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k_alby
Reviews
The Dark Knight (2008)
My mind is BLOWN!!!
This was the perfect way to bring a superhero movie to a non superhero world. They made it so that you could believe that this could happen at any time. How do you do that? Well... a couple of aspects were put into place: First, write a wonderful script that explains how everything happens. Bit by bit, nothing left to wander. Also about the script I should say that it helped a lot that a lot of mini-stories were played together so you wouldn't be bored for a second, and you will be very busy following everything that's going on, story-wise, because every bit is important and there are no filler moments. It almost gets to a point were you don't want to blink to miss what's going on. Try not to.
The next aspect, to bring it to play. And in this, we have to take into account that even a good story (and specially a superhero story) could turn out ridiculous if badly developed. Great directing by Nolan leaving you busy at every second of the way, so that when the action wasn't catching your attention (and few moments it wasn't) the character development was, and more times than not, everything was happening at the same time.
The casting was a dangerous part too, and risky, casting Ledger to fill in the shoes of Nicholson, and to everyone's surprise, well.. it has been the best joker ever! and in this influenced the fact that Ledger was strictly prepared for the role and it showed, and the character was fairly better portrayed, in the script, and in action. It was as sick as you'd expect and yet he didn't take himself too seriously, you almost felt like sharing some of the fun he was having. But even so, he wasn't the only one in the spotlight.
In that sense, you can remind yourselves of movies like "Ocean's eleven" or "The Departed" in which everyone played their part and got enough screen time not to make the movie just about one. This movie is about Batman (more so than about Bruce Wayne), it's about Harvey Dent (and he portrays brilliantly the role, one to surely remember), it showed the human side of things, by the hands of Gordon, Rachel Dawes (who is so much better and a refreshing change this time around) and in the hands of all the secondary characters, that cement the whole ensemble.
If you're looking for action sequences, you won't be disappointed either, this movie delivers. You'll find it to be a "slice of life" movie, in an alternate reality that you'll certainly find believable and will identify with. If you look beyond the action and superhero gimmicks you'll also find the deep political critique behind the story, and the struggle that everyone feels, between wrong and right, every character in this movie is faced with the choice, and it's what they choose, that we can all relate to.
It's a must see. I give it a ten.
The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)
Not what you think it is...
OK, maybe I'm not an authority in the X-files, since I didn't follow the series very closely. I do know the story, and everything related and thought I was going to see what happened after the major cliffhanger that was the end of the series. In a nutshell, Mulder has become a hermit of sorts, Scully has become a doctor and has a patient she's obsessed with saving from a terminal disease. An FBI agent goes missing and a priest has visions about it, so the FBI contacts Scully and Mulder to break things down for them. Yet this isn't about aliens, nothing about the plot in the series, but more like an extended Xfiles episode, very very character driven, so fans of the series will enjoy watching Scully and Mulder, now matured (and aged), fighting about the same things, how Mulder's always obsessed with X-related phenomena and yet Scully has an obsession of her own (saving the kid).
You'll find Duchovny very comfortable in his old role, while you'll see that Gillian looks tired in hers, giving the movie an odd touch.
No action sequences, very different from what you expect from the trailer, they make it sound like something of the 12/12/12 mystery is gonna be shown, nothing at all about aliens, it's basically an episode, more so a throw-away episode, not related to the basic plot of the series.
However, as far as movies go, it's entertaining in its own way, the story is a bit shallow, but very character driven. This time, the story doesn't revolve around the X part, so that part is left as secondary, in fact, it's better if you just discard it. It's more about the relationship between Scully and Mulder. If you go with that in mind, and most of all if you're a hard core X-phile, you won't be disappointed. Hopefully we'll be seeing more of the Xfiles, and finally get to the bottom of what happens on 12/12/12.
Shutter (2008)
Please don't watch it!!
It's awful! The story (should there be one if you find it) makes no sense, has no continuity and yet, you manage to always know what's going on, meaning you're never scared or even mildly startled. The cinematography, well, if you like it when one scene cuts violently to begin another, you'll find this OK. The scenes of Japan look beautiful, please focus on that and not on the actual movie. No story, yet totally predictable. Not scary, awful side effects and also superficial, because maybe they could've gone deeper into spirit photography and it would've been more interesting. The performances were not terrible, for actors working with that kind of script. Overall, I know horror films don't offer much these days, but I'm sure you can find a better one.
Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004)
A beautiful film!
When I first watched this film I did so on cable and with no real enthusiasm, since I seemed like it was a Spirited Away rip-off. The view of the film is very similar.
However, I fell in love with the story, more so than I did with Spirited Away, it had a more grown-up aspect to it and it was still as magical as Spirited away.
A story about courage, dealing with what you're given and it's so romantic that keeps you touched all the way through and allows you into the fantastic world that is Howl's Moving Castle.
Maybe not as artistic in the making as Spirited away (although it's very artistic on its own), but I find the story just as beautiful or even more so. The movie looks well, it'll keep you entertained and it's not very long either, not slow-paced at all and simply beautiful to watch.
Saishû heiki kanojo (2002)
the last love song on earth
Well, you'll read a lot of mixed reviews on this anime series. I haven't yet seen the OVA's or specials or movies or whatnot. I simply comment on the series, which i've seen on Spanish dubs (which aren't nearly as bad as English dubs are), and some episodes on JP.
Starts out as a story on Chise and Shuji, high-schoolers in love, except that later on the pilot you realize that Chise's Japan's Ultimate weapon (you don't know why). There is war all around and people being dramatically killed, Chise "wants to help it end".
At the beginning isn't even that big a love story simply because Shuji's character is very insecure about his feelings, and they even break up once. So the anime spins between his loving Chise and trying to protect their love and him not knowing how to handle the war situation.
And the war part, is the saddest. From the fight scenes, to the dialog on it, to how people uninvolved and involved in it die, will make you cry far worse than the love story itself. It'll remind you of movies like "Grave of the fireflies" and that's what's great about the anime. It'll depress you some, but you'll sure to appreciate those parts, even if the "love story" itself gets on your nerves at times. They are, after all, high-schoolers and behave childishly throughout the series, and respond to the war around them in not the sanest of matters.
As for the ending, if you didn't like series like "neon genesis evangelion", stay away from this one, at least in the last episode. Episodes 1 - 12 are touching and sad, and somewhat romantic, but episode 13 will lead you on an evangelion-like abstract quest to realize what really happens and it throws the anime in a totally different direction.
All in all, I for one liked it very much. I could've done with a little less crying from Chise and a better attitude at times from Shuji, but everything else works nicely. I recommend it to those who'll appreciate the action driven war scenes and drama, as told by a high-schooler in love, and his lover's diary.
V for Vendetta (2005)
I was simply amazed
When I first went to see this movie, I wasn't familiar with the "v" novel or anything, and I figured it was an action-packed-two hour and so- movie, that I had to watch because my boyfriend wanted to. The truth is, I never expected it to be first of all, so weird, dark and engaging and to be so character driven. You get everything from this movie. Yes, there are bangs, and they're pretty cool. There's drama, a lot. They keep the story going every minute so you won't get bored. There's a love story and a lot of character development, as you see each character grow with the choices they make. Because in all, it's a movie about choices, and how they can change the course of things.
Natalie Portman is excellent in this movie, one of her best roles to my knowledge, V is flawless, and although the dialog could use a little less "brittish-ism" it does sound kinda funny when they say the colorful things they say.
Finally, it's also a movie that makes you wonder. Places a scenario that is very likely to happen and although the world is fictional, it's portrayed so real, that you walk out of the theater wondering if it'll come to be any time soon. It's definitely a movie to recommend.
Eiga Inuyasha Toki o Koeru Omoi (2001)
Same Inuyasha style on a great movie...
Now i know the main flaw of this movie to some is the fact that is very similar of the series, some may call it a "very long episode". Well, while the plot doesn't differ from the series, you get the chance to explore the relationships between the characters a lot deeper than you're allowed to in the series. The story is similar to the main plot, Naraku's still alive and matters not in this movie. But you get to see a lot of stir between Inuyasha, Kagome and Kikyo, and the animation is much better then the series of course, the sightings are beautiful and some of the scenes really touching. Yes, it may merely appear as a long episode, so those who aren't fan of the series may not appreciate it that much, but all in all (fan as I am) the movie stands on its own, and I truly recommend it to Inuyasha fans and those who simply enjoy a good anime film.
Inuyasha (2000)
I'm seriously addicted to this show..
This show was my first experience with anime (other than the ones I watched as a kid). The love story I follow religiously, and the story is really entertaining. It's an exciting quest that changes each of the characters along the way, they learn their place in life and meet with glimpses of what happiness would be. I can only say, best anime series i've ever seen.
There's a lot of drama involved and you see the characters grow within tragedy and come closer as they fight for a common purpose, to destroy Naraku. They grow stronger and protective of each other, which is interesting to see in a group of people that only met through tragic events. Very funny, very entertaining and mostly I watch for the love story between Inuyasha en Kagome. I give this one a ten.
Shinseiki Evangelion (1995)
The choices you make as you discover your destiny...
OK, aside from the fact that these series will give you a migraine, they give you a believable alternative to the origin of life, and evolution. At the end, you see how our "evolution" according to humans, can only be achieved by our destruction, and merging us into a "whole" life form, seeing as we're imperfect beings. The fate of the world, although planned by a cult-like ensemble of politicians, lies finally in the hands of a neurotic severely depressed 15 year old child, that you dislike from the start and annoys the h*ll out of you (he whines about, well, everything!). But yes, finally it doesn't matter what everyone does to try to sway him in the right direction, he has to make mistakes for himself and, well, destroy the entire human race, to learn that he prefers the world as it is, well, most of us are like that i guess. He then changes his mind and returns to what's left, alone, waiting for the souls of the people he destroyed to be strong enough to choose to come back. Sounds complicated? you have no idea. Finally, you have to melt all of that with scenes that are very disturbing including violence, lots of blood, sexual complications and just a lot of self-searching. While I liked it, I have to say, it's kinda creepy :p.Messes with your head, annoys you, but it's interesting to watch and although it starts as your common apocalypse anime, it soon shows what our true enemies are, each other, but most of all, ourselves. I give it an 8.
Hotaru no haka (1988)
OK, i was depressed for a week
OK, the only thing i can think of to say is that if you're about to see this movie, grab a tissue or something, it is one of the saddest anime or movies for that matter, ever. I surely recommend it, absolutely touching in an exhausting way, you'll cry your heart out get frustrated at the fact that there are a lot of things to be done to prevent the turning of events, and yet all you can do is watch as they happen anyway. Beautiful, without big effects or a lot of anime tech, just simple and sweet. I recommend this to everyone who watches anime movies to be touched by them, this one you won't forget in a while. Well deserved critics, it's a wonderful movie. I give it a ten...