws, specially about some actions that the characters take, that in my opinion are little bit ridiculous but who knows maybe that's the point, try to show how a human being literally starts to get crazy in the conditions they both were.
Josh Duhamel didn't totally convinced me yet that he really is a good actor but he did a pretty decent job with this role. Dan Fogler also does a good job.
Not perfect but good, with a cool twist at the end.
I expect a trippy experience ;-)
This is how a superman movie should be. Thank god no luther, no bullshit kryptonian island. A fight between kryptonians will result in mass destruction and high casualties. Zack snyder did everything right. Hopefully this will result in a great superman trilogy.
