"Stuff That I've Watched, Read, or Done": Vol. 1

Your opinion sucks! Mine is better!

There comes a point in one's life where... you just feel like being a critic. So now, it's my great plesure to reveal to you, a new feature in my blog. "Stuff That I've Watched, Read, or Done" Volumes!! :) +Since I really don't have the time nor the patience to make seperate entries about all of the things I'm about to review, I decided to give you what is basically a bite-sized summary of my thoughts for each subject. Don't worry, it isn't all anime.... only most of it. xDD I'm sure Roger Ebert here would be proud.

Pan's Labyrinth (A Film in Review)

Welcome! My name is Willy Wonka! Welcome to my factory!

Things That I Liked About This Film: Oh god, where to begin! Easily one of the most orginal and visually inspired films I've seen in a very long time.

I"d like to clear this up for alot of people.. this is not a fantasy film! This is a war-time drama that just so happens to have elements of dark fantasy thrown in for flavor. The fantasy scenes only take up about thirty minutes of the entire film, which is a bit misleading if you've watched all of the commericals and ads for the movie.

Prepare to be depressed! By the time you've watched the last five minutes, you'll see the world a bit differently. I know I did.

Things I Didn't LIke About This Film: While the movie was basically brilliant, there were a scene I thought was unneccessary. When you've got a big CGI frog in the middle of what is otherwise a hauntingly realistic film, it completely takes you out of the moment. What were they thinking when they did that scene anyways? It didn't make much sense to me.

While this isn't really a complaint, I thought the brutal violence could have been toned down in a couple scenes. It really narrows the auidence down, since I do know a few people who wouldn't be able to tolerated watching a man's face get beaten in (quite literally). I like that Pan's Labyrinth didn't smooth any of it's sharp corners while presenting it's tale, but people who can't stand the sight of flowing blood need not apply. Which is unfortuante, because they'll be missing out on a really great piece of art.

Rating: A-

Emma (An Anime in Review)

Get outta my grill, yo!

Things I Liked About This Series: I really do love the Japanese! I've been watching anime pretty much non-stop for the last year or so, and they never cease to impress. You would never see anything like Emma realised in the United States, because we're still stuck in an "animation is either satire or kiddy shows" rut. This show proves that you can pull off a Dickens like tale in animation without a single compromise.

The characters are well developed, the story is interesting, and the love between the two main leads is like something you'd find out of an old 1940's style film. See! You can have a believable romance in animation! Now get crackin Disney. I can't stomach anymore of those "Chicken Little" leftovers you've been given me.


Things I Didn't Like About This Series: I do respect that the show takes it's time with developing the characters and the situations they currently find themselves in, but the series is rather slow paced. I really didn't mind that much, but I know a few people who will be turned off by it. :) To be completely honest, I would rather have believable characters then have to put up with another "fast-paced bang boom" anime. Those are getting old really fast.

The ending was not good.. at all. If I didn't know there was a sequel series to this, I would be pretty pissed. I don't want to give anything away, but the last episode was very dissapointing. Luckily, "Emma: Second Act" just got uploaded to Crunchyroll.com! Yaaaaaahhooooooo!

Rating: B


Epic Movie (A Film in Review)

Get it! It's just like the movie Scarface... only with a fawn! Hahahahahahahaha! *crickets chirp in background*

Things I Liked About This Movie: I laughed once. *shivers* I'm embarassed I even said that.

Things I Hate Hate Hated!! About This Movie: By now, you all know this movie is horrible. I mean, come on! Look at the trailer and all of the promotinal clips. Do I really need to tell you how bad this is? .... Actually, I didn't make it all the way through. My friend and I watched the first forty-five minutes and turned it off. If you know me, and how much I love my stupid comedies, this is not something that should have happened. But this isn't just a stupid comedy, it's so brain-dead that it's tragic.

Rating: D-

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?! (A Film in Review)

Marty! We need to travel Back to the Future. (Only major geeks will have gotten that.. because you know, the guy who plays the villian in Roger Rabbit is also the same guy who plays the professor in Back to the Future)

Things I Liked About This Movie: What's not to like? Who Framed Roger Rabbit is funny, hip, and just about everything else you'd want a movie of this type to be. It was also a huge breakthrough from a film perspective, making the animation/live-action sequences in Song of the South seem downright prehistoric. It's mind blowing just how believable the cartoons are when they're acting alongside the actual actors.

The icing on the cake? A piano duel between Daffy Duck and Donald Duck. Genius!


Things I Didn't Like About This Movie: Let's face it, this isn't a kids flick by any stretch. Heck, Jessica Rabbit should have boosted the rating to PG-13 all by herself. You have waaaaaayy too many sexual innuendos, far too many curse words, and far too many Jessica Rabbit jiggles to really qualify this as a family movie. While I personally found it all amusing, I'm sure many parents have not. I saw worse stuff when I was a kid.. but the fact that there's a Disneyland ride and lots of merchandise in Toontown may be a little misleading.

Rating: B+