Okay look, I'm gonna try to articulate myself as best as possible.
Black Lotus is not a bad show, it's a very niche fandom that sprung forth a very niche show. I think yet again we are touching new grounds, as I've never watched or reviewed a 3D anime series before, it's traditionally 2D and that's what I know best. And indeed Black Lotus has been on my radar for a good few months but I didn't know it was 3D from the get go, yet I knew I wanted to watch it. Here's the thing. As a standalone show, it's decent, I liked it, end of story. As an installment of the Blade Runner series, it can't help but fall a bit flat if only due to the fact that it is quite literally sandwiched between Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049, two excellent pieces of fiction that are beautiful and insightful to us as human beings. It's going to be the black sheep by default. Now does that necessarily mean no one should watch it? Not at all, I kept in mind the target audience as I was watching, it premiered on Toonami and Crunchyroll so teenagers and early adults specifically who love anime. And this could very well be their gateway to watching the movies and perhaps reading Philip K. Dick's novel, though at the same time that breeds apprehension in me. Cause the show is action orientated, which could lead people to believe that's what the movies are like which is exactly what happened in 1982 and it could alienate audiences. But let's actually talk about the show now. So our story takes place still in Los Angeles in the year 2032, as we follow a young woman named Elle who has a strong case of amnesia but is incredibly skilled at kicking ass and is out on a revenge mission against a group of high ranking illustrious figures in society. Any cyberpunk story has a strong anti-corporation, down with the rich sentiment, it's a staple of the subculture. So we pretty much get a piecemeal story over 13 episodes of Elle trekking out to assassinate these figureheads as she regains memories and makes a few allies along the way, a lot of inspiration from revenge movies and introspective dramas were taken and it works adequately. I can see people thinking the show is a slog to get through, it is more slow paced akin to the movies and though it is only about 4 hours in total, it may not seem like much is actually accomplished over time. I can tell you right here right now, skip episode 8, you will miss nothing and learn nothing, it is the epitome of a filler episode. So technically it's even shorter. Elle is a neat protagonist, I was pretty onboard with her in her bomb ass jacket and samurai sword cutting bitches, so I was invested enough. Joseph as her partner in crime makes for a good dynamic, and I'm proud of the creators for not having to force a romance, he has his own history and problems that we get but I feel the show could have utilized all the character's backstories far more effectively. We pal around a bit with LAPD officer Davis, I wasn't feeling much for this character and there is some sextuple amounts of bullshit with her at the tail end of this series, you'll know it when you see it trust me. We actually do get a blade runner who at first I thought was K but no Ryan Gosling for us today, and I find that super interesting how we actually see a blade runner as an antagonist for once it's a cool touch. I mean I know the main focus is on Elle, and the other characters aren't (entirely) wasted, and the voice cast isn't bad one bit, but it begs for more fleshing out. And I'm not entirely sure if this has a negative aspect per se, but the 3D animation lends an odd effect on the voice acting and I'm not sure if I can articulate it well. The animation is good, it obviously doesn't have the budget for totally realistic 3D models, but it does have moments of late 90s/early 2000s TV 3D animation. The motion capture utililized works super well during the fight sequences, and the actual backgrounds and environments look damn good in my opinion. But! The animation doesn't have a great range of facial acting, so it can deaden the impact of line reads which is through no fault of the actors, it's just a side effect of a slight uncanny valley minefield the show has to traverse. I can applaud the creators for wanting to go this direction instead of traditional 2D animation but it's a slippery tightrope to balance. Music kinda sucks though I won't lie, not the actual episode score that fits beautifully in with the soundscape of Vangelis and Hans Zimmer, but they use modern vocal songs for the intro, which while the visuals are great I would not in any universe say the theme is Blade Runner in any capacity, and also the outros during the credits and my God is it just not my scene man. I'm not big on modern music in terms of rap/hip hop/R&B or poppy stuff, it just ain't for me but I can appreciate other people liking it. So all in all, it's a mixed bag for sure but I feel it has enough to be a mostly good mixed bag. I give it 2.5 stars, 7/10. More TV next week, I already talked about it a bit ago but screw that we're going in depth season by season so see you then.
Thursday, September 8, 2022
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Tokyo Vice
We're keeping the ball rolling here on Japan.
Again, very similar circumstances brought this show to my attention and I have no problem saying a big draw point to it was Ken Watanabe and seeing Japan set in the 90s. Kinda already burned me first episode that the show takes place at the tail end of the 90s, and really there isn't much evidence throughout to solidify the time period but more on that later. So our story follows american news journalist Jake Adelstein as he gets his first reporting job at a japanese newspaper and fairly quickly gets wind of a loan service connected with several suicides and tries to gather information on that while navigating the workplace environment, the yakuza, and a semi-romantic life. I will say straight up, not a bad premise but I feel even at the end of this season, and a second one has been approved, it does still feel like buildup to the next thing. Nothing big happens except for something one of our main players gets into. It is a show where the first season is setting the board with all the pieces in place before stuff really kicks off. It's also an ensemble cast and while undoubtedly Jake is our main lead, each player has ties to the central conflict of crime bosses in Tokyo. We have Samantha, a direct and no bullshit american who works as a hostess in yakuza controlled businesses. Sato, who is a member of the yakuza and frequently interacts with Jake and Samantha, even forming a kinda sorta love triangle. Katagiri, a Tokyo cop who hasn't ever been bribed and takes Jake under his wing to bust up the crime families and educate him on how the system of law works in Japan. And Eimi, who is Jake's superior and busts his ass frequently to not play detective and simply report but slowly gets involved in the deduction process. So it's this intricately designed web of a story but the good news is it's not difficult to keep up with, each main character has a distinct setting and supporting cast to where you know very quickly who each person is and what aspect of the story is being progressed. And the more I write this out, the more I think it's very Gotham-esque. A first season where things happen here and there but leave the hard hits till the last episode and leaves you more with intrigue than satisfaction for the next season, Katagiri is very much a Jim Gordon character with Jake being a quasi Bruce digging into the seedy underbelly of the city, and each character has a unique setting that further identifies them with many many ties focusing on the center of organized crime families. Cut the ludicrous storylines, case of the week, and budding rogues gallery out of Gotham and you aren't too far off the mark for Tokyo Vice. It didn't grab me as immediately or as strongly as Miss Sherlock but I was willing to see it to the end, it's only 8 episodes each about an hour long, and I thought it was decent. The casting is very solid in my opinion, first thing I've seen of Ansel Elgort since Baby Driver and he is a good lead, and props to the guy for being dedicated enough to learn japanese, which he pulls off effortlessly. Ken is not as prevalent as I would have liked him to be, but the performance is still good though I wish he got more attention in guiding Jake through this minefield of a city and more screentime. Rachel Keller is decent, not at all bashing anybody's acting in this show honestly they are performing everything with a lot of conviction and presence, yet I liked her more when she was a side character and not when she got upgraded to main character status but I blame that more on the plot than the woman herself. Rinko Kikuchi I really liked and while she is the meanest (the smallest that is) player in this ensemble, I really really hope she gets more screentime cause I could tell when I first saw her she was going to be interesting, she was going to have more to her than you think, and we get some of that so I'm looking forward to more of her. Sho Kasamatsu is in my opinion the most interesting in terms of character, he can be very laid back and fun for he is a young man and can be indeed funny, yet he has that anger and violence that would be expected from a gang member but at that same time you can tell it's not quite the life he would want for himself. A familiar character type of a reluctant criminal but done very well. So cast is rock solid, the production values are high but not top of the line which I would expect nothing less of, best intro to a modern series I've seen in a hot minute I mean beautifully styllish and unique, I dig it man. Now onto the time period idiosyncrasies, there isn't a great deal to remind you this show takes place in the 1990s. Now does that necessarily mean I need to see a Pokemon advert in the background, or see someone order a Zima in a bar, or carry around a Walkman on the streets every 5 minutes? Of course not, and you do get bits of 90s tech predominantly more so than any other facet of the decade. You got your mini cassettes, you got your portable phones, you got your VHS tapes, you got your Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, but the show looks like it was made in 2022 for modern times, with that ultra crisp definition of cinematography and admirable production of sets and clothing. Even when it flashes back to 1994 it doesn't do much to illustrate the time period. The show is based on a real reporter and all the shit that went down in his time in Japan in the 90s, but they could have updated the timeframe to present day and it wouldn't have changed a damn thing production wise. There is an art to making things look dated, look legit if it was made in a certain time and place in the world, and I don't get the sense a lot of modern filmmakers know how to achieve such a thing which is a rant for a whole other day. All in all, it's a decent but ultimately average first season, it has some good moments, some intrigue, good characters, but not a lot of story progression just not a whole lot gets accomplished but I figure they can really expand and knock this second season out of the park now that they've got their set up done and squared away to get people settled in this world they are fashioning. 2.5 stars, 7/10, one more show to go and it's not one you would really think to go in tandem with the rest this week.
Again, very similar circumstances brought this show to my attention and I have no problem saying a big draw point to it was Ken Watanabe and seeing Japan set in the 90s. Kinda already burned me first episode that the show takes place at the tail end of the 90s, and really there isn't much evidence throughout to solidify the time period but more on that later. So our story follows american news journalist Jake Adelstein as he gets his first reporting job at a japanese newspaper and fairly quickly gets wind of a loan service connected with several suicides and tries to gather information on that while navigating the workplace environment, the yakuza, and a semi-romantic life. I will say straight up, not a bad premise but I feel even at the end of this season, and a second one has been approved, it does still feel like buildup to the next thing. Nothing big happens except for something one of our main players gets into. It is a show where the first season is setting the board with all the pieces in place before stuff really kicks off. It's also an ensemble cast and while undoubtedly Jake is our main lead, each player has ties to the central conflict of crime bosses in Tokyo. We have Samantha, a direct and no bullshit american who works as a hostess in yakuza controlled businesses. Sato, who is a member of the yakuza and frequently interacts with Jake and Samantha, even forming a kinda sorta love triangle. Katagiri, a Tokyo cop who hasn't ever been bribed and takes Jake under his wing to bust up the crime families and educate him on how the system of law works in Japan. And Eimi, who is Jake's superior and busts his ass frequently to not play detective and simply report but slowly gets involved in the deduction process. So it's this intricately designed web of a story but the good news is it's not difficult to keep up with, each main character has a distinct setting and supporting cast to where you know very quickly who each person is and what aspect of the story is being progressed. And the more I write this out, the more I think it's very Gotham-esque. A first season where things happen here and there but leave the hard hits till the last episode and leaves you more with intrigue than satisfaction for the next season, Katagiri is very much a Jim Gordon character with Jake being a quasi Bruce digging into the seedy underbelly of the city, and each character has a unique setting that further identifies them with many many ties focusing on the center of organized crime families. Cut the ludicrous storylines, case of the week, and budding rogues gallery out of Gotham and you aren't too far off the mark for Tokyo Vice. It didn't grab me as immediately or as strongly as Miss Sherlock but I was willing to see it to the end, it's only 8 episodes each about an hour long, and I thought it was decent. The casting is very solid in my opinion, first thing I've seen of Ansel Elgort since Baby Driver and he is a good lead, and props to the guy for being dedicated enough to learn japanese, which he pulls off effortlessly. Ken is not as prevalent as I would have liked him to be, but the performance is still good though I wish he got more attention in guiding Jake through this minefield of a city and more screentime. Rachel Keller is decent, not at all bashing anybody's acting in this show honestly they are performing everything with a lot of conviction and presence, yet I liked her more when she was a side character and not when she got upgraded to main character status but I blame that more on the plot than the woman herself. Rinko Kikuchi I really liked and while she is the meanest (the smallest that is) player in this ensemble, I really really hope she gets more screentime cause I could tell when I first saw her she was going to be interesting, she was going to have more to her than you think, and we get some of that so I'm looking forward to more of her. Sho Kasamatsu is in my opinion the most interesting in terms of character, he can be very laid back and fun for he is a young man and can be indeed funny, yet he has that anger and violence that would be expected from a gang member but at that same time you can tell it's not quite the life he would want for himself. A familiar character type of a reluctant criminal but done very well. So cast is rock solid, the production values are high but not top of the line which I would expect nothing less of, best intro to a modern series I've seen in a hot minute I mean beautifully styllish and unique, I dig it man. Now onto the time period idiosyncrasies, there isn't a great deal to remind you this show takes place in the 1990s. Now does that necessarily mean I need to see a Pokemon advert in the background, or see someone order a Zima in a bar, or carry around a Walkman on the streets every 5 minutes? Of course not, and you do get bits of 90s tech predominantly more so than any other facet of the decade. You got your mini cassettes, you got your portable phones, you got your VHS tapes, you got your Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, but the show looks like it was made in 2022 for modern times, with that ultra crisp definition of cinematography and admirable production of sets and clothing. Even when it flashes back to 1994 it doesn't do much to illustrate the time period. The show is based on a real reporter and all the shit that went down in his time in Japan in the 90s, but they could have updated the timeframe to present day and it wouldn't have changed a damn thing production wise. There is an art to making things look dated, look legit if it was made in a certain time and place in the world, and I don't get the sense a lot of modern filmmakers know how to achieve such a thing which is a rant for a whole other day. All in all, it's a decent but ultimately average first season, it has some good moments, some intrigue, good characters, but not a lot of story progression just not a whole lot gets accomplished but I figure they can really expand and knock this second season out of the park now that they've got their set up done and squared away to get people settled in this world they are fashioning. 2.5 stars, 7/10, one more show to go and it's not one you would really think to go in tandem with the rest this week.
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Miss Sherlock
I'm so upset.
I'm just gonna say this and I'm at least 99% sure I'm on the level here. I like Miss Sherlock way more than the BBC Sherlock. Yes. And for all 2 of you remaining to read this, hi, hello, welcome, I'm so happy to be back. The worst part about this show beyond points that I will make later is I'm not entirely sure I can describe or justify why I liked it more, strictly on the basis that not everyone is gonna enjoy it the way I do. So let's rewind a bit here, I just got HBO Max and was flipping through every single collection of film and television they had and the second I saw two japanese women in the placeholders for Sherlock and Watson I just had one question, "How is this show going to work?" and the answer is very very well. I mean the show came at quite literally in a post BBC Sherlock world, with the last series debuting in 2017 and this show starts in 2018, so there is nods and tips of the hat toward that series but ultimately does it's entire own thing. So we meet up with Wato who has just returned to Japan and gets sort of blindsided into a murder where she meets a heavily eccentric fashionable lady named Sherlock and ostensibly becomes her roommate helping her crack cases and form a quite cute relationship. And while they do not become romantically involved it took maybe 3 minutes before I was just like, ship it! F***ing ship it!! Why? Why not! And the relationship along with these two main characters got me hooked and it got me hooked fast. I got halfway through the first episode and firmly was ready to charge through all the episodes and see this sucker to the end. I could be here for the next 300 years raving and fawning over our two leads, Yuko Takeuchi is in my opinion a phenomenal and hilarious Sherlock. She seems way more sort of eccentric, on the spectrum, deliberately trolls and takes the piss out of people, not caring for etiquette or sensibility because she's got murders and shit to solve, she's away! And my God is it the most glorious and beautiful thing I have ever witnessed! Still retaining the high functioning mind and alien towards human emotion but undeniably leaving her stamp on the character. 11/10, 12/10, the score just keeps getting higher and I can't stop it! Shihori Kanjiya, okay.....I am certain without doubt or question in mind my heart has been viciously stolen from me, and I am thoroughly okay with that. She is so F***ING CUTE I can't even bear it, so funny and sincere, the way she tries desperately to keep Sherlock focused and polite, heaven and gods above, below, and inbetween, I treasure this lady woman and my heart is hers throughout this series. I quite like how the working partnership between Sherlock and Reimon (Lestrade) is potrayed where Reimon is totally onboard and is very amiable with Sherlock, with her always trusting and relying on the police force and them happy to have her help. Ms. Hatano, what a lovely and polite Mrs. Hudson and even gets wrapped up in a case of her own which is cool. The crimes themselves are not terribly convoluted nor do they borrow from previous adaptations or stories, and the visual style while not nearly as in depth and visually stimulating as the BBC series, still has it's unique way of giving information to the audience. Not much hand holding, but in my experience my detective skills were keeping up incredibly well and there is still plenty a twist to this show that did catch me off guard. Real talk, the end of episode 4 dropped a bomb on me and I was not okay. My teeny-tiny heart can't take it, it's fragile very fragile. By the second episode I had this horrifying epiphany dawn on me and I raised the question, are we gonna see Moriarty and the Reichenbach Fall? Then I was concerned. Heavily. Concerned. Cause I did the research and my findings filled me with much turmoil and depression. The show started in 2018. The show ended in 2018. 8 episodes in total. God...damn it!! Of course I find a new show that I can call all my own and love everything about it, and it is ripped from my arms days after I started it. And yes the ending got me, not in a deep emotional way but I was just so upset that it was over. I don't think I have a criticism to throw at it, it really did charm me so effortlessly and entertained the hell out of me every minute. The best way I can seperate potential fans and people who just won't go for it, our emotional lead next to Sherlock's intellectual lead is called Wato-san as is customary in japanese speech. If you like that and you're okay with that, you're in, you'll love it and it's a trick so nice they did it twice (kinda). If not, there's plenty more to love but it does have that tone. Even with fairly grisly murders the tone is light, very funny, dare I say adorable at times but trust me when I say when it needs to get serious, hit a bit harder, and emotionally invest, it handles it excellently, and I know that just ain't it for everyone but it's not super flowery or silly either. I think this is not only the first live action japanese show I've ever reviewed but the first one I've watched as well, so we are busting open whole new worlds of televised fiction here today. I loved it, I thought it was brilliant, we just got back and I'm already giving a 10/10! 4 stars across the board, check it out man, and we got more business to conduct in the land of the rising sun so tune in tomorrow!
I'm just gonna say this and I'm at least 99% sure I'm on the level here. I like Miss Sherlock way more than the BBC Sherlock. Yes. And for all 2 of you remaining to read this, hi, hello, welcome, I'm so happy to be back. The worst part about this show beyond points that I will make later is I'm not entirely sure I can describe or justify why I liked it more, strictly on the basis that not everyone is gonna enjoy it the way I do. So let's rewind a bit here, I just got HBO Max and was flipping through every single collection of film and television they had and the second I saw two japanese women in the placeholders for Sherlock and Watson I just had one question, "How is this show going to work?" and the answer is very very well. I mean the show came at quite literally in a post BBC Sherlock world, with the last series debuting in 2017 and this show starts in 2018, so there is nods and tips of the hat toward that series but ultimately does it's entire own thing. So we meet up with Wato who has just returned to Japan and gets sort of blindsided into a murder where she meets a heavily eccentric fashionable lady named Sherlock and ostensibly becomes her roommate helping her crack cases and form a quite cute relationship. And while they do not become romantically involved it took maybe 3 minutes before I was just like, ship it! F***ing ship it!! Why? Why not! And the relationship along with these two main characters got me hooked and it got me hooked fast. I got halfway through the first episode and firmly was ready to charge through all the episodes and see this sucker to the end. I could be here for the next 300 years raving and fawning over our two leads, Yuko Takeuchi is in my opinion a phenomenal and hilarious Sherlock. She seems way more sort of eccentric, on the spectrum, deliberately trolls and takes the piss out of people, not caring for etiquette or sensibility because she's got murders and shit to solve, she's away! And my God is it the most glorious and beautiful thing I have ever witnessed! Still retaining the high functioning mind and alien towards human emotion but undeniably leaving her stamp on the character. 11/10, 12/10, the score just keeps getting higher and I can't stop it! Shihori Kanjiya, okay.....I am certain without doubt or question in mind my heart has been viciously stolen from me, and I am thoroughly okay with that. She is so F***ING CUTE I can't even bear it, so funny and sincere, the way she tries desperately to keep Sherlock focused and polite, heaven and gods above, below, and inbetween, I treasure this lady woman and my heart is hers throughout this series. I quite like how the working partnership between Sherlock and Reimon (Lestrade) is potrayed where Reimon is totally onboard and is very amiable with Sherlock, with her always trusting and relying on the police force and them happy to have her help. Ms. Hatano, what a lovely and polite Mrs. Hudson and even gets wrapped up in a case of her own which is cool. The crimes themselves are not terribly convoluted nor do they borrow from previous adaptations or stories, and the visual style while not nearly as in depth and visually stimulating as the BBC series, still has it's unique way of giving information to the audience. Not much hand holding, but in my experience my detective skills were keeping up incredibly well and there is still plenty a twist to this show that did catch me off guard. Real talk, the end of episode 4 dropped a bomb on me and I was not okay. My teeny-tiny heart can't take it, it's fragile very fragile. By the second episode I had this horrifying epiphany dawn on me and I raised the question, are we gonna see Moriarty and the Reichenbach Fall? Then I was concerned. Heavily. Concerned. Cause I did the research and my findings filled me with much turmoil and depression. The show started in 2018. The show ended in 2018. 8 episodes in total. God...damn it!! Of course I find a new show that I can call all my own and love everything about it, and it is ripped from my arms days after I started it. And yes the ending got me, not in a deep emotional way but I was just so upset that it was over. I don't think I have a criticism to throw at it, it really did charm me so effortlessly and entertained the hell out of me every minute. The best way I can seperate potential fans and people who just won't go for it, our emotional lead next to Sherlock's intellectual lead is called Wato-san as is customary in japanese speech. If you like that and you're okay with that, you're in, you'll love it and it's a trick so nice they did it twice (kinda). If not, there's plenty more to love but it does have that tone. Even with fairly grisly murders the tone is light, very funny, dare I say adorable at times but trust me when I say when it needs to get serious, hit a bit harder, and emotionally invest, it handles it excellently, and I know that just ain't it for everyone but it's not super flowery or silly either. I think this is not only the first live action japanese show I've ever reviewed but the first one I've watched as well, so we are busting open whole new worlds of televised fiction here today. I loved it, I thought it was brilliant, we just got back and I'm already giving a 10/10! 4 stars across the board, check it out man, and we got more business to conduct in the land of the rising sun so tune in tomorrow!
Friday, August 5, 2022
BONUS: Lego Star Wars Summer Vacation
I couldn't resist.
That time has dawned once again, another brief departure for me and how serendipitous this released today before I go. I'm not sure if this is my favorite of the Lego Star Wars specials but it's highly possible. Following the vein of the previous specials, Finn has planned a vacation for all his friends aboard a luxury starcruiser and through tales of beloved faces from the past learns about how experiences should be treasured and how close you should keep your friends. And each story has a summer notion tied to it, Obi-Wan helps a rebel pilot infiltrate a birthday barbecue, Vader and The Emperor go to a beach party, and the Solo's go on a family vacation, with the true end of the special dealing with saying goodbye to dear friends as they all go their seperate ways like friends you make and lose during summer break. There's always a tinge of bitter sadness to summer ending for a great deal of people, back to school, loss of cool new friends, experiences felt and memories made, and strangely the special succeeds in that respect. And I gotta tell you man, I was not expecting to walk away from this with a new piece of wisdom I learned from Star Wars, you never know how long a moment will last so enjoy it while you can. Damn. But it's not all bittersweet, the comedy still worked a fair bit for me and you can tell they had writers who were enjoying themselves on this project, and while there isn't much physical slapstick which may defy the Lego staple, the dialogue was effective and I enjoyed it throughout. I was a bit surprised how much star power we got in this, with James Arnold Taylor (who sings and it is frick fraking amazing), Kelly Marie Tran (love you girl), Billy Dee Williams (still smooth as ever), and of course Weird Al Yankovic. I'm kinda upset we didn't get Weird Al canonized in live action but it's fun and great regardless. The animation quality remains consistant, and speaking as someone who just loves the Lego games even beyond Star Wars it's always a treat to see little blocks make jokes. And screw it, I count this as canon. Finn is gonna be a seeker and find more Jedi, Rey is heading to the Unknown Regions to discover more temples, Poe is going to train the next generation of X-Wing pilots, and Rose is going to volunteer around the galaxy, I want to see that! If this is the real cap off for these characters, the last time we'll really see them in anything except novels, I feel it's a sweet and simple enough sendoff that still leaves plenty to the imagination. Favorite segment, just guess. You know my stance on these characters. So yeah, not a bad way to end for about a month and then I'll be back. 3 stars, 7.5/10! We're getting closer to that 1,000th review. Soon will I rest, earned it I have. Twilight is upon me, and soon night must fall. That is the way of things. The way of the Force. Everything ends and it's always sad, but everything starts again and it's always happy. I'll be happy when I come back.
That time has dawned once again, another brief departure for me and how serendipitous this released today before I go. I'm not sure if this is my favorite of the Lego Star Wars specials but it's highly possible. Following the vein of the previous specials, Finn has planned a vacation for all his friends aboard a luxury starcruiser and through tales of beloved faces from the past learns about how experiences should be treasured and how close you should keep your friends. And each story has a summer notion tied to it, Obi-Wan helps a rebel pilot infiltrate a birthday barbecue, Vader and The Emperor go to a beach party, and the Solo's go on a family vacation, with the true end of the special dealing with saying goodbye to dear friends as they all go their seperate ways like friends you make and lose during summer break. There's always a tinge of bitter sadness to summer ending for a great deal of people, back to school, loss of cool new friends, experiences felt and memories made, and strangely the special succeeds in that respect. And I gotta tell you man, I was not expecting to walk away from this with a new piece of wisdom I learned from Star Wars, you never know how long a moment will last so enjoy it while you can. Damn. But it's not all bittersweet, the comedy still worked a fair bit for me and you can tell they had writers who were enjoying themselves on this project, and while there isn't much physical slapstick which may defy the Lego staple, the dialogue was effective and I enjoyed it throughout. I was a bit surprised how much star power we got in this, with James Arnold Taylor (who sings and it is frick fraking amazing), Kelly Marie Tran (love you girl), Billy Dee Williams (still smooth as ever), and of course Weird Al Yankovic. I'm kinda upset we didn't get Weird Al canonized in live action but it's fun and great regardless. The animation quality remains consistant, and speaking as someone who just loves the Lego games even beyond Star Wars it's always a treat to see little blocks make jokes. And screw it, I count this as canon. Finn is gonna be a seeker and find more Jedi, Rey is heading to the Unknown Regions to discover more temples, Poe is going to train the next generation of X-Wing pilots, and Rose is going to volunteer around the galaxy, I want to see that! If this is the real cap off for these characters, the last time we'll really see them in anything except novels, I feel it's a sweet and simple enough sendoff that still leaves plenty to the imagination. Favorite segment, just guess. You know my stance on these characters. So yeah, not a bad way to end for about a month and then I'll be back. 3 stars, 7.5/10! We're getting closer to that 1,000th review. Soon will I rest, earned it I have. Twilight is upon me, and soon night must fall. That is the way of things. The way of the Force. Everything ends and it's always sad, but everything starts again and it's always happy. I'll be happy when I come back.
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Bullet Train
Not my most anticipated movie but it was up there.
Something about the trailers hit me, and I was like oh yeah this is gonna be one of the better films of the year. Didn't disappoint to much all in all and I enjoyed it a good deal. So our story follows a member of an organization who doesn't actually kill people but people certainly die around him, taking a new assignment to retrieve a briefcase from a bullet train in Japan, but there's actual legit assassins on the train who all have their own orders and targets that merge with each other. It's a very complicated case man, a lot of strands to keep straight in the Duder's head this time around but it all ties together at the end so even if you forget a detail the film is polite enough to remind you. Hijinks most certainly ensue. It's not super flashy or different for different's sake in terms of direction and cinematography, focusing more on telling an entertaining and involved story rather than trying to flip the script and break new ground. I can respect that, and the movie does indeed have good shots, choreography, and humor throughout so it's not like it's a generic summer action movie. Though I do have minor quibbles here and there, obviously the movie takes primarily on a train so you don't get the sights of Japan from Tokyo to Kyoto (try saying that three times fast) but you get lots of other bits of the culture. Second, this is zero slam on the actress but Joey King man I hated her character, she's that antagonist who you just want to see meet a grisly end every second and maybe that was just because of my contempt but man I haven't felt hate for a character like that in a minute. Then again if you can get that severe a reaction out of an audience member, sterling performance, like well done madam! Third, this briefcase is purely a McGuffin I understand that and I like how it comes into play near the end, yet it didn't feel entirely pivotal to the plot and it has that Pulp Fiction grab of well what's in it? Nothing interesting I can tell you that, in fact I was expecting some Kill Bill-esque elements in it. No such luck. The cameos were a bit out of nowhere and of course all this bullshit springs from one guy, who I do not like as an actor but find passable as a person, I will try never to review his more popular movies, whose name I may or may not have brought up previously. F***ing guy. So far from perfect, but I'm very happy I saw it and could genuinely see it becoming a cult action hit. Brad Pitt is awesome, like ever since I saw him in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood my appreciation has grown and I love the idea of this reforming agent who doesn't like using guns and is a very open minded, easy going, inner peace kind of guy who can still throw down. Great character! Brian Tyree Henry, such a funny guy, who I can actually believe whacks people, and can pull off those emotional moments. Hiroyuki Sanada is always a joy to see and still rad, who has quite good comedic timing and I hope his fanbase flourishes more after being Scorpion in the newest Mortal Kombat movie. Before I go, just gotta say the funniest part hands doen for me was the anime mascot getting abused. I don't know why but seeing a giant anime catsuit just get punched in the face is just the funniest f***ing thing. Oh my God, you think that might have been some cathartic therapy for people who reeeeally do not like Pikachu or Pokemon? Could be. Overall, it's a solid movie and you can have a good time with it, it strings you along very nicely and never once gets boring or uninteresting. I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10!
Something about the trailers hit me, and I was like oh yeah this is gonna be one of the better films of the year. Didn't disappoint to much all in all and I enjoyed it a good deal. So our story follows a member of an organization who doesn't actually kill people but people certainly die around him, taking a new assignment to retrieve a briefcase from a bullet train in Japan, but there's actual legit assassins on the train who all have their own orders and targets that merge with each other. It's a very complicated case man, a lot of strands to keep straight in the Duder's head this time around but it all ties together at the end so even if you forget a detail the film is polite enough to remind you. Hijinks most certainly ensue. It's not super flashy or different for different's sake in terms of direction and cinematography, focusing more on telling an entertaining and involved story rather than trying to flip the script and break new ground. I can respect that, and the movie does indeed have good shots, choreography, and humor throughout so it's not like it's a generic summer action movie. Though I do have minor quibbles here and there, obviously the movie takes primarily on a train so you don't get the sights of Japan from Tokyo to Kyoto (try saying that three times fast) but you get lots of other bits of the culture. Second, this is zero slam on the actress but Joey King man I hated her character, she's that antagonist who you just want to see meet a grisly end every second and maybe that was just because of my contempt but man I haven't felt hate for a character like that in a minute. Then again if you can get that severe a reaction out of an audience member, sterling performance, like well done madam! Third, this briefcase is purely a McGuffin I understand that and I like how it comes into play near the end, yet it didn't feel entirely pivotal to the plot and it has that Pulp Fiction grab of well what's in it? Nothing interesting I can tell you that, in fact I was expecting some Kill Bill-esque elements in it. No such luck. The cameos were a bit out of nowhere and of course all this bullshit springs from one guy, who I do not like as an actor but find passable as a person, I will try never to review his more popular movies, whose name I may or may not have brought up previously. F***ing guy. So far from perfect, but I'm very happy I saw it and could genuinely see it becoming a cult action hit. Brad Pitt is awesome, like ever since I saw him in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood my appreciation has grown and I love the idea of this reforming agent who doesn't like using guns and is a very open minded, easy going, inner peace kind of guy who can still throw down. Great character! Brian Tyree Henry, such a funny guy, who I can actually believe whacks people, and can pull off those emotional moments. Hiroyuki Sanada is always a joy to see and still rad, who has quite good comedic timing and I hope his fanbase flourishes more after being Scorpion in the newest Mortal Kombat movie. Before I go, just gotta say the funniest part hands doen for me was the anime mascot getting abused. I don't know why but seeing a giant anime catsuit just get punched in the face is just the funniest f***ing thing. Oh my God, you think that might have been some cathartic therapy for people who reeeeally do not like Pikachu or Pokemon? Could be. Overall, it's a solid movie and you can have a good time with it, it strings you along very nicely and never once gets boring or uninteresting. I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10!
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Hard Boiled
Alright I'll admit, it was pretty awesome.
Hard Boiled has been on my radar since probably 2008, and now that I've finally seen it I can appreciate it that much more. It's not as off the wall over the top as Crank but still illicited strong vocal reactions from me and I really loved it. The plot involves two police officers, one undercover and one putting pressure on the outside to bring down a weapons magnate and crime lord. Very simple plot but the execution is what makes it work so well. The movie had me hook, line, and sinker before the 10 minute mark, the fact alone the movie was about a cop who offtimes as a jazz musician is enough for me to pay pre-screening prices to see this movie. I've just never seen that in a movie before, and the soundtrack itself is very jazz/blues mix with some damn good action beats which reminded me of a combination of Blade Runner and Cowboy Bebop. Awesome. And once again, for reasons unbeknownst even to myself I friggin' love asian cinema around this time period, the movie was released in 1992 which hits that sweet spot for me, if a movie was made in Japan or China from the span of 1984 to 1998 I'm there. The action, ho mah gawd. It's insane, but with many recognizable cliches which I enjoy a great deal. More henchmen than you can shake a stick at, guns that never have to reload, good use of slow-mo, guys flying through plate glass windows, it's not a realistic movie but who says action has to be? Chow Yun-Fat is needless to say a great lead, flawless in his action man status but very funny and has the range to play up emotional states. At first I thought Tony Chieu-Wai Yeung was going to play an undercover cop torn between being an officer of the law and right hand man of a crime boss, but he's a good guy but has to do some bad stuff and that's a real good character dynamic. He hits the emotional scenes much more than Chow has to and I thought was mighty good. Teresa Mo what a class act, she was friggin' brilliant, at first being a comedic relief cutie pie but at that climax hell to the yeah. Speaking of climax, that 3 minute shot that everyone raves about is well deserved. They have this running gunfight through the hallways of a hospital, no edits, no trick photography, expertly timed choreography and gun effects, for almost 3 minutes. Pretty impressive I must say. The stuntwork and effects involved throughout must be commended, cause you really got to know what you are doing to make it all seamless and they by God do it. I read that they used legit guns and not prop weapons, and about 100,000 squibs and I'm not sure how many squibs were used in The Wild Bunch which supposedly was more than actual bullets used in the Mexican Revolution but it was a lot. Maybe not one of the more flowery written action movies or bloodiest even, but it was a treat to see this movie and I loved it from start to finish. 4 stars, 8.5/10, and Bullet Train is speeding onwards tomorrow.
Hard Boiled has been on my radar since probably 2008, and now that I've finally seen it I can appreciate it that much more. It's not as off the wall over the top as Crank but still illicited strong vocal reactions from me and I really loved it. The plot involves two police officers, one undercover and one putting pressure on the outside to bring down a weapons magnate and crime lord. Very simple plot but the execution is what makes it work so well. The movie had me hook, line, and sinker before the 10 minute mark, the fact alone the movie was about a cop who offtimes as a jazz musician is enough for me to pay pre-screening prices to see this movie. I've just never seen that in a movie before, and the soundtrack itself is very jazz/blues mix with some damn good action beats which reminded me of a combination of Blade Runner and Cowboy Bebop. Awesome. And once again, for reasons unbeknownst even to myself I friggin' love asian cinema around this time period, the movie was released in 1992 which hits that sweet spot for me, if a movie was made in Japan or China from the span of 1984 to 1998 I'm there. The action, ho mah gawd. It's insane, but with many recognizable cliches which I enjoy a great deal. More henchmen than you can shake a stick at, guns that never have to reload, good use of slow-mo, guys flying through plate glass windows, it's not a realistic movie but who says action has to be? Chow Yun-Fat is needless to say a great lead, flawless in his action man status but very funny and has the range to play up emotional states. At first I thought Tony Chieu-Wai Yeung was going to play an undercover cop torn between being an officer of the law and right hand man of a crime boss, but he's a good guy but has to do some bad stuff and that's a real good character dynamic. He hits the emotional scenes much more than Chow has to and I thought was mighty good. Teresa Mo what a class act, she was friggin' brilliant, at first being a comedic relief cutie pie but at that climax hell to the yeah. Speaking of climax, that 3 minute shot that everyone raves about is well deserved. They have this running gunfight through the hallways of a hospital, no edits, no trick photography, expertly timed choreography and gun effects, for almost 3 minutes. Pretty impressive I must say. The stuntwork and effects involved throughout must be commended, cause you really got to know what you are doing to make it all seamless and they by God do it. I read that they used legit guns and not prop weapons, and about 100,000 squibs and I'm not sure how many squibs were used in The Wild Bunch which supposedly was more than actual bullets used in the Mexican Revolution but it was a lot. Maybe not one of the more flowery written action movies or bloodiest even, but it was a treat to see this movie and I loved it from start to finish. 4 stars, 8.5/10, and Bullet Train is speeding onwards tomorrow.
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Crank
What the shit was that?
I'm honestly speechless. It's been a minute since I've seen an action movie this batshit, it's kind of incredible to behold from start to finish. So the basic story is an assassin named Chev, played by Jason Statham before he got super famous, is injected with a virus known only as "the chinese shit" that will kill him in one hour, but the man has stuff to do, places to be, and people to kill and quickly finds out if he keeps his adrenaline pumping constantly it won't kill him as fast. So it's like if Speed was a human body instead of a bus, and the movie kicks off almost from the word go. Terrific opening by the way, this movie sold me with Quiet Riot and a 80s arcade machine style title card, and I...I don't know what else I can say. The movie itself is shot like it just did four lines of cocaine and chugged 12 energy drinks, with lots of handheld running shots which thankfully aren't shaky, slick as hell editing, dramatic zooms and camera sweeps, the cinematography itself exudes energy, frantic speed, and an accelerating heart rate. I don't fully know what the definition of an exploitation movie is but this almost seems to fit the bill, fully warranting the R rating with lots of balls to the wall action, sex and nudity, and language. But what's great is it's just so over the top, pass 11 and goes to a 12 that you can't help but laugh at the insanity. Sure, do some cocaine off a gross bathroom floor, go for it and rail your girlfriend in a public crowd, yeah let's go wreck shit and chug Red Bull, so much happens you kinda are left reeling throughout. But that's the fun of it. Our main character isn't a great guy by any stretch, he's a bit of an asshole to more than just the people who poisoned him and pulls some hardcore dick moves but Jason makes it work. I never had any opinion on the guy but after seeing this I can understand why he gained a lot of popularity through the years. Amy Smart is kind of a mess, but an insanely cute hilarious mess that adds to the chaos and yet can bring the film down periodically for a slow more intimate scene. Jose Pablo Cantillo is an assssshooooole in this movie but hot damn does he play it well, that perfect villain you just enjoy hating to the max. We got two surprise cameos in this movie, Efren Ramirez plays a small supporting role and it's wild seeing Pedro in this, but yet again motherf***ing Sam Witwer pops up again clear out of the blue as a rando henchmen I don't even think he has a line but you can bet your sweet sainted mother I lost my shit something fierce seeing him near the end. Hell I could almost argue he plays a big role in how the climax resolves, just like Maul you never expect him but he'll shank you before the end. Mental action, surprisingly funny, a complete mindmelting crazy movie but done much better than you would think. What do I even rate it? In terms of entertainment I'd give it a 9, in terms of story and technicals I'd give it a solid 7.5, soooo I'll give it 4 stars, 8/10, and tomorrow we're going foreign action with one of the cornerstones of the genre.
I'm honestly speechless. It's been a minute since I've seen an action movie this batshit, it's kind of incredible to behold from start to finish. So the basic story is an assassin named Chev, played by Jason Statham before he got super famous, is injected with a virus known only as "the chinese shit" that will kill him in one hour, but the man has stuff to do, places to be, and people to kill and quickly finds out if he keeps his adrenaline pumping constantly it won't kill him as fast. So it's like if Speed was a human body instead of a bus, and the movie kicks off almost from the word go. Terrific opening by the way, this movie sold me with Quiet Riot and a 80s arcade machine style title card, and I...I don't know what else I can say. The movie itself is shot like it just did four lines of cocaine and chugged 12 energy drinks, with lots of handheld running shots which thankfully aren't shaky, slick as hell editing, dramatic zooms and camera sweeps, the cinematography itself exudes energy, frantic speed, and an accelerating heart rate. I don't fully know what the definition of an exploitation movie is but this almost seems to fit the bill, fully warranting the R rating with lots of balls to the wall action, sex and nudity, and language. But what's great is it's just so over the top, pass 11 and goes to a 12 that you can't help but laugh at the insanity. Sure, do some cocaine off a gross bathroom floor, go for it and rail your girlfriend in a public crowd, yeah let's go wreck shit and chug Red Bull, so much happens you kinda are left reeling throughout. But that's the fun of it. Our main character isn't a great guy by any stretch, he's a bit of an asshole to more than just the people who poisoned him and pulls some hardcore dick moves but Jason makes it work. I never had any opinion on the guy but after seeing this I can understand why he gained a lot of popularity through the years. Amy Smart is kind of a mess, but an insanely cute hilarious mess that adds to the chaos and yet can bring the film down periodically for a slow more intimate scene. Jose Pablo Cantillo is an assssshooooole in this movie but hot damn does he play it well, that perfect villain you just enjoy hating to the max. We got two surprise cameos in this movie, Efren Ramirez plays a small supporting role and it's wild seeing Pedro in this, but yet again motherf***ing Sam Witwer pops up again clear out of the blue as a rando henchmen I don't even think he has a line but you can bet your sweet sainted mother I lost my shit something fierce seeing him near the end. Hell I could almost argue he plays a big role in how the climax resolves, just like Maul you never expect him but he'll shank you before the end. Mental action, surprisingly funny, a complete mindmelting crazy movie but done much better than you would think. What do I even rate it? In terms of entertainment I'd give it a 9, in terms of story and technicals I'd give it a solid 7.5, soooo I'll give it 4 stars, 8/10, and tomorrow we're going foreign action with one of the cornerstones of the genre.
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