Now, when I rate this 4 out of 5, I'm giving it points as a Yu-Gi-Oh! fan. I grew up on the original series and the card game, so it was just a real treat to get to see all the original voice actors come back to finally do a sequel about 13 years later. It was like stepping into a time-warp, hearing the old music and seeing all of our favorite characters back.
One thing I will say is, the movie is definitely not all about Yugi or his friends. Aigami serves as the movie's lead antagonist, and it's more about his failure to his friends and his eventual consumption of powerful evil, blinded by his own hate. The movie plays it more dramatic and I think it works very well. It's a drastic turn, but the new characters combine nicely with the old.
I'd say if you're a fan of Yu-Gi-Oh! in the slightest, you'll get a lot of fun out of this movie. Lots of great duels and set pieces and it's great to see everyone back again just one more time.
OLD REVIEW:
The second best Godzilla film ever made, right behind the 1954 original. That's quite an accomplishment, but it's Hideaki Anno, so I mean, what did you expect?
Right now, the film is nominated for an astonishing 11 Japan Academy Prizes. It really is one of the most beautiful films I've seen. It's easily my personal favorite film of 2016, just barely ahead of La La Land.
Anno's signature editing and block direction is all throughout this film. His set-up of shots, for example, with electrical poles and train cars framed horizontally, are just so gorgeous, but there are just too many gorgeous ones to list. Godzilla standing in front of a wall of fire, Godzilla blowing non-stop flames out of his mouth while the city around him just collapses, and the final shot with the humanoid creatures coming out of Godzilla's tail gave me nightmares.
But most importantly, I'd like to mention that the reason I rated so high is that it's not a typical monster film. This is an attack on Japan's government and U.S relations. There are plenty of hysterical scenes in this where the Prime Minister and the rest of the senators have to take literally 5 minutes in board room meetings to approve to start firing at the monster. That, and the requirement later on in asking the U.S military for assistance in taking down the monster.
There's also a lot of allusions to the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan. The original 1954 was based off the 1945 atomic bomb droppings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So now, this film has it's own disaster it's based on. Some shots in the movie are exact references to found footage of the tsunami disaster, and Godzilla himself starts out the movie flooding the canals in Tokyo Bay.
Overall, this film is incredible. It's better than the 2014, but in itself, it's a masterpiece. The music by Shiro Sagisu is like a voice from the heavens, and a plea for forgiveness from God. The song "Who Will Know" is actually told from the perspective of Godzilla, telling us he's not just a monster rampaging Japan, but he's a messenger. He's the voice of all the people killed by the incompetence of the Japanese government, and he's here to let them know that.
It's fun, but forgettable, and that really sucks. I want to give it a higher rating.
The second best superhero film of the last twenty years or so, right behind Batman v Superman.
The philosophical questions it asks about being a superhero were pretty ambitious for the time. It makes for a fantastic story about Peter Parker having trouble dealing with his personal life, and his unassigned duty as Spider-Man, something that's expected of him by the people of New York.
It's a great film, especially an action film too. Highly recommended by me, and I'm not much of a fan of superhero stories.
It's not great, but it's the best of the entire saga by far.
They at least TRY to make it interesting by implementing horror and mystery elements. I mean, they don't last long, but I'd say the first hour of the movie is actually good. Once the mystery is over, the movie becomes a little boring. I can see why teens loved the first book.
The music and direction are great. I love the grey rained-out look of Washington, it fits the tone of the film.
As a kaiju monster movie from the studio themselves, Toho Productions, it's a freaking blast.
As an adaptation of the original manga, it's complete bullshit.
With that out of the way, it's a guilty pleasure for me. Since I'm such a geek for monster films, I loved that the titans in this movie were all portrayed with puppets and men in suits. It was like watching a silly Godzilla movie from the 60's, with Eren as a titan jumping in the air and drop-kicking another titan in the face. It's super ridiculous and over-the-top, but it can be really enjoyable if you like that sort of thing.
The story does crawl a bit during the middle, but enough twists are presented to keep you interested. This is not a well-done adaptation. Hell, this isn't really a great story on it's own right. It's a cheesy silly monster movie with barely fleshed out characters.
The music by Shiro Sagisu is also just as a great as he always is. It sounds a little derivative of Evangelion 3.0 at times, but 'Temper The Wind' is easily the best track on the whole album. I'd argue the score is better than the movie.
I haven't gone to SeaWorld or any kind of zoo since seeing this...
I guess it did it's job.
I'll give this movie credit for one thing: It's a fucking blast to watch with some friends at a party. This is the perfect terrible movie to riff and bash for the entire runtime. The acting is some of the worst I've seen, sadly coming from some very talented people. The story is a blatant almost exact copy of The Terminator, and the fucking camera work + editing leaves me at a loss for words. I can't even describe how bad the editing is. You just have to see it for yourself. So, here you go. Enjoy it in all it's glorious shittiness.
The film that reminded me how wonderful musicals can be...
this was before La La Land came out.
"All important films end with a white screen..."
While the LEGO Batman Movie is not as brilliant or clever as the original, The LEGO Movie, it's both charming and surprisingly thought-provoking. This isn't just a great silly kids film, but also a true delve into the character of Batman. This is the first time where the filmmakers actually stop the film to take a minute to talk about who Batman is as a person. In a comedic fashion, we see all his past incarnations (Yes, including the one with bat nipples), but Batman has to decide between two lives. It doesn't even make Batman out to be a villain, they flat-out say he's not the good or bad guy, but instead, troubled. He has to decide between living a life of solitude and anger, or opening up to others and accepting people back into his life.
If you have kids, I highly recommend taking them to see this. Lots of good jokes only adults will get, and plenty of funny awesome action for the little ones.
I got the chance to see the film again, this time without the muddy 3D. Boy, oh boy, did removing the 3D glasses make this movie better. I guess the glasses darkened the picture, because now, in standard 2D, the colors popped even more this time.
Anyways, I still really enjoyed this film. I got the chance to purchase the art book and read through the production. Matt Damon got really involved with the project, spending over 6 months in China to get this dream made into a reality. Quite an interesting read, I recommend picking it up. Lots of gorgeous artwork in it too.
As for this film, this time, I was actually able to focus on the story and dialogue a little bit more this time. The first viewing I was little bit more focused on the visuals. I admit, the script should've gone through just one more rewrite. That, or the film needed an extra 10 minutes added. Some scenes feel a little too short, and the funeral sequence came a little too early with not enough build-up to it. It kind of feels like the studio forced the filmmakers to trim the movie down to less than 2 hours, which I think is a mistake. I was a little more satisfied with the ending this time, but I still wish it was longer.
That's the only thing I can really complain about this movie: I wish it was a longer. I guess that's a good thing, that I want more of it, but that's also a negative. I think if it was a tad longer and some scenes were a little more fleshed out, this could be a GREAT film, and not just VERY GOOD.
I still really liked it and I think it is underrated. If you still haven't seen it, I recommend checking it out. Be sure to read my original review for more on the film.
I just saw the trailer for this before The LEGO Batman movie.
I've never cringed so fucking hard in a cinema.
This has a very big soft-spot in my heart. I saw it when I was still a kid, and I absolutely loved it.
R.I.P. Bill Paxton
"How big is an F5?"
"Finger of God."
This is a great fast-paced and tense action flick. The late Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Dusty and the late Bill Paxton are both fantastic actors in this. Each of the characters have unique and extremely lovable personalities. Their quest to finally be able to study tornadoes accurately is a good enough reason to root for these hilarious scientists.
Please give it a shot. It's full of great practical and digital effects that still hold up years, it has outstanding performances from the entire cast, and some great music from Mark Mancina.
Today, on February 26th, 2017, we say goodbye to "The Extreme." The one, the only, Bill Paxton. I love him so much in everything he's in, but this is the one role that stands out to me the most.
R.I.P. Bill Paxton
Finally getting to see this movie again, I forgot how many good things were in this. I was especially surprised at how convincing the child actors were in their roles. I thought Jim Carrey could be annoying at times, but it's actually not a bad adaptation like everyone makes it out to be. Definitely better than Nickelodeon's other movies based on books.
Ducky > Blane don't @ me
The same guy who did all the Mad Max films made this...
Why?
My personal favorite of the Ghibli films. It's charming, it's adorable, it's magical, it's dramatic, it's heartwarming, and it's beautifully animated. One of the best animated films I've ever seen. Watch it now and you're heart will be filled with joy.
The whole movie, I was just thinking about this video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=40hFDtQLB8c
I'm going to try to vent my opinions on this movie now.
I think this movie frustrated me more than anything. Barry Jenkins did a really outstanding job with the direction. The scene near the beginning with Chiron in the ocean is great. The way the camera bounces up and down with the water was fabulously disorienting and I loved it. A similar example of noticeable camera work was when Kevin enters Chiron's car. The camera is mounted to the car door and the camera moves accordingly when the door is opened. There's good work all around.
Another major positive of the movie was the acting. Everyone did a phenomenal job with the material they had, especially Naomie Harris. She was absolutely perfect as the drug-addicted mother, who eventually winds up in a Rehabilitation center. She gives an outstanding performance at the table with Chiron, as she breaks down and tries to tell him she loves him, to which he just has to respond that he hates her. Mahershala Ali was quite enjoyable, but unfortunately, he wasn't in the movie very long.
I'm not typically interested in films with topics about gays or victims who are resulted from bullying, but I felt obligated to check it out after all the buzz and critical acclaim it was getting. There was a lot going for it and I was having fun with the characters at different points in the story, especially Chiron's classmate Kevin, played by André Holland. However, even with him at the forefront of the third act, I thought the last hour of the movie dragged on way too long. Far too fucking long. I could see exactly where they were going with setup, but they took too long in the diner to execute anything. There's plenty of scenes like it throughout the whole film. Something will be setup, but then not go much anywhere or do anything particularly interesting.
I understand the movie is trying to get across some important messages about life, love, and the struggle of trying to find yourself as a person. But the problem is, while I applaud and definitely see some great scenes in this movie, like Little Chiron sitting alone in the bathtub, there is far too little happening. You can't have a movie that's only themes. You still need interesting scenes to convey your themes. The only parts I really got invested in was Chiron's life in high school. He finally had enough and threw a chair right into the back of his notorious bully, Terrel. It was a chapter of the film I could identify with, we've all gone through rough patches growing up.
I'd like to give this movie a higher rating because it has good material to boast, but while it has some good subject matter behind it, it's far too slow. Not even the impressive direction and performances can make me want to revisit this movie. I could see why some could get sucked up in the world of Chiron's, but I wasn't digging it. Great visual work from Barry Jenkins, but a script re-write was needed.
"Ogata, humans are weak animals. Even if I burn my notes, the secret will still be in my head. Until I die, how can I be sure I won't be forced by someone to make the device again?
"Oh Peace, Oh Light, Return... The prayer for peace that took place all over the country today... Here we see the Tokyo chapter of this event... Listen to the young voices as they put the strength of their lives into their song..."
"I can't believe that Godzilla was the only surviving member of its species... But if we continue conducting nuclear tests... it's possible another Godzilla might appear somewhere in the world again."
This is not a monster movie. This is not a Godzilla movie. This is a post-war horror film. This is a drama masterpiece that displays the horrors of nuclear weapons and the results such weapons have on the planet. Godzilla is a direct symbol of an atomic explosion. Godzilla is our fault. We did this to ourselves, and now we suffer the devastating consequences.
It's such a damn shame, even though I'm loving where the new Godzilla films are going with Kong Vs. Godzilla, we will never get an American Godzilla film this insanely deep or politically important. The closest Godzilla film that's gotten close tone wise to this is Gareth Edwards' masterpiece in 2014 and Anno's 2016's 'Shin Godzilla.' That film was about the horrors of the 2011 tsunami and incompetence of the Japanese government during that event.
The acting is perfect. The script is perfect. The music is perfect. The themes of post-war fear are perfect. It's groundbreaking. It's heartbreaking. It's amazing. It's the original Godzilla.
Good intentions ultimately squandered by a really terrible script. The opening five minutes should've been the entire film. So much effort was put into replicating the house from the original film, and it only lasts on screen for a few minutes. No amount of homages can save this really cliched horror story.
Kevin Costner's reciting of, "Back... and to the left... back... and to left... back... and to the left... back... and to the left... back... and to the left," is now like implanted in my brain.
For a fan film, I couldn't have asked for better. Since I'm a die-hard fan of the Half-Life video games, this was a real treat to watch, both this and Part 1. The acting was a little hokey at times, but what more could you expect? The visuals and presentation are outstanding for a short built off of only $500.
John Goodman's performance in this rivals Jack Nicholson's from "The Shining," I'm not even kidding. Holy fuck, I love John Goodman.
"Do you think... God stays in heaven, because he too lives in fear of what he's created?"
A Spy Kids movie should not get this deep.
"You hear that? That sounds like a bird, but it's not, it's a fucking ant."
I can't get enough of this film.
I love every thing about it. Jordan Vogt-Roberts more than pleasantly surprised me. I will not doubt him in the future.
The set-up, the story, the characters, the set pieces, the direction, the soundtrack, visuals, the colors, the action, just, everything. I don't understand how someone could not love this.
Even though the original 1933 King Kong is still the best film to date, Kong: Skull Island comes close to matching it's brilliance. Many people have to remember that while the 1933 classic was undeniably groundbreaking for it's time and carries a more subdued and personal story of beauty and the beast, the core story of the film is very much basic.
Here's a rundown:
A group of people are brought together for a mission to go to an uncharted island in the south pacific, dubbed Skull Island. They don't know what's there, but decide to head there to finally unravel the mystery behind one of the last unexplored places on Earth. Once they arrive, things go to hell. They meet natives, all sorts of creatures that want to eat them alive, and they encounter a giant destructive ape. The surviving explorers have to survive the horrors of the island and make it off alive in one piece.
Did I just describe King Kong (1933) or Kong: Skull Island (2016)? Eh, they sound similar? Both have different characters, subplots, and completely different tones, but metabolically is the same.
John Goodman is great in any role he's in. His best scene is his monologue towards Sam Jackson's character, Packard. Tom Hiddleston plays a standard mercenary, named James Conrad. He's a badass bar-fighting navigator who's paid to join Monarch's escort mission. Just same the as Goodman, he's great at delivering memorable lines. He reminds me a lot of Indiana Jones. But the emotional core of the film comes from John C. Reilly's character, Marlow. He lands on Skull Island back in World War 2 and is stranded there for over 20 years with a fellow enemy from the war. After the uniforms come off, they practically become brothers. He makes for a good comic relief, but soon takes over the story, as he reveals he has a wife and possible son that he's never met. He's the one you really root for, hoping he makes it off the island alive. I was surprised how deep Packard got as far as a character. He becomes a more tragic villain towards the end, as he slowly grows more and more obsessed with taking down Kong. After witnessing the giant ape take down all of his men, he kind of snaps. He couldn't handle another defeat after Vietnam, or has he says it, "We abandoned the war," and so his sanity was barely hanging on. Very pleasant surprise and Jackson does a great job as always. My favorite line of his is, "Bitch, please!" that he snaps at Brie Larson. Pretty epic shit.
Of course, Kong is just as amazing as ever. They perfected him this time around, the special effects are as good as you can get, on-par with the amazing Peter Jackson version. Before I went into the film, I was worried Kong was just going to become a standard giant monster that you wouldn't be able to relate to or get emotional with, but I was proven dead wrong. When I look at this ape, I see the same Kong I love and grew up with in the 1933 and 2005 versions; he's just a lot bigger here.
Jordon Vogt-Roberts absolutely nails the style of this film. I suppose a lot of the credit could be given to his cinematographer, who also does all the work for Zack Snyder, on films like 300 and Watchmen. But the slow-motion shots of the helicopter blades rotating, sunrise backdrops with Kong in the foreground, and Hideaki Anno style shots are littered all throughout... and it is just glorious. This is one of the most gorgeous films I've ever watched in a theater. The colors just pop out in every shot; every shot is just teaming with detail and beauty. I can't get enough of it. The slow-motion sequence with Tom Hiddleston in the green smoke, the blue and red color contrast in the bar scene, the sunset backdrop with the helicopters flying, the IMAX camera shots of Vietnam mountains, and the final monster battle are all wonderful. I can't list them all, because the entire film is just beautiful. Absolute perfection on a technical level here.
As I said in my previous review, This is the movie Jurassic World wanted to be. It's an epic, funny, loud, explosive, and visually incredible film giving us tons of great character moments and monster action. I absolutely love this.
Bubbles is my senpai. Back off.
You know that power button on your laptop? Yeah, you should try that sometime.
Easily the best of all the Disney musicals. Shallow and a little boring, but innocent. The songs are catchy enough and it's cute. I guess that's all it needs. Not bad, but nothing special.
This movie lied to me. Jet fuel can't melt steel beams.