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Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidorâ: Daikaijû sôkôgeki (2001)
Definitely, the best Godzilla film after the 1954 original! Maybe BETTER!!!
Finally!!! Toho Studios redeemed themselves for all the cheesy and low budget Godzilla films they have made (and for the not-so-good, Godzilla 2000 film)! Godzilla, thanks to director Kaneko, returns to his original roots as mankind's greatest nightmare, following the events of the original movie and discarding all the others.
I hope Godzilla fans will forgive my comment (I 'm also a Godzilla fan) but it was about time that a movie which we can be proud of is finally here! What is really amazing is that it's plot is actually very well-written, with some amazingly clever twists (the way they finally destroy Godzilla is probably one of the greatest ideas in a Kaiju film!) the story actually makes sense, the actors (even the...extras) are amazingly... amazing in their roles, they are characters that you can care for them.
In this movie we don't see neither silly kids, no aliens, no crazy scientists or anything else that was - unfortunately - the cheesy formula for many years in Godzilla Films. The directing is superb with some shots never before seen in such a film.
Need to say anything about the music? Just think that I don't really like electronic music and I LOVED the soundtrack which is full of that kind of music! Of course there is also some orchestrated pieces, from the great Akira Ifukube (R.I.P 1914 - 2006) in the right places.
And now... for the parts that made some of the fans "hate" the movie.
OK, Godzilla is REALLY different in this movie, he is portrayed totally unsympathetic... a psychotic killing machine with a twisted soul... and that's what he really is! I never liked the happy - campy Godzilla who finishes his opponents with karate chops, or the "poor nuclear victim of radiation" scenario. The victims are ourselves and Godzilla is our punishment.
Another thing is King Ghidorah. I really didn't know how to feel about the ultimate villain in the series to become one of earth's guardians but once you see the whole movie and how the story progresses and deals with this matter you will probably forget all previous Ghidorahs and pray for him to finally kill that bastard Godzilla.
Yeap. That's how you're gonna feel about Godzilla in this movie. You will truly want him to finally die!
There are so many more things I can say about it but I don't want to spoil too much because it's better to go see it and discover the magic of this movie. You will collect your jaw from the floor once the end credits roll.
Sometimes I wish there was a sequel to it (the ending scene is quite promising) but maybe it's better to leave it as it is, it's too difficult to come up with something of equal quality in the story department.Godzilla sequels have that tendency to add aliens, and other weird story lines... (a robot made of Godzilla's bones? Ghidorah destroyed Venus? Xilians? Monster Islands? Godzilla Junior!!?)I am not saying the old movies are complete rubbish... but they cannot stand next to the original and it's legacy.
The most original and beautifully made Godzilla movie in the last 50 years, "Godzilla, Mothra and king Ghidorah Giant Monsters All - Out Attack" is what I consider the true and only sequel to Ishiro Honda's Godzilla (the 1954 masterpiece)!
It's only big flaw: That big bad title!!!
Pembalasan Rambu (1985)
The most brilliant B-Movie in history!!!!!!
(warning, some spoilers ahead!!! :-D )
First there was Orson Welles with "Citizen Kane". Then there was Akira Kurosawa with "Yojimbo" and "Seven Samurai". Although these films are considered... let's say, "good" they really can't stand a chance to this masterpiece. directors can learn many things from Jopi Burnama's "The intruder" a.k.a "Rambu". It's a giant step towards a new way of thinking. Jopi Burnama is a revolutionary director and his way of storytelling is ahead of our time.
Alex Tarambuan (Rambu) is an unemployed bum who fights evil crime lord John White who killed our hero's wife. Seems pretty lame right? Ideed IT IS! But it's the little details that make this movie shine. How many times will you see a stuntman getting himself killed about 6-7 times in a scene? (it's a guy wearing a white hat near the final battle!)
Another scene depicts a dancer inside a box/pyramid/something like that, taking off her clothes and throwing them back at the audience (even though she is inside a box with closed doors!)
There are many Easter Eggs in this movie, I will not spoil them all, it's more fun to discover it on your own. However there is a scene I MUST describe it. The FLY. The most innovating aspect is definitely the (uncredited) fly walking around Rambu's lips and face in the "beach scene". No other actor but Peter O'Brian (whom I actually admire, no one ever made me laugh and feel that way as he did) would agree to do this. I really believe it wasn't a blooper in the film, Jopi Burnama would never do such a thing!
As many other reviewers say, you have to see it to believe it. It's true. The acting, the dialog, the wonderfully bad music score - it all blends perfectly - and when we get to see Rambu's SUPER ROUND THING -TENNIS BALL-WHATEVER (or is it an orange?) striking it's master's enemies and then returning to his hands... Ladies and Gentlemen we have a masterpiece. Rambu knows no fear, he is here to destroy with a steel rod, our dinner dinner table, to snatch whips from cruel gangsters, to climb like spider-man on skyscrapers, to shoot a (obviously painted) missile... to scream like a maniac while shooting on walls.
I think Ed Wood would be proud. Though it's not his kind of movies (vampire Rambu would be awesome) I think the Intruder proves how much we need B-Movies... "B" for "BAD". And Rambu is a BAD MOVIE. But so hilarious, so unintentionally funny. It takes itself so seriously, especially the scenes where we get to see Rambu's grimaces, his fury, his twisted mind when he tries to kill poor (murderous minion) Charlie.
However I am impressed that this movie was rediscovered only now. I had seen this many years ago and I was deeply moved by it. I bet every kid would like to be Rambu and run with his Super-Bulletproof-Three-Wheeled-Vehicle (which I call the RAMBU-MOBILE). I thought this movie would be at the top in every movie - list in the world by now.
I am glad that this movie today finally gets the recognition it deserves. For years we had to live with lower-quality movies like Rambo, Kickboxer, Ninja Demon massacre, Apocalypse Now, Ran and Blade Runner... It's time for a REAL movie with a REAL plot.
So, is this worth watching.? Of course! It will make you laugh. You will like it even if it's not your favourite genre. The Intruder is a cult - classic.
Thank you Jopi for making this movie. Thank you Peter for participating in this difficult task of bringing Rambu to life. hank you all you who worked so hard to bring us such a magnificent piece of film - making.
Corny dialogs + awful story + horrible music + mediocre direction = The greatest B-Movie in cinema history. Don't miss it. There are many other things I could say about it, I could talk about it for hours, even days, trying to understand the deepest meaning and moral of this movie. But words cannot describe such accomplishment.
See it. It will forever stay in your heart
10/10
Azumanga daiô (2002)
One of the best Anime Shows ever!
Now, this is what I've been waiting for! An anime series without spells, heartless villains and destroyed world. Not that I don't like these either but it was about time to watch a simple, beautiful and amazingly funny story like Azumanga Daioh. There is no plot in this show, instead we get to see the everyday life of six girls with different characters throughout their three high-school years. Sounds boring but believe me, it's not. It's so funny, it's so weird and surreal at times, it's possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen. The voice cast fits perfectly (I prefer the Japanese voices, they are so much cuter!) and it has one of the greatest music scores I 've heard. Really, the music is so unique and distinctive, cheerful harmonicas and flutes, setting a great mood. it's also very touching and sweet at certain episodes. From all the characters I would say Osaka is the best, she will make you laugh hard with her weird personality.
I really hope more anime series like this will come in the near future.
definitely 10/10
The Swan Princess (1994)
This is NOT Swan Lake...
I believe this movie was a waste of time. It's not a bad movie on itself and the animation is not bad either...The problem is that it is based on Swan Lake. However it has nothing that resembles that (except the swan). It's an insult to remove that beautiful music by Tchaikovski and put Disney-like songs! It's awful! The characters look like a bunch of silly teens and the story is more funny than it should be. Well, it's a cartoon for kids but this doesn't mean that it has to be silly. No kid has ever been harmed by drama. It's Swan Lake not Nightmare on Elm Street! I suggest you better skip this one and watch the other animated movie instead. It's simply titled "Swan Lake".
Sekai meisaku dôwa: Hakuchô no mizûmi (1981)
Everyone should see this!
Swan Lake is one of the most beautiful anime movies ever made. It's really romantic and the music (by Tchaikovski of course!) fits perfectly to the whole story. The animation is not THAT poor. Consider that it was released in 1978 they did a marvellous work. And the theme of "true love" is presented in the most beautiful and wonderful way! Definitely a movie everyone should see including your kids. This is the way cartoons have to be.
Hannibal (2001)
A really great movie!
I can't understand why many people criticised Hannibal and said that it was awful. I saw the movie and I believe it was great! I think the direction was absolutely perfect. It is different than Silence of the lambs but that does not mean that Hannibal is a bad movie. I believe it is one of the best movies of the year. Hopkins was perfect as Hannibal! A real psycho! You must see it!