Tokyo GodFathers: Movie Review #12 New Year's Themed

Review of the Week:

Satoshi's Bums

 



2016 was a year where way too many artists lost their lives. Some of my favorite actors and actresses have died and that has left a massive hole in my heart and everyone else’s. Unfortunately, we’ve lost many other celebrities prior to this god-awful year, Anime fans lost an aspiring icon in 2010, acclaimed director Satoshi Kon. Despite directing only a hand-full of films Kon was instantly recognized for his brilliance, but wasn't able to reach his peak. For today, I’m going to be introducing you one his most beloved works: Tokyo Godfathers.

            It’s Christmas Eve and everyone’s settling down for the holidays, well almost everyone. While everyone’s enjoying the holidays, three homeless people discover an abandoned baby among a pile of trash. The three-homeless people, a transvestite, a washed-out gambler, and a runway, decide to take it upon themselves to find the child’s parents and create a “holiday miracle” before the new year.

            A lot more happens in this film, but I don’t want to go into more detail. This is something you must experience yourself and trust me the journey is worth it. Now, unlike my previous anime reviews, this movie has a more “normal” appearance. There’s no swords, guns, violence (to a certain degree) and not whole lot of questionable material (again, to a certain degree). This movie is much more grounded and this can be a factor in attracting people to this film. A lot of the topics that Tokyo Godfathers discusses is very relatable, the way most of the characters solve their problems are things that the viewer can instantly connect to. It’s reasons like this are why, if people are interested in checking out anime, should definitely check out this film as a gateway into this form of entertainment.

            So, if you’re looking for a film for New Year’s Eve, and a gateway into Anime, then you should watch Tokyo Godfathers.

Final Rating:

Tokyo Godfathers is available on DVD, though not exactly at your local video-store, as far as I can tell, you’ll probably have better luck online. Amazon or E-bay are good places to look if you decide to buy the film, which I highly recommend you do by the way. As alternate movie recommendations, I first point you towards another film by Satoshi Kon, Paprika, if you were a big fan of Christopher Nolan’s Inception, then you should check it out, and lastly, I recommend watching Planes, Trains & Automobiles, it’s a non-traditional holiday film like Godfathers and it’s an amazing movie overall. Are there any other films you would recommend, then let me know in the comments below.

Until Next Time, See You in the New Year…

 

Sword of the Stranger: Movie Review #11

Review of the Week:

Blood & Swords Galore!

 

Sometimes I like to be reminded of why I love a certain thing, an amazing discovery that reignites my interest in something that I already consider fantastic. In recent years, I started watching a different form of entertainment known as Anime. It all started when a friend introduced me to show called Attack on Titan, at first I didn’t know what to expect from it and boy when I saw the first few minutes, I was ABSOULTELY blown away. Since that time, I have seen a wide variety of “inventive” shows, from Fullmetal Alchemist, to Cowboy Bebop and many others. It was and is those types of shows that kept me going, I continue to find unbelievably great shows and a lot of them have shown me what animation is capable of, but to me, none of them come close to the spectacle that is: Sword of the Stranger.

Sword of the Stranger, tells the story of an orphaned boy named Kotaro, and his dog Tobimaru, who are being pursued by assassins under direct orders from the emperor of china. While on the run, the boy runs into a name-less samurai, who soon becomes caught in the affair. It’s through these dire circumstances, that Kotaro enlists the samurai to help escort him to safety.

The plot of the film is fairly simple, but the animation is not. The animation was handled by Studio BONES, the studio most famous for animating the two shows I previously mentioned at the intro. They did good on those and they did a hell of a job in this film. A lot of the animation has such fluidity it’s unbelievable. It's those moments, especially during the final fight, is when BONES’ efforts is shown. As for the decision to listen to it in Japanese, or English, is simple: it doesn’t matter. Both versions are great to listen to and are very satisfying (though go for Japanese, if you bought it from Funimation, you'll find out). Also, the music is some of my favorite in Anime, my personal pick from the soundtrack is Battle Theme, it’s extremely epic (I listened to it repeatedly while making this review and you should too while reading).

Overall, if you’re looking for a simple, but amazing film with super awesome animation, but extremely violent action, then you should definitely check out Sword of the Stranger. Just don’t watch it with kids under 15, they’ll probably get mentally scared from this.

Final Rating:

Sword of the Stranger is available on Blu-Ray, DVD combo, by the fine folks over at Funimation Entertainment, for a reasonable price, you may have better luck on other pages, though it’s still worth buying regardless. It’s also available for legal streaming on their site. Unfortunately, I have no alternate recommendations at this time, but if you have any, feel free to sound off in the comments below.

Until Next Time, Thank A Helping Stranger…

 



Ninja Scroll: Movie Review #10

Review of the Week:

Nineties Ninjas

 

There are a lot of Anime out that have this distinct appearance, a certain aspect that labels them as a product of the time they were released. Ninja Scroll is very much a product of nineties, down to its animation, style and the quality of its English dub. In this movie’s case, it works to its advantage, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it works in all areas.

            Ninja Scroll takes places in a land where supernatural beings and monsters exist, that just happens to look like feudal Japan which justifies some of character designs. Probably the biggest example is the main character, Jubei, who looks like an American who decided to cosplay as a samurai. I should get into the plot before I lose track, in the film, Jubei gets caught in a scrimmage between a league of demonic ninjas and a shogun spy, who forces Jubei to help him out. While getting entangled in this mess, he also runs into a mysterious ninja girl with a deadly secret. I would try to explain the rest of the plot, but it's just too complicated and weird for me.

            While Ninja Scroll is a great standalone film, some of the animation did remind me of another animated film, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. Though this isn’t much of a surprise since both films were animated by Studio Madhouse, this studio is also responsible for famous titles such as Death Note, Black Lagoon and more recently Death Parade. As for the decision to listen to it in either Japanese or English, surprisingly enough I still say English. While the dub is more or less standard, there are some big names in the cast. Some of the names include Wendee Lee (Cowboy Bebop) and even Richard Epcar (Ghost in the Shell). Both of their performances are great and memorable.

            Just want to add some final thoughts before the verdict, one thing people should be aware of is the violence. It’s extremely graphic and there are some depictions of rape as well, so if you decide to watch it: DO NOT watch this in a public place or with family, they’ll probably think something’s wrong with you. Other than that, this movie is a good time, if you’re into ‘90s anime.

Final Rating:

Ninja Scroll is currently available on Blu-Ray and DVD both online and at some local video stores, I found my copy at a Bullmoose store in Salem, NH. I’m not sure if you can watch it on legal streaming, if anyone knows, please do inform me in the comments along with thoughts on the film itself. As for alternate recommendations, I first point you towards another ‘90s anime, Berserk, though the series is only part of a larger story, it’s still worth checking out, lastly, I recommend checking out the film Highlander, while this has a more modern setting, it’s better as a whole and it also has some songs performed by Queen (which is AWESOME).

Until Next Time, Relive the Past…

Escaflowne: Weekly Review #9

Review of the Week:

An Interesting Introduction

 

Anime is a different form of entertainment all together, or least that’s what some people think. It maybe from a different country, but there are plenty of similarities, some more obvious than others. Escaflowne: The Movie, is a great example.

            A high-schooler by the name of Hitomi Kanzaki is transported to the magical, but grim world of Gaea. It is there, she is prophesized as The Winged Goddess, an all-powerful being who will bring life to a massive suit of armor known as Escaflowne. She soon learns being labeled as a goddess, isn’t exactly a good thing. She becomes the target of the Black Dragon Clan, who seek to use her to end Gaea. Among Hitomi’s companions is Van Fanel, the former king of a destroyed country, who’s now a vengeful soul out to kill his brother Folken, who’s responsible for the destruction of Van’s home. Time will tell if Hitomi and Van will either be Gaea’s salvation or annihilation.

            Now, there's something the reader needs to be aware of: this movie serves as both an introduction to newcomers in Anime and to the original show this movie is from. Escaflowne is an adaptation (of sorts) to a ‘90s Anime called The Vision of Escaflowne. This reviewer had the honor of watching the original show prior to viewing the movie itself and there are reasons why the movie should be viewed as an introduction. The focus of Escaflowne is the two main characters, Van and Hitomi, despite being the leads, their developing relationship isn’t explored as much as the original show. Also, major characters from the series are reduced to either supporting or background characters. Not to mention the fact that Escaflowne itself makes brief appearances at the beginning and end of the film. Besides these accusations, there are plenty of things to enjoy about this movie. The action is astounding, backed up by beautiful animation by Studio Sunrise. The violence is a little more brutal in movie than the series, this point is especially clear during the opening sequence.

            Now, when it comes to listening to it in either Japanese or English is a little complicated. There are currently two different English versions, both the movie and series were previously dubbed in the early ‘2000s, but when Funimation (a major Anime distributor) acquired the rights in 2016, they decided to create a completely new English dub. This reviewer can personally say that the Funimation re-dub is MUCH better than the original.

            So, if you’re looking for an action-packed introduction to Anime and to The Vision of Escaflowne, then you should definitely check out this film.

Final Rating:

Escaflowne is available on Blu-Ray and DVD by Funimation Entertainment and is also available for legal streaming on their website in both Japanese and English as long as you’re a subscriber. I highly recommend buying it via other sites, their prices are a bit expensive at the moment. Whether you decide to buy it or not, is up to you. As for alternate movie recommendations, at this time I can only think one and that is the ‘80s cult hit Labyrinth, this one does lack action, but it has David Bowie in it, so it’s worth it (R.I.P. Bowie). Thanks for checking out this review, if you have seen it, do let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below.

Until Next Time, Expand Your World…

Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Weekly Review #8 Thanksgiving Themed

Review of the Week:

Road Trip Gold

Happy Belated Thanksgiving everyone! While this review is past thanksgiving, it’s never too late to post it. For my first holiday review, I’ll be reviewing a comedy classic directed by the genius that is John Hughes: Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

            The film’s plot is nothing special, it’s your average road trip movie, something many people have seen before. But with someone like John Hughes as the director, it’s anything but average. Family man Neil Page (played by Steve Martin) is struggling to get back to his home in Chicago, along the way he meets an estranged fellow by the name of Del Griffith (played by the late John Candy). Through bad and worse, Neil and Del travel cross-country in order to get Neil home.

            This film’s greatest strength are the two leads, Steve Martin and John Candy have the most impeccable chemistry on screen. Most of their interactions are part of what make this a comedy classic, which is saying something considering this from the director of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. What sets this movie apart is the fact that the inner conflict between the two characters is resolved almost near the beginning of the film, this is something not many other movies like this do. With the inner conflict out of the way this makes for more interesting conversations, less time wasted and better comedic timing. The movie also hints at a revelation on one of the characters throughout. When the revelation is revealed along with the end scene, it makes for an emotionally satisfying conclusion.

So, when Thanksgiving comes around the corner, you should definitely pick this one up and watch it with the whole family, it makes for a greater experience.
      
                                                            Final Rating:

 

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is available on Blu-Ray and DVD for a reasonable price, at your local video store and should not be very hard to find. As for alternate movie recommendations, I first point you towards Due Date, it’s a more current road-trip movie starring Robert Downey Jr., and Zack Galifianakis, it may not be as good as PTA, it’s still entertaining regardless, lastly, I recommend checking out Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, it’s an iconic film, which makes it so memorable. That’s all for today feel free to check out the other reviews on this site and do let me know your thoughts on this film down below.

Until Next Time… Be Thankful for Others

Starship Troopers: Weekly Review #7 Veteran's Day Themed

Review of the Week:

Only Dead Bugs Are Good

 

In honor of those who serve in the military, I’d like to commemorate the brave men and women who do their part for the Federation. This is one of the most satirical movies I have ever seen in my life and that’s why I love it so much.

The movie wastes no time and brings you straight into the action. The military Federation is in the middle of a conflict that spans across our galaxy, the enemy: Bugs. Now these aren’t your average insects, not by a long shot. Some are the size of a dinner table, some of them are 8 feet tall and then are some bugs that are the size of four-story buildings! The film centers around a high school kid named Johnny Rico, who has just graduated and decides to join the military just as the dispute with the Bugs starts to intensify. As for the rest of the movie, you’ll have to find out for yourself.

Everyone in this movie is fantastic, hands down. Rico’s played by Casper Van Dien, who’s mostly known for b-movie roles including Python, meanwhile Dina Meyer, who plays Rico’s fellow cadet Dizzy, has made appearances on several famous TV shows like Monk, and Burn Notice, lastly I can’t help but laugh, the movie also stars Neil Patrick Harris as Johnny’s best friend Carl. I think it’s hysterical, the contrast between his performance in this movie and his role as Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother.

The society that the movie establishes may seem fascist, but the way it’s presented and how satirical it can be at times, lets it off the hook in my opinion. It mainly focuses on the pros of what this society brings and how it unifies people, which isn’t a bad thing because again the film plays it as satirical so it doesn’t take itself too seriously and so people don’t get upset over this movie (but I’m sure people will get upset anyway). Besides the fascism, the action in this film is what it has going for it. Seeing a bunch of soldiers in a massive shootout against decently animated CGI alien bugs is pretty sweet.

So, as long as you don’t have a light stomach and totally okay with a satirical fascist society, you should definitely check out Starship Troopers at your earliest convenience.

Final Rating:

Starship Troopers is available on Blu-Ray and DVD at your local video store and you can probably pick it up at good price these days (it honestly shouldn’t be hard to find). As for alternate film recommendations, I first point you towards RoboCop, an '80s film by the same director who did Starship Troopers and lastly I recommend checking out the sci-fi classic Aliens, though it’s a sequel I still say you should check it out because, it’s Aliens (anyone who has seen it, would probably tell you the same thing). That’s all for today, if you have any other thoughts about the film I just reviewed please sound off in the comments below, let me know if you agree or not.

Until Next Time, Hold Your Ground…

Dr. Strange: Weekly Review #6

Review of the Week:

A Journey into The Strange

 

Marvel once again shows off its superiority in bring comic book characters to life on the big screen with its FOURTEENTH installment in their ever-expanding cinematic universe. This film franchise has explored various heroes and villains, some more unique than next, for example, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Thor, Loki, Vision and many others. This time they tackle (HA, right) with the Sorcerer Supreme himself: Doctor Strange.

            Spoiler Alert! This is another origin story, but a visually satisfying origin story. The film centers around an esteemed neuro-surgeon by the name of Stephen Strange who one day loses his hands in a near-fatal car accident (not literally, but close). Now he no longer possesses the ability to firmly operate on his patients and slowly loses confidence in himself and seeks outside help. As his options start to run low, Strange decides to visit a secret temple in Nepal, where certain people might be able to help with his situation. Instead of finding a solution, Strange finds an alternative.

            This movie has THE most impressive cast list I’ve ever seen in a MARVEL film. Probably the greatest casting choice from MARVEL comes in the form of Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) as the title character. He embodies Doctor Strange without any effort whatsoever, basically he was born to play this character. Though I can say the same for everyone else in the movie and all the other MCU* films (*Marvel Cinematic Universe). Another memorable performance for me, was Madds Mikkelsen (Hannibal) as the villain. He just adds this charisma and swag that many of the bad guys in the MCU lacked and not to mention that him and Cumberbatch have some of my favorite interactions between a hero and villain. I will admit, to me, I thought of this film as more of a battle between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to be honest (which is still pretty awesome).

            Visually… good lord! This IS the most visually stunning MARVEL film I have ever seen. Just from the opening scene alone, I could tell a lot of hard work was put into this. While some people have pointed that the visuals are very reminiscent of Inception, that’s not really a bad thing, in fact Doctor Strange takes the visuals from Inception and amplifies them times ten! Another thing the film has going for it is the magic as well. While the magic the character’s use, may seem limited by some fans of the original comic, it does help the film from straying too far from the story and keeps it on point (it still looks cool regardless).

FINAL RATING:

I had the opportunity to watch the film in IMAX 3-D and I can confirm it is worth every single penny. You can get the most out of this movie when it’s on a big screen especially an IMAX screen. I highly recommend watching Dr. Strange while it is still in theaters and available on IMAX, or else it will not be as memorable for you (who knows, maybe it still will be).

Until Next Time, Believe the Unbelievable...