Ladies & gentlemen, today, we are going to to begin the review of an action movie franchise that began twenty years ago, in honor of a certain sequel getting released in theaters around the end of June. Not only that, but today’s film that we’ll be talking about seemed to be one of actor Vin Diesel’s, and maybe even Paul Walker’s main big breaks in the movie industry. Not to mention that this movie, and it’s sequels seemed to pique people’s interest in cars, and how they work more. Please correct me, if I’m wrong on that, though. Anyway, presenting the one, and only, 2001’s The Fast & The Furious.
Plot: An LAPD officer named Brian O’ Connor (Paul Walker) is sent to investigate an incident, where cars were stolen by a gang of car hijackers. Will he be able to find the people who did this, and bring them to justice?
Right off the bat, 2001’s The Fast & The Furious is a very good action film, no doubt. However, whether it be released by Universal Pictures, or any other company, I don’t think it’s quite one of the best action movies out there. Oh, it’s still fun to watch. That, I won’t deny. However, there are some areas where this film could have been a little better. First of all, the film can sometimes act like a 007/James Bond film wannabe. Okay, maybe that’s going a little too far. However, something tells me that there are some minor similarities between the James Bond films, and the Fast & The Furious films somewhere along the way. Again, I hope to be wrong this time. Anyway, even if this is an action movie, it seems to act like one in that genre, with some MTV elements added to it. This especially true in terms of how there are some scenes that can come close to being a little too sensual for a PG-13 rated film. There also seems to be a little too much bad language in this film too. Now yes, I understand that PG-13 movies had a lot of cuss words back then, and that that is the case for today. Still, I can’t help but wonder if this film could have easily border-lined being an R-rated film, or at least come close to that. Either way, let’s be glad that it wasn’t worse, eh? Well, not to mention that this was directed by Rob Cohen, who just five years before, directed the fantasy film Dragonheart. Strange, that he goes from directing a more innocent, and more family friendly film to a somewhat more inappropriate movie like The Fast & The Furious! Very interesting, indeed!
But is this action movie bad? No! Far from it! Yes, this film can be a little too inappropriate for kids even around 13, or even slightly older. Still, at least The Fast & The Furious does educate the viewer on how there are gangs in the world, that there are gangs, and that there are things called race wars. Not to mention that the movie also teaches people that you can’t always trust everyone that you meet in life. What’s more is that even if a couple of the characters can be a little bland, they generally stand out. Truth be told is that it’s partially because some of the characters can be complex, and/or complicated that they are well developed in the end. Plus, even in live-action action films, it’s almost like most of those films seem to divide the characters into good ones, and the bad ones. Well, yes, the movie of course has both it’s heroes, and it’s villains. However, there also seem to be those characters that can look like villains, but seem to instead be misunderstood nice people. It honestly makes us be more compassionate, and sympathetic, rather than just loving to hate their guts, you know? The music by BT is also good, and helps set the mood throughout the film. Next, there are the visual effects. Oh man! Let me just say that the early 2000s seemed to serve as proof that movies were beginning to improve with their visual effects. This is especially true, due to the picture quality being better, the film editing being an improvement, and things like that. Well, obviously, this film wouldn’t be the only proof of that, seeing as we would have films like the Lord Of The Rings trilogy that would come out sometime after movies like this one. Oh, and another thing! This movie does a really good job of portraying what life is like when working in the police business. Obviously, movies like this, or shows like 24 that has main characters working as FBI agents serve as proof that people should definitely think critically before deciding to go into a business like those. Finally, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, along with the rest of the cast pull off their roles surprisingly well.
And that’s my review for The Fast & The Furious! In the end, do I recommend that you see this film? Yes! This time, I would say that parents especially should make some conditions first. One is that parents need to make sure that their kids are well educated on gangs, race wars, and the dangers of selling cars to others illegally. Also, kids need to have a strong foundation in Christ. That is especially since there is some sensuality that may be a little inappropriate especially for younger ones. With all that in mind, people should definitely see this film, and enjoy the racing, the action, and relating to some of the characters.
Good evening everyone! Today, we are going to be talking about Mortal Kombat once again. This time, however, we will be talking about the reboot that was released in theaters last month. The one, and only, Mortal Kombat (2021)
Plot: When it turns out that a realm, known as Outworld, has defeated Earthrealm (basically Earth) in nine out of ten matches of a competition called Mortal Kombat, sorceror Shang Tsung (Chin Han) sets out to score his tenth, and final victory. But can a descendant of the legendary Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada) by the name of Cole Young (Lewis Tan), Ali by with a group of other fighters rise up, and defeat Shang, and his evil army once and for all?
Okay, this may not be quite perfect. However, this 2021 remake of the 1995 Mortal Kombat film is most definitely an improvement in about every way from the 1995 film. First of all, of course there’s the obvious, the CGI effects, as well as designs of the non-human characters being much more better looking this time around. Oh, and there’s the music by Benjamin Wallfisch. Now, don’t get me wrong! The score from the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie was also fairly good. However, whether it was due to having a more musical advancement, better technology in the world of music, or something along those lines, the score in this movie also seems to be a vast improvement as well. There is also the characters. Oh, wow! I mentioned in my review for the other Mortal Kombat movie that those characters seemed to be a little too bland, and one-dimensional, yes? Well, I’m proud to say that that is not the case for the characters in this version. Sure, there may have been one, or two characters that were just okay. However, other than those, these characters are much more well-written. You really care for most of them, and you seem to understand what a good majority of them are going through. The movie also takes some really interesting creative liberties at different points of the film. In fact, you may be surprised by what kinds of liberties they take as you watch this film. What’s more is that this film ends up avoiding certain cliches that have seemed to be fairly common in movies in the past. Well, definitely another reason to enjoy this film, eh? Oh, and another thing! For the most, the the story seems to be more better paced, and helps take time to flesh out the characters a little more.
But even in spite of all these good things, the film falls short in a few areas. For one, even though most of the story is well paced, there are some time, where it may feel a little rushed. This especially seems to be the case with the beginning of the film, and some of the middle, and maybe even towards the end of the film. Second, with one, or two of the characters, some of their motivations could feel a little confusing, and possibly even shocking to the audience. Lastly, there were a couple elements in this Mortal Kombat movie that could have most likely been elaborated on, and explained a little more than they were in the end.
And that’s my review for 2021’s Mortal Kombat. Even if it’s not quite perfect, it’s definitely much more watchable than say the first Mortal Kombat in 1995, and possibly even it’s sequel that was released a couple years later. It’s story is much more well done, has better characters that are more likable, and memorable, and has a much more engaging story. Even if you didn’t like the original Mortal Kombat movie, I would recommend that you still give this version a chance anyway. You would be surprised by how much more enjoyable it is this time around.
Good evening, everyone! Sorry for being absent from movie reviewing for a couple weeks. I’ve just been crazy busy with other activities, and things like that. So yeah, great to be back again for another session. Today, in honor of the newer Mortal Kombat film being released, we are going to talk about the very one that came out in the 1990s, 1995, as a matter of fact. Based on the video game of the same name, the movie is Mortal Kombat.
Plot: When an evil sorcerer named Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) from place called Outworld makes his plans to take over Earthrealm (basically Earth), three fighters named Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Liu Kang (played by Bridgette Wilson, Linden Ashby, and Robin Shou attempt to challenge him, and his evil army in a tournament, known as Mortal Kombat. Will they be able to defeat Tsung, and his evil army, and prevent them from conquering, and destroying Earth once and for all?
Well, for a movie company like New Line Cinemas, or any other film company to make a film that’s based on a video game, they definitely did try as hard as possible to make this film good. Is this film great? Not quite. Well, there are some good things in this film, no doubt. First off, there is some really great action. When you watch this film, you can tell that the movie makers were paying close attention to nearly every detail of how the game worked, such as how the people move about, the way that people fight in the game, and things like that. George S. Clinton also does a cool job with the music. It’s interesting how he not only compare his score in this film, but also does this unique thing of incorporating things like rap music along the way too. It’s also fascinating to see how the world building of Mortal Kombat works, and how situations need to be handled from time to time.
However, while these are good things, the film is at least okay. Here’s the deal. There are the good things without a doubt. Still, the characters don’t seem to stand out all that much. Sure you care for them in a sense. Even so, the main characters seem to feel a little dull, and bland. Because of this, you don’t seem to care about them all that much. Yeah, the villain might be the closest thing to memorable, but that may be it. Oh, and there’s the CGI. Oh man, the CGI didn’t seem to age all that well. Sure, this film was released back in the 1990s. So yeah, that’s a good example of how technology didn’t seem to improve quite yet.
And that’s my review for 1995’s Mortal Kombat. It’s not a bad film per se. However, after you watch this film, you can likely tell that this film may have been somewhat ahead of it’s time. But hey, if this was one of the very first times for a movie to be based off a video game, besides the live-action Super Mario film, then I guess all the more reason to realize that you can’t get stories fully right the first time around, eh? And hey, at least other films that would be released later on that were based on video games would improve in story telling with films like Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time, or movies like those. Well, still, this is a film that can be a fun watch if you want to watch even a decent action film On Demand.
In the beginning of 2020, there was a plan for Disney to release Disney/Pixar’s Soul in the summer of that year, and Disney’s 59th animated feature in November of that same year. By March 2020, however, a dangerous virus began to plague America, and movies began either shifting their theatrical release dates to a different date, or going straight to streaming. Long story, short, even if Disney/Pixar had intended to release Soul around Thanksgiving of that year, they instead decided to release it straight to Disney+. With Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios 59th animated feature, however, it was a different story. In that case, they decided to release it in early March of this year, both in theaters, and on Disney+, with $30 Premiere Access until June of this year, when it’s apparently supposed to be free to watch on there then. This film that we’re covering, and reviewing today, surprisingly happened to be one of my most anticipated films for this year, along with In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and maybe even The Matrix 4. Go figure! Well, presenting to you all, my review of Disney’s 59th animated feature, Raya & The Last Dragon!
Plot: Set in the mythical Southeast Asian kingdom of Kumundra, people start off living in peace, and harmony with each other. But one day, evil spirits, known as the Druun, begin to wreak havoc upon the land, and cause chaos, and division among the people, to the point of Kumundra being divided into different kingdoms. But all the dragons of this kingdom, who are known to bring water, and life into the world, sacrifice themselves to destroy the Druun. That is all except one remaining dragon, and the gem piece that provides hope for the dragons to possibly return one day. 500 years later, a young girl named Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), and her father, Benja (Daniel Dae Kim) invite the people of the different kingdoms to come, and make a peace agreement between each other. This does not go well, however, as some of the other people discover the remaining gem piece, fight for it, and break it, causing the Druun to return, the people of each kingdom stealing one of the gem pieces for themselves, and Benja instructing Raya to find the last dragon, having to sacrifice himself by throwing Raya in water, and her having to escape from the Druun (as those creatures cannot tolerate water). Now, with the help of her pal Tuk Tuk (voiced by Alan Tudyk, and is a combination of armadillo, and pill bug in this film), will Raya, Tuk Tuk, and some new friends that they meet along the way, be able to find the last dragon, and gather the broken gems of the kingdoms, and defeat the Druun, and maybe bring back the dragons into the world once and for all?
Now, after seeing this trailer online in the fall, and then seeing the trailer on some movies in theaters a couple months later, I was really hoping that this film would not have had to go straight to Disney+ like Disney/Pixar’s Soul did. In fact, I hoped that it’s March release date would be kept, whatever that took. So, was it worth putting this film in theaters in the end? Most definitely! I mean even if this film had to go to both theaters, and Disney+ with $30 Premiere Access simultaneously, then at least people have the opportunity to see this film either way. Truthfully, though, Raya & The Last Dragon is one of those films that is a better experience on the big screen in theaters. First of all, this Disney film deserves credit with it’s animation. Raya & The Last Dragon serves as a prime example of how far animation, especially from Disney, has come in more recent years. Take films like Zootopia, Moana, or even Frozen, and Big Hero 6. All of those Disney films seem to have some of the most crisp, and best of the best animation that could be offered. Quite honestly, if Walt Disney himself had lived to be around 100-120 years old, or shortly after, and approved of films like this one, Zootopia, Moana, or even ones from the 1990s like The Lion King, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, and Tarzan, one could guarantee that he probably would have been proud of how far animation has come for this company. I would say the same would go for some of the more engaging stories that have come out over the past twenty to thirty years. Oh, and that’s another thing. The story for Raya & The Last Dragon is not only engaging for the audience, but also very unique, and not typically something that one would hear about being written for a Disney film. Sure, one could possibly detect minor similarities with films like say 1982’s non-Disney film, The Last Unicorn, when it comes to certain elements of this film. However, because this film goes in a whole new direction, and makes as much of a unique story as possible, it doesn’t detract from how fun, and creative this Disney film is. Oh, and the story seems to take a more mature route than many other Disney films, while still keeping that family friendly attitude as well. At times, it’s almost like you have a more family friendly version of martial arts movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Fearless, the Indiana Jones films, or even the Tomb Raider movies, but with the magic of Disney mixed in. Additionally, the characters are very engaging. I wonder if part of that might be that there didn’t seem to be as many characters to focus on here as there may have been in say 2001’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Yes, even most of those characters seem to stand out too. However, in that film, some of the side characters, along with the villain sidekick, could have maybe been developed more, but weren’t because of it being only 90 minutes long, while this film is between 100-110 minutes long. So I guess the lesson learned is that the longer the movie is, the more likely characters are to be more memorable? You got me! Also, Raya, and Sisu have some great chemistry with their friendship. Sisu even has some hilarious moments, and makes this film even more entertaining. Now, would I go so far as to say that Sisu’s comedy is as great as say the Genie’s from 1992’s Aladdin? No! Still, that doesn’t make Sisu any less likable. As for Namaari, she is definitely a great villain. As for Raya herself, she’s really likable too. In fact, she should get a chance in the Disney Princess lineup sooner, or later. She’s strong, brave, and courageous. She may be like someone like Moana, but that doesn’t keep her from having her own personal touch as well. That should make her even more memorable. Oh, and let’s not forget the cast of this film. Yes, you do have a cast that’s mostly Asian, like with Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Lucille Soong, Awkwafina, and some of those. Still, it’s cool to have a few American actors mixed in like Kelly Marie Tran, and Alan Tudyk. Wow, I can’t believe how much Alan Tudyk has seems to be well associated with Disney Animation over the past decade, almost. I mean with him playing King Candy in Wreck-It-Ralph, Duke Of Weselton in Frozen, Duke Weaselton in Zootopia, Hei Hei the chicken in Moana, and now Tuk Tuk in Raya & The Last Dragon, it’s cool to see him well known in Disney Animation. Should he have a possible break somewhere along the way? Well, that’s his, and Disney’s call, I suppose. Next, there is the score from James Newton Howard. Wow, after he had been absent from at least Disney Animation for nearly twenty years, who would have guessed that Disney would hire him back on to finally score for a Disney animated film again? Not only does his score make the film, and the soundtrack for this film even more memorable, but it’s almost like he seems to sort of change his style with how he composes music. I mean when you watch lesser known Disney films that James Newton Howard scored in like 2000’s Dinosaur, 2001’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and 2002’s Treasure Planet, and then watch 2021’s Raya & The Last Dragon, there’s no doubt that you can still sense that James Newton Howard making the touches on the music for this film. However, I think the trio of Disney films from the early to mid-2000s would be jealous, because Howard seems to have added more instruments to his music this time around, when it’s come to this film. That’s all that I will say for the music, as there are surprisingly no songs for this film, except for a song that’s sung during the end credits, called “Lead The Way,” by Jhene Aiko. Who would have guessed that after Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire had gone that route twenty years ago, Raya & The Last Dragon would take that route now too? The only difference is that it seemed to work a a little better this time around, either because of the longer running time than Atlantis, or some other reason. Next, there is the world building. Now, if you liked the world building in say 2016’s Zootopia, chances are you’ll probably like the world building for here, in 2021’s Raya & The Last Dragon as well. Sure, we may have gotten to spend a little more time in the different worlds in Zootopia than with the ones here in Raya & The Last Dragon. However, since we do get to spend enough time in the worlds of this film anyway, one shouldn’t worry about docking points for that. Oh, and another thing! Much like Disney films like 1994’s The Lion King, and 2016’s Moana, 2021’s Raya & The Last Dragon may have some New Age things in it. However, though that may be the case, Raya & The Last Dragon does surprisingly have some really good Christian symbolism in it, and has some elements that could be taken from a Christian perspective. For instance, there’s the whole deal about the dragons possibly symbolizing God, the Heavenly Angels, and all the is good in the world, while the Druun can easily symbolize the devil, and all the evil, and corruption in life. Not only that, but this film can easily provide great Christian morals about not repaying evil for evil, loving your enemies, forgiving them for their wrongs against you, and showing grace, and compassion to your enemies, or even to those that you may not think deserve it. I would say that if a non-Christian were to see this movie with a Christian who’s more mature in his/her faith, he, or she could probably have a very good discussion with that non-Christian in regards to those potential aspects of this film. I suppose same would go for a group of mainly Christian friends seeing this film together at the same time. Oh, and there’s something else that I probably should have touched on earlier. It’s cool that instead of the dragons breathing fire, or even flying, they instead help provide water, and life in the world. Oh, I should definitely mention the cool, and unique loves that some of the dragons make throughout the course of this film too. There’s that, along with characters like Sisu providing a likely very good picture of what our Heavenly Father is like. Oh, and the additional themes about learning to come together, and unite in both good, and difficult times, is a very nice touch for this film as well. The only thing that I would say could be a double-edged sword would be the whole deal about trusting others. Yes, it’s good to show grace, and mercy to others. And yes, being united as one with each other is better than being divided. However, we should still remember, both before, and after seeing this movie, that we can’t always trust certain people in life. We must remember that trust must be earned in the end. Yes, we must trust God always, but this is mainly in regards to trusting other people, you know? So there’s that!
And that’s my review for Disney’s 59th animated feature, Raya & The Last Dragon. Honestly, if you still haven’t yet seen Raya & The Last Dragon within the past 7-8 weeks that it’s been out, and have the choice of watching this on Disney+, with $30 Premiere Access, or seeing this film in theaters, definitely try to go see it in theaters, if possible. I can guarantee you’ll have a much better experience. This film is engaging, has some of the most beautiful animation, has some really likable characters, main ones, side ones, and villains, and has a really fantastic score by James Newton Howard. I wouldn’t be surprised if one wanted to purchase the soundtrack after this. If there’s any way that James Newton Howard could get a nomination for Best Original Score, he should. He deserves one for once. Oh, and of course this film provides some really good lessons. Again, definitely go see Raya & The Last Dragon, if you haven’t. It is worth seeing in the theaters more so than just Disney+. Oh, and make sure you bring a package of tissues with you. You may need them for some moments here and there in this film!
Good afternoon everyone! Today, we are going to be talking about a fictional Christian-based film that was released back on Easter weekend of this year. Man, does it feel great to even have Christian movies back on the big screen, or what? Either way, let’s talk about The Girl Who Believes In Miracles.
Plot: A young female named Sarah Hopkins (Austyn Johnson) begins to have faith in God even more after hearing that faith can move mountains, followed by praying to God, sometime later, that a bird would be healed, and it happens. God then continues to use her to perform healing miracles in other people’s lives. But when Sarah is suddenly sick with a fatal brain tumor, will her faith in God endure to the very end?
Surprisingly, I don’t recall seeing any trailers for this film, at least not before hearing about it. I remember actually hearing about this movie through the Christian radio station, K-Love, somewhat shortly before Easter weekend. So, I figured that this had to be a good movie. Was it? For the most part, yes it was. I mean sure, a newer believer should maybe should be cautious about one thing in regards to this film, but more on that later. Still, once again, Christian movies like The Girl Who Believes In Miracles serve as proof that getting Christian films made will hopefully help as a tool to lead even non-believers to Jesus. Not only that, but The Girl Who Believes In Miracles will most definitely help serve as a reminder to even Christians that God is still in the miracle business, and performs miracles just as much as He did back in the Old Testament times, and the times when the New Testament portion of the Bible was being written. Honestly, what seems to be the problem in the church today is that so many of us, even Christians, seemed to have adopted this mindset that because God didn’t answer our prayers in the way that we wanted Him to, or something like that, that God doesn’t do miracles anymore. Okay yes, it is true that sometimes, maybe many times, we will pray to God for someone to be healed, or for a pandemic to be annihilated, or something like that, and will answer our prayers in ways that we may not like at first. For instance, a Christian might pray to God for a Pastor, or a Christian family member, who’s sick with cancer, to be healed, and God decides to answer that prayer by taking the person to Heaven, away from this world of suffering. Would God have answered the prayer? Yes, but not necessarily in the way that one might have expected. Now yes, in this film, Jesus uses people, like the main character, to heal people that need healing of different kinds. Still, in all honesty, this is the kind of film that helps to reassure people that God is in the miracle business, whatever that may look like in different individual’s lives. Nevertheless, we do need to be careful to not be angry, or frustrated, when God doesn’t handle different circumstances the way that any of us might like Him to, or something like that. Well, in addition to these, the characters are very likable, even those that get very little screen time. The acting is also good too. Not to mention that it’s cool to see people like Austyn Johnson (who played the twin daughters in The Greatest Showman), and Peter Coyote (who played characters like Jamie’s father in A Walk To Remember) included in this film. In addition to those, you also have Kevin Sorbo playing a doctor in this movie. Not to mention that Sorbo seems to play a fairly similar role to a character like Professor Radisson from 2014’s God’s Not Dead. Now, can the storyline in this film feel a little cheesy at a few points? Sure! However, one should definitely look past those points, and recognize what’s at the heart of this movie. That being that we need to trust God to do impossible things in our lives no matter what, and that faith in God is crucial in our lives at all times. And of course there is the fact that God still performs miracles even today, no matter what that may look like. The only thing to consider, after watching this film, is that Christians, even newer ones, should have discussions with believers who are more mature in their faith about one, or two things that could potentially be inaccurate with how, life, and eternity work.
And that’s my review for The Girl Who Believes In Miracles. Regardless of what I mentioned towards the end of the previous paragraph, definitely make a point to go see this movie! Truth be told, even non-Christians should give movies like this film a chance just in case they decide that they want to be curious about God more afterwards. The story is good, even if slightly cheesy at times, the cinematography is good, and the characters are fun. Also, if this film performs fairly well, hopefully we’ll have more Christian movies come out in the theater like it, but slightly better.
Hi everyone! Welcome back to another session of movie reviewing! Today, we are going to enter the world of fantasy. No, it won’t be Lord Of The Rings, or even The Chronicles Of Narnia. The latter will most likely be saved for sometime in the future. Anyway, today, we will be reviewing an old animated film, by the name of The Last Unicorn, from the 1980s, which has seemed to become a cult classic, and was evidently based on the novel of the same name, by author Peter S. Beagle. Not only that, but, at this point in time, other animation studios were attempting to make animated films that could potentially feel like they might be a little more for adults than kids. Some of these animated films included films like Don Bluth’s 1982 movie, The Secret Of NIMH, from the MGM studio, and Disney’s The Black Cauldron in 1985. Yeah, can you believe that even companies like Disney made a bold move by making a really dark film like The Black Cauldron? Not to mention that that film was the first one to be given a PG rating. But enough of that, and back to talking about The Last Unicorn! In the year 1982, the same year that Steven Spielberg released E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, and Don Bluth released his first full-length animated movie, The Secret Of NIMH, a smaller animation company, by the name of Rankin Bass, released a dark animated fantasy film that acted very much like a Lord Of The Rings, or Chronicles Of Narnia type of film. As I mentioned before, that film is of course the one that we’ll be reviewing, The Last Unicorn.
Plot: When a Unicorn is informed by two human hunters, and a butterfly, that she is the last of her kind, and that others of her species were pushed to the ends of the Earth by a fiery red creature, known as the Red Bull, the Unicorn decides to take on the courage of going, and finding them. With the help of new friends, such as Schmendrick the Magician (Alan Arkin), and a scullery maid named Molly Gru (Tammy Grimes), will the Unicorn be able to succeed in her quest?
Now, if any of you were to hear the name The Last Unicorn, you might think that this is a little girl’s movie that involves unicorns, and maybe barbies, or something like that, would you not? Well, if you’re one of those people who might think that, then worry not. This animated film is far from such a type of film. Oh yes, there are at least unicorns in this film. However, what we have here is a film that is a Lord Of The Rings kind of story. Not only that, but for an animated film, The Last Unicorn is surprisingly very deep, and mature. I remember watching this film a few times as a kid. Watching it again for the first time in years, I was astonished by how much depth there was to this story, the characters, and the fantasy world that this story takes place in. Honestly, for a movie that was released before the 1990s, and onward, that most likely says a lot. Now, I’m sure that the novel had more things happening than this movie did. How often is that not the case? Rhetorical, I’m sure! Nevertheless, The Last Unicorn knows how to pace it’s story. Now yes, there are a couple points where one might feel like the story may drag a little bit. In many cases, it may get annoying when something like that may happen. However, in a unique case like with this film, it miraculously works very well. The only reason why is because it makes up for it with some very witty humor, and other good qualities like that. Fascinating, is it not? Next, there are the characters. Now, unlike with many other animated films, the characters in this film aren’t entirely black and white. Yes, the movie does have it’s good characters, and villains. However, at the same time, most of the characters are very, very complex. What I mean is that people will likely understand why the villains are villains, and same with why the heroes are good guys. Even so, this animated film is not afraid to show that even the protagonists have flaws, and are also capable of making mistakes, big, or small ones. Now, that’s what one should call great writing. Because of reasons like this, each of the characters, both the good guys, and the bad guys, are really memorable. Honestly, even if someone is seeing this movie for the very first time in their lives, they are bound to remember most, if not all of the character’s names by the time they’re done watching this film. That says something, does it not? Not to mention animated films like 2000’s Titan A.E. should have taken notes from a movie like this. I bring that film up mainly because that’s an example of an animated film that had a dark, and mature story, but, unlike The Last Unicorn, had characters that didn’t seem to stand out quite nearly as much. Oh, and let’s not forget the acting in this film. I was surprised to find out the cast for this film. You have Mia Farrow, Alan Harkin, Tammy Grimes, Angela Lansbury, a younger Jeff Bridges at the time, and Christopher Lee. Man, when you take a look at some of the villain roles that Christopher Lee played like the one in 007: The Man With The Golden Gun, Saruman in Lord Of The Rings, and even Count Dooku in Star Wars Episodes 2, and 3, and in this film as King Haggard, one can most likely tell that he seemed to really love playing his villain roles. Oh, and let’s not forget the animation! For a movie that’s made by a lesser known animation company, the animation is superb, whether it be with the characters, both the humans, and the magical creatures, and the backgrounds overall. If you like Studio Ghibli films, that studio apparently helped out with the animation in this studio. Additionally, there are also the songs in this film. The band, America, wrote the songs for this film, while Jimmy Webb composed the score for this film. You may be wondering how either are. Well, the songs are surprisingly very catchy, especially songs like “The Last Unicorn,” “Walking Man’s Road,” “Everything Has Changed,” and “That’s All I’ve Got To Say” to name a few of them. What’s even more fascinating is that not all of them are sung by the characters. In fact nearly half of them are sung by Jimmy Webb, and the band, America. Anyway, the reason that most of these songs end up being memorable is because they help either build up the story, or the characters involved in it. Oh, and there of course is the score. Now, let me ask, some of you guys like video games like the Zelda games, or ones involving video game characters like Marth, or Roy, do you not? Well, if you have, and/or have an appreciation for video games like those, then people will probably love the score for this film even more. For the score, it’s almost like the music seems to have a feel of a Legend Of Zelda type of game, with movie music thrown in the mix. Regardless, people are still most likely going to love the score that helps keep people engaged with this film. Another thing to like about this film is the great amount of symbolism that is in this movie. Man, there are some really clever symbolic moments in this film. Some of these include things like how sorcerers would make illusions of things that wouldn’t actually be real, but would appear real just to make people feel impressed. Yeah, considering that God shows true miracles in people’s lives, while the devil will continue to perform counterfeit miracles in an attempt to draw people away from God, this is a good symbolism to have for a film like this one, wouldn’t you say? There would be that, along with how most humans in this film would think that a unicorn would just be a regular horse. Oh, and most importantly, there was also the deal about how unicorns seemed to represent the light, and all things good in the world, while characters like the Red Bull, and the other villains represented all the principalities of darkness in the world. In addition to all of this, The Last Unicorn has a script that is genius, witty, and sometimes very funny. We’re talking about a script that has dialogue that one may not expect in terms of, for example, how the audience may think a character will say one thing, but says something a little differently than they expect. Again, very clever! Oh, and another thing! The movie also does well with relating the message about how one should not let the distractions of life keep him/her from accomplishing certain tasks that he/she may need to. Finally, people will more than likely love the sentimental moments that are scattered throughout this film, whether they be in the beginning, the middle, or towards the end of this film. The only thing to say is if one can overlook there being a slightly inappropriate moment, or there being one, or two moments that involves cussing, then people are bound to enjoy this film even more. If not, people will most likely still enjoy The Last Unicorn for the most part.
And that’s my review for The Last Unicorn. Yes, I may have enjoyed the movie when I first borrowed it from a friend of mine when I was a kid. However, after rewatching this movie as an adult, I’ve come to realize that this film can easily grow on people either for the first time, or for those who are rewatching it. It has the great feel of a fantasy story, has good animation, very good songs, and some of the most memorable characters in animation history. If you want a film with those qualities, then this film is most definitely worth seeing. The makers of this movie were clearly courageous to go out of their comfort zone, and make a mature kind of story that not even companies like Disney, or MGM seemed to want to go with their animated films, at least not until over a decade later. If you have never seen The Last Unicorn, then wow, you need to. Especially if you love fantasy, and want a really great story, this movie will most definitely be your type of film. You’d be surprised by how well done this film clearly is.
Final Grade: A+
P.S. Happy 40th anniversary to The Last Unicorn come next year!
Ladies & gentlemen, today, we are going to be reviewing a film, from Warner Bros., that has surprisingly seemed to draw movie theater crowds back to the big screen slowly, but surely. Will more people decide to go see movies at the movie theaters from here on out? I guess we’ll see in the next few weeks. Anyway, let’s face what may be one of the biggest battles in movie history in the new action film, Godzilla Vs. Kong.
Plot: Set five years after the events of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, Godzilla begins to wreak havoc on both the seas, and land. Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), and her daughter, Jia (Kaylee Hottle), who is deaf, but can use sign language to communicate, bring King Kong out from Skull Island to see if they can stop Godzilla for good. Meanwhile, Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown), and her friend Josh (Julian Dennison), with the help of doctor, and conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) leave to go, and search for Godzilla in an attempt to see why he’s gone mad, and see if they can stop Godzilla, and King Kong from killing each other once and for all.
Okay, wow, this film is most definitely a vast improvement from 2019’s Godzilla: King Of The Monsters in nearly every aspect that one can think of. I’m not sure if that was because a lot of people felt like the 2019 predecessor crammed a little too much in that film, and the studio listened to the audience reception, or some other reason like that. Well, whatever reason it was, it seemed to work for the most part. First off, the world building with the underground world is very creative. I won’t go into details about why it’s there in the first place. What I will say, however, is that if that underground world doesn’t become part of either Universal Studios, or even part of say a potential Warner Bros. theme park type of attraction in the future (which could be difficult to be made in these trying times that we’re in, but you never know), people who miss out on this film will probably not realize what they’re missing out on as far as this aspect of the film goes. The underground world is fascinating, and, as far as what we do get to see of it, could be admired by those people who also liked the world of jungle paradises, and beautiful trees that were inhabited by blue colored people in 2009’s Avatar. Next, there are characters. Oh my gosh did the filmmakers do a much better job in this area than in Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. This time, there aren’t too many characters, or even too many too monsters. In fact, the movie does a mostly great job of focusing on the characters that it needs to focus on, and develop them to the best of their abilities. Not only that, but this time around, aside from likely the villains of this film, you really seem to care for each, and every single one of them. If that doesn’t help as a benefactor in making a good film, then what a surprise that is! I mean even Jia, who is deaf, and mute, and has to use sign language as a result, has a great amount of depth, and heart to her character. That says something! Oh, and there’s the musical score that’s conducted by Tom Holkenborg. I’m not sure what else he’s performed in, but he has sole gold mixtures with the music in this film. Basically, it’s almost like Holkenborg has this mix of the 1980s, combined with music from an anime show, or film, and then mixes those with music of today. I suppose that may sound a little hard to explain. Still, trust me when I say that you’ll understand if you haven’t see this film, but plan to very soon. Finally, there seems to be a message that could probably be allegorical to real life as well. It’s practically one about about how we need to be careful not to quickly judge others by their actions. I mean instead of trying to understand why people are feeling what they’re feeling, or doing some things they shouldn’t be doing, we might instead just write them off. For example, maybe a person might get angry enough to punch someone that they might not normally punch, or break a glass cup when they may not do so otherwise, or something along those lines. All to say this movie does a good job of tackling the idea about how we shouldn’t be quick to judge others by their negative actions, especially when we don’t know how, or why they’re feeling the way that they do on the inside. So applause on that with this film, Warner Bros.
However, there are one, or two points where rush film could have been a little better. First off, there’s the ending. Oh, people will like the ending without a doubt. However, there were certain aspects about the ending that could have been tweaked, and rewritten to make it a little better. Second, there are the villains. They’re not exactly badly written ones. Even so, they could have probably been fleshed out a little more than they seemed to be in the end.
And that’s my review for Godzilla Vs. Kong. Now that movies like this one have seemed to bring more hope to the theater box office, will more people be interested in going to movie theaters again? Well, let’s hope so. Regardless, if you had mixed feelings about Godzilla films like Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, then fear not! This movie blows all the worried expectations out of the water, and has some really good heart to it’s story. The action, most of the characters, and most of the underground world are all really memorable. I would say that if you haven’t seen this film yet, but still want, definitely make it a point to do so, especially if you’re a big time action fan. I can guarantee that you won’t be disappointed by this film, at least not overall. This film is most definitely big screen worthy.
Ladies & gentlemen, welcome back to yet another session of movie reviewing! Today, we are going to be diving back into the Disney/Pixar library. This time, however, we’re going into a different scenario from the other Disney/Pixar films. Why? Because Soul is the first Disney/Pixar film to NOT go to theaters at least in the US. Instead, Pixar decided to jump the gun, and release it straight on Disney+, followed by getting a release on Disney DVD, and Blu-Ray a few months later. Of course, had it not been for a certain ongoing pandemic as of this past year, this film would have gone to theaters before video. Hopefully Disney/Pixar Disney what companies like Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Warner Bros. have been doing, and make future films go to both Disney+ with premiere access, and in theaters simultaneously. It certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea, considering how well it’s seemed to go so far. Still, we’ll see! Anyway, let’s talk about Disney/Pixar’s latest offering, Soul.
Plot: Set in modern day New York City, a musician named Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) lands a gig that could forever change his life. But shortly after, a fatal accident causes Joe to end up in the afterlife. But Joe is not so keen on being dead yet. So, he teams up with another soul named 22 (Tina Fey), and they manage to get back to Earth. Will Joe, and 22 manage to get their souls back on Earth, or will they decide to stay in the afterlife for good?
Okay, for those of us who saw the trailers for this particular animated film, many of us were nervous about Soul being a little too similar to 2015’s Inside Out, were we not? Now, the million dollar question for the day is, “Was that the case for this film?” Surprisingly, no! Sure, it does have similar concepts to that film. However, this film does end up being a movie of it’s own. For one, the afterlife that involves places like the Great Before (where mini people are before going to Earth), and the Great Beyond (where people who have passed away, and are ready for a Heaven-like place go) is an interesting concept at least for a fictional kind of story. The world building is definitely good, but not quite the best. But more on that when I talk about the cons in this film! Also, there’s the really cool blend of computer animation, and hand-drawn animation. Who would have guessed that the day would come when even Disney/Pixar would try out that blending of the two types of animation? There’s also some of the other aspects if the animation, from light being reflected off the sun in certain scenes, the vibrant colors surrounding Joe Gardner when he’s ensconced in the music that he plays throughout the film, and of course how the hand-drawn animation gets mixed in. As for the story itself, it’s not exactly one of Disney/Pixar’s best works. However, one shouldn’t deny how intriguing it is to have a story that could easily have been made into live-action, and had the fantasy version of the afterlife taken out of the equation. However, they instead decided to have a potentially real-life story mixed in with some fantasy type elements. Truthfully, it works fairly well to the film’s credit. The acting is also great. Included in the cast are Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Rachel House, Phylicia Rashad, and a few others. They definitely do their best to put their best into their characters. The soundtrack is also at least good. Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, & Jon Batiste all joined to conduct the music for this film. While it may not be quite the best, they do a very nice job with it, whether it be in the slow moments, and adrenaline-rushing type moments, or ones’s like those. It’s also good that the score composers mixed in some jazz, piano playing, and some nice trumpet, or trombone playing in as well. The movie is also very funny at points too, especially when Joe gets involved with a cat character in this film, who, as some of you may recall, is featured in one of the posters of this film with the main character, Joe. The movie also has a nice message about learning to not only think about your passions in life, but to also enjoy the simplicities of life, and life in general.
While these are very good things about the film, Soul does also have downgraded as well. First off, the film, like 2017’s Coco, has a unique music playing when the Disney logo shows up in the beginning. I won’t say how the music plays. However, the music that does play can come off as a little too loud, and obnoxious. Considering the direction that this film was presumably trying to take, some music that might have been a little more calm, and peaceful, like piano playing, or something like that, might have been better. Next, there’s the world building. Okay, yes, I did mention that places like the Great Before, and one, or two areas of the afterlife were very well made, and developed. However, there were certain places in the afterlife that didn’t seem to be well built, or thought out. I mean the world building of the afterlife seemed to have a little more potential, and didn’t seem to quite to live up to that. Additionally, there were some points in this film that could possibly feel a little cringeworthy. In addition to these, some of the characters could most likely feel rather bland, and one-noted. Yes, some of them, like our main ones, are well developed. However, for some of the others, that seems to be a different story. But hey, at least of them are likable nonetheless.
And that’s my review for Disney/Pixar’s Soul. Looking back, could this film have performed well in theaters if it wasn’t for the current COVID-19 pandemic? Well, it’s likely safe to say that it could have. However, regardless of whether or not that would have been the case, one can’t be too certain if most people would have liked it as much as films like Toy Story, Inside Out, or even Coco, or if people would have like Soul better. Well, either way, Soul should still be recognized, and be seen by more people. Soul may not be one of Disney/Pixar’s best films. Still, more people should see it, and decide that for themselves. I would say that you should see Soul just to see how you might compare it to the rest of Disney/Pixar’s movies over the years. Even if you may hit like this film as much as the others, there are plenty of redeeming qualities that still make this film worth your while.
Good evening everyone! First off, hope you all had a happy Easter! Second, tonight, we are going to be talking about a monster/sci-fi film that has featured one of the most iconic monsters over many decades. Not only that, but there was a movie that came out just a few days ago that features him, and another iconic monster as well, by the name of Kong Vs. Godzilla. In preparation for seeing that film fairly soon, we are going to be talking about a film that came out just a couple years ago, by the name of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. I probably should have seen 2014’s Godzilla as well, but whatever. At least I saw 2017’s Skull Island, and 2019’s Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. Maybe I should try to see the 2014 Godzilla film too, eh? Well, for now, here we go!
Plot: Five years after losing her son, Andrew, Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga), believing monsters to not be fully dangerous, decides to make an attempt to have monsters, and humans co-exist together. Although people like her husband, Mark (Kyle Chandler), and her daughter, Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) are reluctant to go along with this idea, can Dr. Russell succeed in her mission?
Well, what can I say, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, which is apparently a sequel to 2014’s Godzilla, is a very good sequel. It’s not a perfect sequel, but it does have some good things in it. First off, the idea of not labeling all monsters as evil, and dangerous is a very interesting concept at least when it comes to this universe. In some ways, it could very well parallel to how, in real life, we shouldn’t judge people by the color of their skins, or certain animals as being fully dangerous, or other things along similar lines. It’s also cool to have people in this movie seeing good in monster characters such as Godzilla, or some of the other creatures in this film. Yes, we have seen similar storylines like this in films like any of the Jurassic Park films, or movies like those. Still, it’s safe to say that movies like this one seem to take a more different, and maybe even more of a unique route from films like Jurassic Park as well. In addition to all of this, some of the monsters do end up standing out. Could there have been depth to some of them? Most likely! Next, there are the visuals. Wow, movies like this one have really shown how far technology has come when it’s come to making movies. In fact, I’m sure that even older Godzilla movies, or even action films period would be jealous to see the kinds of visuals effects that movies like this one have. The music is also phenomenal. Bear McCreary composes the music for this film. Let me tell you that he doesn’t disappoint. I’m not that knowledgeable in terms of what other films that he’s composed for. Whichever ones they are, hopefully he’s done great with them like he has with this one. Additionally, the film can be a good reminder of how things in life may not always turn out the way that we may expect them to. Oh, and this film does a very good job at tugging at your heartstrings, particularly when it comes to moments around the middle to end of this film. In fact, definitely plan on having a package, or even a box of tissues with you for when those moments come. Maybe that could be both a positive, and a negative, eh? Oh, and let’s not forget the film editing in this film. Wow, if you want to see a movie with some surprisingly really good film editing techniques that could be like that if a Zack Snyder directed film, then that’s another reason to check this film out.
Still, there are some areas in which this film falls. First of all, both some of the human, and monster characters seem to be rather forgettable. Well, that’s not entirely true, as the main human ones, along with some of the monster characters do stand out. However, there are others that do seem a little one dimensional, and probably had a little more potential. Yes, the makers of this movie did most definitely try with some of these characters. But whether it was due to running time issues, or things like that, you can most likely tell that some of the human, and monster characters could have been written a little better. Plus, there were some of the supporting characters that we could have likely known a little better, and sadly didn’t. Some of the pacing could have maybe been reworked as well. Truth be told, there are points, more often than not, where the movie may have similar problems like the 2013 Superman film in terms of focusing a little more on the visuals, and the action than the story, and the characters. Well, there’s that, and the movie may have had slightly too many characters as well.
And that’s my review for Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. Although not quite the best of the best sequels out there, there are still some good things to enjoy about this film. In some ways, one could probably see why it didn’t quite end up being a box office hit. Even if it weren’t for movies like Rocketman m, and the remake of Aladdin dominating the box office around the same time that this Godzilla film came out, it wouldn’t be surprising if this film still might not hav done as well as the studio might hope. If you’re looking for a great sequel, you won’t quite see that level here. However, if you’re at least okay with a decent to good sequel, with excellent visuals, a fantastic score, and some really, really fun action, then still plan to watch Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, and see what you think!
Good morning everyone! Today, we are going to be diving in a futuristic science world that takes place around two hundred years from now. Starring Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Nick Jonas, Mads Mikkelsen, David Oyelowo, and a few other people, the movie is Chaos Walking.
Plot: Set in the year 2257, a colony of men have inhabited a planet called New World for quite some time. Also, the people of the planet ha e been inflicted with a condition called the Noise, a condition in which people can read other people’s thoughts. But one day, a citizen of New World named Todd Hewitt (Tom Holland) sees the ruins of a ship that crash landed on New World, as well as comes across the driver of the ship, Viola Eade (Daisy Ridley), who is the first female, in a long while, to land on New World. Todd, and Viola must now travel to a space station, where Viola must contact her colony before getting caught up in a plot that could potentially be diabolical.
Now, as some of us may know, Lionsgate, the company that helped make this film, has not always been the best at making good stories. Was this film any different? Well, yes, and no. Compared to other films that have been made by the company over the past decade, maybe more, like the Twilight movie series, Chaos Walking did seem to improve in a few areas. However, at the same, it is certainly no masterpiece. In fact, Chaos Walking could have improved in some areas. First of all, the world building, and the story overall, could have been better developed. By the end of this film, you find yourself asking quite a few questions, including “How did the colonists come to discover New World in the first place?”, or “How did the Noise become a condition, and/or possibly even a pandemic in the first place?” Truthfully, if there was a way that this film could have focused on answering questions like those, and maybe cut down on the two main characters’ journey to their destiny, then maybe they should have done that, you know? On top of that, not many of the characters stand out. That is except for maybe our main leads, and the villain of this film. Oh man, the villain, he is one that could be well written in terms of good character development, and things like that. Also, the film may have some pacing issues at some points as well
Nevertheless, there are some good things in this film as well. First off, of course the villain, along with Todd, and Viola are of course the most likable characters in this movie. Additionally, Chaos Walking can potentially provide some very valuable lessons, most notably how people need to ask questions when necessary, and that people in leadership CANNOT always be trusted. What’s more is that the film does at least break some cliches here and there, particularly with building momentum on people like Todd, and Viola’s relationship. Oh, and if you want a film with one, or two good plot twists, if not more, then all the more reason to try and check out this film. Also, for a movie that’s in live action, the visuals are very good too, especially when it comes to showing the thoughts that people think. Oh, and the acting, that’s also very good as well. Considering that the acting in Lionsgate movies like Twilight, and maybe other films produced by the company didn’t always seem all that great, that’s likely saying something.
And that’s my review for Chaos Walking. While Lionsgate didn’t seem to have quite gotten there yet with making a really great film, Chaos Walking does seem to have taken a step more in the right direction in terms of trying to get there. Not to mention that Chaos Walking seemed to be better than recent sci-fi films like Ad Astra (which was NOT made by Lionsgate, but still). I would say that if you want to see a film from Lionsgate that at least seems to go more in the right direction, despite still needing some improvements here and there, I would say see it, if you can go to a theater that offers tickets at a cheaper price. Even then, definitely try to see it, and see what you think with there being improvements like a fairly good story, a couple stand out characters, good plot twists, and potentially good lessons to take away from this film.
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 