Yup, it's time for another run down of the books I've read this year. I think I'm doing better at reading, lately, as I've really gotten more into it. I'm not sure what's changed, but I'm actually looking forward to reading more than I have in the last several years. In any case, I've got another stack of books to cover, so let's get into it!
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
Let's Talk About Trigun!
When I wrote my article talking about anime nearly two years ago, I was anticipating that I'd be writing reviews for some shows a few months later. Obviously that didn't happen, as my current anime watching habits seem to be at a crawl. However, I got it in my head to give a certain classic another shot (with some rather fortuitous timing, as it turn out), and so here we are: an entire article about Trigun!
As humanity began exploring the stars for new worlds to colonize, sabotage on one of the ships causes many of them to crash land on a desert planet. However, many of the hibernating humans survive the disaster, and begin eking out a barebones existence, largely thanks to a strange technology simply known as Plants, large light-bulb looking things that provide the basics for humanity, like water and food. After about a century, the planet has become a weird wild west, with all kinds of outlaws wielding submachine guns and automatic rifles. Between all the violence is Vash the Stampede, a strange gunman with a moral code that won't allow any killing. And yet, he has a massive $$60 billion bounty on his head. (Yes, that $$ is not a typo: money here is called double-dollars for some reason). Despite Vash's pacifism, destruction seems to happen wherever he goes, so two girls from the Bernardelli Insurance Society, Meryl Strife and Milly Thompson, go after him in an effort to prevent him from causing their customers' premiums to go up.
The series essentially starts where the two girls finally catch up with Vash, only to be very confused, as the man in question seems to be something of a fool, and hardly worth the trouble that the massive bounty would seem to indicate. However, as the girls start to learn about Vash's long and troubled past, they find out that he's a man who has sacrificed much to try and help as many people as he can, only to become haunted by a group of lethal bounty hunters called the Gung-Ho Guns, lead by a sociopathic killer named Knives, who is Vash's only brother. And both them seem to be more than human.
The series also benefits from being made by one of the top studios in Japan: Madhouse. While there are a few scenes where the animation looks a little weak (which is standard from most TV anime), most of it has held up pretty well, despite being over 20 years old. The soundtrack by Tsuneo Imahori is also amazing, creating a peculiar mix of country blues and ambient electronic music. Sometimes it's quirky and fun, sometimes it's alien and menacing, and sometimes it's nostalgic and comforting, and they're all used quite well throughout the episodes. One of my favorite anime soundtracks for sure.
When I first watched the series, I was pretty down on it, as it wasn't quite a faithful adaptation of the manga. However, when I watched it a second time, I wasn't quite so harsh and found plenty to like. The characters are decently well-realized and the English dub mostly holds together. My recent third watch (which inspired this article) confirmed what I already knew, but it's still a fun series and very recommendable. I do think the pacing is a little all-over-the-place, especially since they make a big deal about the Gung-Ho Guns, and then they disappear for most of the middle stretch of the series, only for many of them to kind of crash in all at once towards the end.
After I had seen the anime the first time, I waiting eagerly for the rest of the manga to come out, and it eventually did. There were some delays in its production, but it finally came to an end after 17 volumes, with an ending that surpasses the anime's ending in a few ways. However, both the anime and the manga do a solid job of examining its themes and the focus on Vash's morality. In all honestly, Vash the Stampede is one of my favorite characters of all time, as his dedication to helping others and using non-lethal methods in a world that shoots-first-and-asks-questions-never really shows the value of his virtue. I do enjoy some good, unironic heroism, and Vash has that in spades.
Unsurprisingly, it plays out like a lost episode of the TV series, but with a much bigger budget and more room to flesh out the new characters. When a criminal named Gasback that Vash had saved 20 years ago suddenly comes back to threaten the town of Macca on a quest of robbery revenge, Vash and his regular companions find themselves in the usual amount of trouble, with Vash doing his best to make sure no one dies. In the middle of this is a young, beautiful woman named Amelia who has her own history with Gasback getting caught up in the mix as well. While the story isn't necessarily anything new, and there are a few sections that drag a little, it's told well enough to old the action together.
Right off, Madhouse is back with some incredible animation. While there are a few bits of 3D work to help handle some of the more inorganic things, even the small characters and details are given plenty of fluid animation work, bringing the setting and stakes to life. Tsuneo Imahori is back with another great soundtrack that easily drifts through its expected genres, with a great callback to the iconic opening theme of the TV show. The voice cast of the TV show's English dub returns as well, and with the benefit of nearly 10 years of experience, they make the characters more vibrant than ever. Overall, it was quite a fun ride full of great moments, all while still retaining the themes of pacifism and redemption that has made the series so unique over the years.
Overall, Trigun is a pretty unique franchise. Despite being the anime made by a big name studio in Japan, it didn't get much traction until it made its way to American televisions in the 2000s, making it one of the few anime series that's more popular in the US than in its home country. However, the manga seems to retain something of a cult following over there. In 2011, in celebration of the anime movie, a compilation manga volume was made that featured fan art and even short manga stories from many big names across the manga industry. In the US, I believe Trigun is fondly remembered by those of my generation as a solid and entertaining series, even if it did get largely overshadowed by Cowboy Bebop.
Trigun remains one of my favorite franchises, as it does more than what its setting would seem capable of. What seems like a strange opportunity to blend Western-style storytelling with a science fiction background turns into a kind of morality play that checks to see if doing the right thing is still worth it, despite all the destruction and despair a desert planet would dump on its newfound colonizers. Of course, these days, the anime community seems to be mainly focused on the latest shows, so a franchise from the 90s tends to be left by the wayside (though this new anime might change that). However, I still think there are plenty of older fans like me who still have a soft spot for our donut-eating hero and his never-ending quest for love and peace.
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Recently Watched - 2022, Part Three!
Yup, I finally got around to enough movies to pull together one final collection of movie reviews. Perhaps some of these are not the most timely, but I admit I just haven't been watching movies as much as I used to. There's definitely a pretty bizarre mix of films, this time, but I suppose that's going to happen if I continue to review them as I see them. In any case, here's the latest batch.
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I have to admit that 2022 hasn't been a great year for movies. While I've seen a few decent ones, nothing really blew me away as being a solid experience, until I saw Bullet Train. This is a very dark comedy kind of action film that proceeds to be quite excellent at both, without bogging down or losing its tone. Simply a blast from start to finish.
The story starts out with Brad Pitt playing a former assassin named Ladybug who is trying to turn himself around and do more tame jobs. However, when tasked with picking up a case on a train, things go sideways in a hurry, especially as the train seems populated by all kinds of criminals eager to get their hands on that same case. From there, the movie essentially jams about six different exploitation films at once, mixing in everything from the Mexicans to the Japanese to the British to the Russians. At first, it almost feels like it's going to be too dense to really follow, but the comedic tone (and the nature of Ladybug's desire to not get involved despite all that's going on around him) ensures that the pace doesn't slow down or get too caught up in its own worldbuilding. It also helps that the entire cast is completely game for this brand of nonsense, and they all play it to the hilt, with just enough camp to carry its tongue-in-cheek nature.
The result is a hilarious ride (no pun intended) that pulls no punches. The action is top-notch and well-choreographed (not surprising with David Leitch in the director's chair), and while the dark humor and comical gore might not be for everyone, it nails the jokes well without wallowing in them. If you thought the pacing and humor of Deadpool was good, but didn't care for the fourth-wall breaking shenanigans or infantile nature of the hero, then this movie is for you, because I think this outdoes either Deadpool movie, in my opinion. This is a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be and does so with style. The best movie of the year, without a doubt.
Let me first of all say that I am a big Weird Al fan, since my friend Kason got me hooked on them in middle school. He's always had fun, inventive lyrics, and while he's been rather quiet in the songwriting department, when I heard he was doing a biopic parody based on himself, I was pretty excited.
So it's with some trepidation that I say I found the film to be just okay. While a good chunk of his humor is in here, there's also a pretty heavy dose of the awkwardness style of humor that I just don't care for. (For example, I have never enjoyed The Office tv show; it's just too painful for me.) A lot of it has to do with the film's dedication to matching the beats of the typical musical biography film, starting with parents that don't understand, and accordions being a symbol of hedonism and debauchery (I'm not kidding), making Weird Al this rebellious icon of music stardom. At first, it gets pretty entertaining, especially when Dr. Demento shows up and the references start rolling in. But it eventually starts going off the rails, especially when Weird Al starts killing a bunch of mercenaries in order to save his girlfriend Madonna from Pablo Escobar in the jungles of South America (I am not making that up).
Of course, taste in humor is subjective, and most folks may think this style of anxiety-based theatrics is the height of hilarity (Nacho Libre certainly comes to mind), though they may feel they're missing some of the deeper jokes. There's also a chance that, when I watch this again (because I probably will), I'll find it funnier despite knowing what's coming. Still, I kinda wish it did more than just the stuff of the 80s (aside from a handful of references and one major song), but there are plenty of easter eggs for fans to pick out. As for me, it was generally entertaining but otherwise, rather underwhelming.
When I had heard that Kevin Conroy had passed away, I was rather surprised. Apparently he had been fighting cancer for a while, but I had no idea. I generally consider him to be the best version of Batman across all mediums, as his voice was perfect for the role. Not only could he handle the flamboyant playboy Bruce Wayne, but his tone as the Caped Crusader was iconic, and yet, never farcical or overly gritty. As they continue to make cartoons of the character, his voice is going to loom over any voice actor to takes on the role for the next several generations (though I do think a few have done alright here and there already).
Nevertheless, when I heard the news, I thought I would take the time to watch some of Kevin Conroy's work, and then I remembered that I had gotten Mystery of the Batwoman on Blu-Ray, but had never watched it. Released at the height of the Justice League cartoon, the movie takes us back to the perpetual noir twilight of Gotham and it's vigilantes. While the movie generally plays like an extended episode of the 90s Batman cartoons with a much bigger budget, that's certainly not a bad thing, as the show was generally high quality stuff. Here, we see our caped crusader wrangling with the appearance of a new costumed hero very heavily inspired on his motif, only to have a handful of potential femme fatales enter his life that qualify for the role. As Batman works his way around the ladies, the Batwoman seems obsessed with stopping the Penguin and Rupert Thorne's plan of selling high-powered weapons to foreign powers, and they even bring in Bane to deal with their multiplying Bat problem.
For fans of the original cartoon, there really aren't many surprises, though there are a few continuity nods here and there. The story seems to drift from plot point to plot point, and while the mystery is mostly interesting, once it's revealed, the movie basically becomes an action-driven explosion fest. If there is a problem, it's that the Batwoman character feels kind of shallow, once all the cards are on the table. She has an interesting gimmick, but I feel like more could have been done with it other than to complicate the story more than necessary. Nevertheless, it's all fairly well done, with the excellent B:TAS cast coming back to fill many of the roles. While I do think both Mask of the Phantasm and Sub-Zero are probably better, it still serves as decent extension to the DCAU legacy.
When I first saw the trailer for this, I was expecting some pretty tacky, over-the-top violent nonsense. Given that David Leitch was involved, I was looking forward to a Christmas-themed John Wick experience. Unfortunately, what's out in theaters is quite the mess of a movie.
The plot is relatively straight-forward. The wealthy but dysfunctional Lightstone family is getting together for the holidays, when a group of robbers, led by John Leguizamo, decide to invade their house as caterers in an effort to steal a ton of money from a highly secure vault on Christmas Eve. Just at that moment, a very disgruntled Santa Claus (played by David Harbour), disenchanted by how much greed has taken over the Christmas season, sees the scared grand-daughter of the Lightstone family still believes in Santa, and then notices how all the bad guys are on his "naughty list," he decides to take matters into his hands and give them their just desserts.
Right off, the action is actually pretty solid, albeit quite gory (though that wasn't a surprise). You wouldn't think Santa wielding a sledgehammer would go so well together, but this movie makes it work. However, the problems happen when the movie decides to deviate from the action. First, we end up spending a little too much time with the Lightstone and their bargain-bin soap opera melodramatics. There's maybe one neat little twist towards the end, but it doesn't really change things much. Second, a subplot revolving around whether or not Santa still believes in Christmas drags things down. Sure, it's cute that he gets inspired by the hopes of a little girl, but it does feel like a low-rent Miracle on 34th Street knockoff. Even a potential interesting section that teases Santa's past gets cut short.
It's almost as if the creators didn't have enough conviction in their central idea and felt like they had to squeeze in all these other ideas. Maybe they're meant to be a parody of other Christmas films, but it's all played so straight, it just comes across as cheesy, and not in a good way. Harbour is definitely having fun, and Leguizamo hams it up pretty well, explaining how Christmas ruined his life. However, overall, it just ends up being rather unsatisfying. Maybe rent it for a lark, but otherwise, if the main gimmick didn't sell you, then you can safely pass on it.
As we're getting to the end of the year, you can expect a few more articles from me. While I don't think I'll be doing any kind of Top 5 or recap for movies (though Bullet Train really was the best of the year), I do plan on doing my regular recap of books I had read, as well as my Anticipated Films list for next year. I also have one other article that's close to being done that should come out before the end of the month. Otherwise, I hope you're all staying safe this holiday season, and if you're nice, then maybe you won't get a violent Kris Kringle showing up at your door!
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
NaNoWriMo 2022 Attempt!
Surprise! I wrote something new! For this year's National Novel Writing Month (which is November), I thought I would take a shot at writing something longer. While I didn't succeed, I did get pretty far, and I thought I would share my work here on the site. It's called Elimination Virus, and it's an action/thriller about a guy who gets in way over his head. However, I didn't finish it, so the story isn't complete, but I may get back to it another day, and write out the rest (I kind of have an idea of where the story will go).
In any case, enjoy some of my writing, which I admit I haven't done much of lately. However, I do think this has kind of kickstarted my desire to write more in the future. Hopefully, I don't lose my motivation too quickly and can keep it up!
I have a few more articles I have been working on, by the way. There should be my typical end-of-year stuff for books and movies, but I have been working on a few other things over the past few months to share with you all, so keep an eye out for those.
Friday, October 14, 2022
Let's Talk About Some TV Shows!
TV is in a very weird spot, right now. While broadcast television still exists, most of the hype on the internet these days revolves around series being exclusively released on streaming platforms. But is it really TV anymore? Maybe just serialized audio-visual storytelling? In any case, I've been picking up a show here and there, so I thought I'd give my thoughts on them, like I have been for the movies. Granted, some of these are definitely on the older side, but being relevant or worrying about FOMO certainly hasn't been important for me lately, anyway.
When I learned that Marvel was going to expand their Phase 4 with Disney+ shows, I wasn't really sure what to make of it. While I've liked some of Agents of SHIELD, to know that they were really expanding their universe more seriously with these TV shows made me a little nervous. Will I have to keep up with these as well, or can I just watch the movies? So far, it hasn't been a big problem, but when it was clear that what happened to Wanda in this series was going to be relevant to the second Dr. Strange movie, I decided to give this a shot, anyway.
The result is a bit of a gimmicky thing, but it works its gimmick well. At first, they simply show Wanda and Vision living in a sitcom life, with each episode representing a given decade of TV sitcoms. However, as the episodes progress, it becomes pretty clear that something is up, and before long, there's a whole SWORD division outside of a strange red dome, analyzing some Wanda-based anomaly surrounding the town of Westview. From there, the series essentially grows into a character examination of Wanda (and to a lesser extent Vision), talking about grief and loss, and trying to find purpose in a TV life that doesn't quite match reality, no matter how hard she tries.
The first episodes are a bit of a slog to get through, but once SWORD shows up, things improve, making for a generally satisfying series. It's even amusing to see some of the MCU cameos, as well as some classic sitcom actors, and the ending is a pretty neat magic showdown between Wanda and the secret villain who has been hiding in plain sight. While I did watch this before I saw Multiverse of Madness, looking back on it, the movie kind of colors my view of WandaVision. While the show clearly leads into the movie, at the same time, I was kind of hoping that they would give Wanda a chance to really overcome her trials. Still, WandaVision was entertaining on its own, and would probably be quite fun for those who are aware of the evolution of the American sitcom over the last several decades.
I admit this was another series I wasn't sure what to make of. After Episode 9 wrapped up the disappointing sequel trilogy, I felt I was pretty done with Star Wars, so I hadn't bothered with The Mandalorian, or any of the other Star Wars shows that have come out since. However, seeing Ewan McGregor coming back to be the titular star of this series, I was convinced to give this a shot. In the end, it serves as a decent, if somewhat insubstantial, bridge between the prequels and the original trilogy
After the events of Episode 3, Obi-Wan has become Ben Kenobi, keeping an eye on Luke Skywalker, but otherwise trying to live an inconspicuous life on Tatooine, hoping no one finds him. Unfortunately, there's a group of Sith Inquisitors eager to do just that, and are willing to resort to some underhanded tactics. When Senator Organa comes to Obi-Wan about trying to find their kidnapped daughter Leia, Obi-Wan must pick up his lightsaber once again, only to face some of his greatest fears and regrets.
I will say that it's a series that starts off a little bumpy, but builds well. However, I did have a number of nitpicks. For starters, when the action kicks in, so does the shaky cam thing, making it a little hard to see what's going on. Many times I wished they just hold the camera still. Also, the plotting has a bad habit of stopping and starting at weird times, the dialogue does feel a little flat, and some of the acting could be better. Finally, I wasn't sure if some of the events here really reflected the attitudes and relationships shown in Episode 4. If anything, despite the rather standard CGI one expects from the property, the show felt kind of cheap and low budget.
Despite all that, it does have its moments. It's nice to Ewan McGregor back as Kenobi, and he does well in portraying the emotional stakes of the character, Vivien Lyra Blair plays a perfectly precocious little Leia, and it was nice to see Kumail Nanjiani again; he was clearly having fun. As for the bad guys, Moses Ingram does solid work as an ambitious Sith with her own agenda, and Hayden Christiansen actually does a decent job reflecting the shift from Anakin to Darth Vader. As for the action, I felt that the quality would go up and down. However, I quite liked the sequence where Obi-wan was wandering around the basement of that Sith fortress.
It's hard to say if the series was really all that vital or necessary, but it certainly did well to fill in a gap, and does feature some fun cameos from the prequels (including a great one at the end), but does little more beyond that. It honestly felt more like a little slice of fan service than anything else, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
After enjoying the movie last year, I decided to return to the world of British Cold War spies and their low-key efforts to stay in business. When I had heard that there was also a TV series adaptation of the same story, featuring Alec Guinness as George Smiley himself, I knew I had to check it out.
The result is a much more slow-paced, down-to-earth affair than even the movie was, though I wonder if it wasn't more a matter of budget. Many of the sets had a worn-down quality to them, as if they were just trying to find any old room that would work. However, it didn't detract from the storytelling, which largely focused on the characters talking to each other and getting clues here and there. Of course, having seen the movie, I already knew a large part of the story, so this time much of the appeal was getting a more fleshed out version of the mystery at hand, which helped to fill in some of the gaps that got skimmed over in the movie.
Right off, Alec Guinness is a lot of fun. He retains much of his dry, laconic style from his work as Obi-Won Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy, but he's given a lot more to do, allowing for extended sequences of his wonderful voice and presence. The rest of the cast is fine, if perhaps a little less interesting to watch, though seeing Patrick Stewart show up and say nothing as the villain Karla was quite a blast! While the series is a pretty drab affair, once you get past it's low production values, the story is well-told and it really captures the dry, deliberately paced tone of le Carré's works quite well.
After the Hobbit films had slumped their way into existence, the idea of more Middle-Earth shows wasn't exactly an exciting idea when Amazon bought TV rights back in 2017. However, as time has softened my views on the Hobbit films and promotional material seemed to look promising, this series definitely became a priority for me. While it may have taken us a long while to get here, it turns out that The Rings of Power show hasn't been a complete waste of time.
Starting in the Second Age of the Legendarium, the story starts with a re-imagined Galadriel, now a driven swordmaiden desperate to rid the world of evil. However, when her own crew mutinies against her, she comes back to her homelands to be given the opportunity to finally go West and rest of her troubles. Unfortunately, at the last moment, she bails, and ends up on a completely new adventure, leading her to Numenor and its complex politics. The series also introduces a number of other characters and their own stories. Elrond shows up, dealing with diplomatic ties between the Elves and the Dwarves. Arondir is an elven ranger who is in love with the human Bronwyn, but they get overwhelmed by a marching army of orcs, lead by an estranged elf who serves Sauron. And of course there are some hobbits, called Harfoots, who are suddenly visited by a man who falls from the sky and has strange powers.
If this all feels like it's a little overwhelming, that's certainly the case. So, in an effort to keep all these stories balanced and understandable, the show moves pretty slowly for the first five episodes of its eight episode season. While the world is well-realized and the acting has generally been pretty good, it's hard to know which parts matter and which parts are just fluff, making the show a little exhausting to watch. Then when you get to the last three episodes, things escalate pretty quickly, not only in the violence (which gets a bit gorier than the movies ever did), but also in the plot developments, leaving the last episode feeling a little rushed. While I am interested in a second season, I hope they iron out their pacing problems and provide a show that has better pacing.
Still, I largely enjoyed what I saw. Sure, I have plenty of quibbles about the details of the timeline and how they're rearranging things and creating new elements, but I kinda knew this would be the case going in, so I wasn't necessarily disappointed by anything either. While it does a decent enough job of capturing that Middle-Earth magic, and the characters aren't too bad (even if there may be a few too many), most of what we get here is essentially setup and origin stories for future seasons, making this a bit like Fellowship of the Ring in a few ways. Still, it's a moderately decent fantasy series that may take itself a little too seriously, but maintains the epic storytelling one would expect from this world.
Well, that was a little different! (Or was it?) To be honest, I might be checking out a few other series that have come out in recent years (and I know there's a follow up to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy that's very high on my priority list!), so you may see another one of these articles sooner rather than later. There might be another article or two before the end of the year stuff I regularly do (though there really haven't been too many interesting movies lately!). I'm always writing something, even if it takes a while for it to show up anywhere.
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Recently Watched - 2022, Part Two!
Well, four months have gone by since I've added anything to this site, so I guess it's time for some more movie reviews! While I haven't been watching as many as I used to, I have been getting to some of the bigger ones so far this year. I don't know if any of these are necessarily great, but they certainly have been interesting to consider and discuss.
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Certainly the biggest movie of the first part of the year, I was rather hesitant about this latest version of the Caped Crusader. Early trailers seem to focus on a lot of darkness and violence, and I was afraid it was just going to be a bunch of broody, angsty action. However, I couldn't deny the appeal of its aesthetic, and while the angst was certainly there, the movie had a surprisingly solid approach to the classic character.
The first thing that really makes a difference is an emphasis on detective work. This isn't a vigilante out to beat up thugs in the streets, but one looking to stop a strange serial killer and his riddles. From there, the movie takes it time to really soak in the nature of this Batman and his city. While he is pretty angsty, it is kind of fascinating to see him largely ignore his Bruce Wayne half in favor of being a stressed out problem solver struggling to prevent the next disaster to slake his thirst for vengeance. From there, it builds into a climax, focusing on themes rather than stakes, and while Gotham does get lost in the waves of the Riddler's plans, you get the impression that his movie is more interested in helping our hero grow out of his angst and become a proper hero.
However, this certainly isn't a perfect pitch. While the movie has great visuals and atmosphere, at 3 hours long, it can feel like a bit of a slog at times, and it's sense of self-importance can be pretty tedious at times. The plot is a little janky as well, especially where Catwoman is involved, as she doesn't seem to gel too well with everything else going on. It felt like she was just there to mouth off and check the "girl character" box on the checklist.
Still, it's certainly a movie that had ambitions and a desire to not just be another superhero blockbuster action film. And if the anticipated sequels show the Batman growing out of his brooding dark disposition into something more heroic in nature, this movie's quality could improve in some ways, Fellowship of the Ring style. In any case, it's a pretty bold movie that may be divisive for a lot of people, but I found that I liked what it tried to do, and shows some potential for where the Batman as a character can go from here.
When I saw a Viking epic was coming up in my Anticipated Films list, I was certainly interested, but as the trailers came out, I wasn't sure what to expect, as it seemed quite cold and grim. As it would turn out, it would be the grimmest film I had seen in quite some time. While The Green Knight from last year sought to deconstruction a classic tale, the Northman almost seems to revel in its ancient and archaic storytelling, eshewing the fanciful and heroic in favor of a very stark revenge story with some Norse mysticism for good measure.
Based on the legend of Amleth, the plot is classic: a young prince sees his father killed and his mother taken by his uncle, Fjölnir, forcing the youngling into exile. Spending many years learning the ways of war from berserkers, he discovers to learn that his uncle had lost their homeland to another king, forcing his people to move to Iceland. After being prodded by strange seeress that insists on Amleth pursuing his fate, he pretends to be a slave to be sold to Iceland to fulfill his childhood oath of revenge. Along the way, he befriends, and eventually falls in love with, a witch named Olga, also sold as a slave to Fjölnir, and together they tear his uncle's kingdom and legacy apart. (And of course, there's a side quest to go get a magic sword, because why not.)
This is definitely one of those films where there isn't much in the way of subplots or character depth, allowing the actors fill their admittedly shallow roles decently well. Between the harsh but subdued violence, the straight-forward storytelling, and the occasional, dreamlike dips into mythology, it really does feel like you're being told a classic story like Beowulf by a time-travelling 10th century Dane, with all the subtleties and nuance of a brick to the face. However, it doesn't revel in the gore or violence (much), instead going for a deliberately paced narrative that doesn't shy away from the ugliness or rustic nature of the time period it's portraying. I did kind of wish the cinematography was a little better, as some of the shots seem a little close, and characters spend a lot of time talking to or even staring just beyond the camera, but I suppose that helps keep the focus on the story's bluntness instead of allowing the viewer to escape into some kind of fantasy. There is no pretense or deeper meanings or apologies, or even any sense of heroism; it's just a classic, down-and-dirty Viking tale.
While I did enjoy a lot of what I saw, this movie really isn't for everyone. Don't expect any kind of warmy and fuzzy fairy tale, or even much in the way of "good vs. evil," so much as a single man's devotion to a task, getting the tools and helpers for that task, and sacrificing as much of himself as necessary to complete that task. However, for those willing to endure it's near emotionless style, it really is an engrossing movie that is allowed to be exactly what it wants to be, without compromise, and that's always refreshing compared to the sometimes cookie-cutter blockbusters it stands up against.
After Spider-Man: No Way Home broke open the Marvel multiverse, it was easy to imagine the shenanigans that the MCU could get up to, especially now with the pieces that Fox once held are back under control of Mastermind Feige. And what better way to explore those possibilities than with Dr. Strange, a character built for the bizarre side of Marvel. While the movie certainly set out to throw everything at the screen, it's kind of a shame that there wasn't much of a story to go with it.
The premise is surprisingly simple: a girl capable of traversing the multiverse pretty much falls into Dr. Strange's lap along with a strange octopus creature that takes a bit to defeat. In an effort to get to the bottom of it, he reaches out to the other major spellcaster he knows: Wanda. Unfortunately, because of events in WandaVision, she's gotten her hands on an evil spell book called the Dark Hold and is trying to use it and the girl to finally get the happily ever after she's always wanted. This causes quite the universe-hopping adventure that certainly allows for quite the visual spectacle, including a brief dip into one where everyone is paint.
However, that's pretty much it. Sure, there are some themes about trying to make the best of rough circumstances (Dr. Strange's love interest from the first film has chosen someone else to marry due to Strange's own five-year disappearance), but they fall flat at providing any kind of depth. Even the cameos they pull up feel kind of token, especially when they really don't provide much to the story. Sam Raimi certainly gets to do some fun, campy horror things, but otherwise is just a superhero trying to solve a problem, but solution gets pretty complicated because it's Dr. Strange and things are never straight-forward for him. To be clear, this isn't a bad movie; those looking for multiverse fun will find it, but despite all the fervor, I think this will end up being one of the more forgettable MCU films.
Let me first preface my thoughts on Love and Thunder by explaining that, while I was bummed that Ragnarok left the serious tone of the first two Thor movies behind, I did think that Ragnarok was a good movie with a lot of fun moments. However, in their attempt to try and make the Ragnarok lightning strike twice, they ended up making a downright mess of things!
After Endgame, Thor joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, but when a god-killing madman named Gorr wrecks his revenge across the galaxy, Thor separates to tackle him head on, only to discover that his former girlfriend Jane Foster has somehow become Thor herself. From there, the two awkwardly reconnect as they work out how to take on their latest challenge. I think the main goal was to make a kind of romantic comedy about former lovers that just happens to take place in the MCU's cosmic side.
Unfortunately, the result is a mess of tone and pacing. While they do have some really great ideas going on here (Thor trying to rediscover himself, Valkyrie getting over her warrior angst, Jane Foster finding new meaning in a fading life), they all get sidelined for some very strange gimmicks and humor based on awkwardness (which is probably my least favorite kind). Seriously, I was cringing through most of this movie, and even the action scenes seemed kind of perfunctory. And it didn't help that they busted out a Guns 'n' Roses song every time an action scene, making the musical cue come across as tedious rather than thrilling.
It's such a shame because I can see a good movie trying to happen here. Christian Bale gives an incredible performance as the tortured and relatable villain, struggling to reconcile the loss of his daughter in the face of Gods who seem to have abandoned their subjects. However, as if in fear of ever letting things getting too serious, it's quickly undercut by some random gag or screaming goats. So when the ending tries to be emotional and meaningful, it just comes across as flat because the tone was never properly set up for that to really pay off. While I'd have to really think if this is the worst MCU film now, it certainly was a critical disappointment.
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Recently Watched - 2022 Part One!
Right off, we're starting with some more movie reviews for the year. There was a lot that came out over the past few months, not only catching up on some big names at the end of last year, but also snagging some of the newer ones from my Anticipated Films list. It's a bit of a weird mix, but most of them were pretty good.
The first of the catch-up films is the latest MCU installment for the theaters, which ended up being pretty entertaining. It certainly has fun with its universe-hopping concept, and it almost feels like it's going to far, but it reigns things in well and doesn't really lose its focus on the characters amidst all the wackiness.
Starting off from where Far From Home ended, with Peter Parker being outed as Spider-Man by J. Jonah Jameson, the story goes on a bit of a whirlwind on how that messes with his life, as well as those of his friends, so he seeks out Dr. Strange to see if his magic can be used to revert the mess. Unfortunately, Peter's addendums to Dr. Strange's spell cause reality to break a little, and suddenly, he's having to face villains from other universes, making his life an even bigger mess. So a pretty standard Peter Parker kind of day.
Fortunately, it does more with these cameos than simply show off how much money Disney has. Peter feels compelled to do more than just send these villains back, but to give them the help they need to overcome their faults. And when that goes sideways in the worst way possible, he gets help from some kindred spirits who knows what he's going through, ensuring that the multiverse shenanigans don't overwhelm the emotional core of the movie, which ends up holding together pretty well, in the end.
Honestly, this is the best MCU Spider-Man film, and it's not even close. While the story may feel very gimmicky, they lean into the gimmick just enough to have it all hang together pretty well, making for a very satisfying watch. And now that the multiverse has been cracked open, it not only offers some pretty wild potential for the upcoming Dr. Strange movie, but also for other crossover madness that could be quite exciting. Very recommendable, as long as you don't think too hard about any implications these things could allow.
So this is a bit of a weird one. The first Matrix is a modern classic, but the rest of the trilogy left a lot of fans and viewers underwhelmed (though I enjoy the second one more than most). Still, it was a nice little trilogy that really didn't seem to need a continuation, and yet, at the order of Warner Bros., this one was made. This time, we only have one of the Wachowskis directing, but it's an interesting film that retains some of what made the original films so fun, while at the same time, tries in a few ways to break out of their shadow.
And the shadow looms large, as the film starts with Thomas Anderson back in the normal world again, this time as the renowned video game designer of the Matrix trilogy of video games. However, his bosses want him to go back and make a new installment, and he works with a group of developers and designers to "recapture the magic" of the original games. Yes, the meta-narrative is really that on-the-nose, and you can tell they're having a bit of a laugh at themselves, but I suppose going out of one's way to defang any condescending criticisms of "fidelity" or lack thereof by telling the jokes first is one way to acknowledge just how much of a monumental task this is. In any case, the Matrix turns out to be real, again, but instead of trying to save humanity from an apocalyptic fate (at least for now), the stakes shift to a more personal tone as it deals with Anderson/Neo's reconnection to everything and deciding what it is that's important to him. For the sake of the film, this ends up being a good turn, I think, as it prevents things from getting to heady or convoluted.
That being said, the movie does struggle at times. The action scenes are a mixed bag, and definitely lack the polish and over-the-top charm of the ones from the original trilogy, though there is one chase sequence at the end that really ups the ante for insane action visuals, and you'll know it when you see it. Also, it can be hard to know what level of irony we're working at here with all the meta stuff going on, and what it even means to have the Matrix anymore, both within the universe, and as a franchise in general. Still, I think the movie could have been much worse, and while it may not have been necessary, I didn't feel like my time was wasted.
Roland Emmerich certainly has an eye for spectacle, so when I saw he was doing another big sci-fi disaster epic, I was pretty excited. However, despite some promising trailers, it really is quite a drop to finally see the movie and get a big mess of Independence Day nostalgia that doesn't really work.
Starting from the titular premise of something causing the moon to fall from its orbit towards earth, it largely meanders about for a while, introducing a bunch of characters in order to set up the stakes for a daring mission with the three people left around to go to the moon and figure it all out. By giving time to several side characters who seem to have their own subplots rather than directly interacting with the main plot, the movie has a bad habit of jumping from thing to thing to thing, making for an excessively fast pace without really feeling like there's much story being told. This, in turn, forces the plot to feel very thin, as characters make spontaneous decisions without a lot of reason other than the movie needs them to. Overall, it's just not very satisfying storytelling, as if the movie is just coming up with what happens next off the top of its head, and this carries through to the sci-fi-tastic ending that doesn't really make the landing. Some flat acting certainly doesn't help, either.
For what it's worth, the special effects are pretty good, so if you just want to see the moon cause a bunch of destruction, I suppose you'll get your money's worth. However, during the slower moments with the characters, the movie just kinda drags. While it can possibly find worth as a subject to an MST3K ribbing, on it's own, you might as well skip this and just rewatch ID4.
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Going from the overwhelming visuals of a sci-fi disaster film to the slow, mentally engaging mystery might feel like whiplash, but they released these one week apart, and I was definitely looking forward to this one. It's a sequel to the Murder on the Orient Express that Kenneth Branagh provided five years ago, and when I finally caught up with it, I really enjoyed it. So it was with high expectations that I went into this one, and they were mostly met.
Once again, I went in completely blind, not knowing a single detail about this, and it was great trying to piece it all together as twist after twist fell into Hercule Poirot's lap. Instead of a train, we obviously have a boat for our claustrophobic murder box, but much of the same is here: folks with different agendas suddenly brought together by a web of lies for our detective to sort through, one interview at a time.
This time around, though, I did feel the movie was a little less focused. There's a very long introduction sequence before we even get our first dead body that drags a little, there were some strangely raunchy moments that really didn't seem to belong to the film, and when the game's afoot, it lurches from beat to beat a little too quickly. However, this is by no means a slapdash, rapidly edited film. We get plenty of wonderful panoramic shots and a number of opportunities for our actors to ham up their roles. The cast is fun, though, and Branagh continues his scene-stealing interpretation of the iconic character. While the conclusion did feel maybe a little lackluster compared to Orient Express (though, in all fairness, it would be difficult to top that ending!), I did really enjoy this trip down the river. Highly recommend for those who miss the times when cinema was meant to evoke a sense of wonder and melodrama.
Thursday, January 6, 2022
Anticipated Films of 2022!
Ah, here we are again, with my most anticipated films list for 2022. I'm doing this one a little differently, though. Instead of writing out a massive list of every film I even have a slight interest in, I thought I'd just focus on a handful of films that really stand out to me, looking down the road. Let's get started!
Moonfall
Roland Emmerich's films can be a bit spotty when it comes to storytelling, but he certainly has a knack for spectacle. Early trailers seem to tease a new disaster in the form of the moon falling on Earth thanks to some ancient alien technology, feeling like mashup of 2012 and Independence Day. Even if the plot turns out to be dumb, this one is certainly going to look cool.
Death on the Nile
After going into Murder on the Orient Express completely blind and absolutely loving it, I'm definitely looking forward to the next film with Branagh's Poirot. Once again, I want to know nothing going in. If Moonfall is the dumb film of February, this one will be the smart one!
John Wick Chapter 4
While Chapter 3 did feel a little long with the fights, I can't deny that I am completely onboard with more of this well-choreographed action series, especially since we got left on a massive cliffhanger and I have no idea where the series is going at this point. I admit I've been on the fence about seeing the new Matrix that just came out, but John Wick is probably the one I'm most excited for in the future.
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
I generally don't follow most kids' or family movies, these days, but seeing this on the list does get my attention, as I was a big fan of this franchise when I was a kid. Not too many details seem to be available, but this will likely be one of those CG/live-action hybrids. I don't know if I'll run out and see this, but I can't deny I'm curious. I will definitely need to see a trailer first.
The Northman
Not much is known about this one other than it's a historical revenge epic involving Vikings. The cast looks decent, but I don't know much about this director named Robert Eggers. However, the first trailer does make it seem like it should be interesting.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
I don't know how much superhero stuff I'm really keen on seeing for 2022, but a sequel to the imaginatively animated Into the Spider-Verse is definitely a priority. A teaser has already been released and it looks to be continuing the madcap animation style of the first film, making it a more of a must-watch for me.
The Illumination Super Mario film
While I have a lot of mixed feelings about the Uncharted film coming out (why didn't they cast Nathan Fillion?!), I am admitted a little more optimistic about this animated film based on the classic video game icon. I have no idea what to expect, story-wise, but being part of Generation Nintendo, this definitely has my attention.
Looking through the rest of what's coming out, there certainly doesn't seem to be any shortage on the superheroes. Not only are we getting four more films from both Marvel and DC, there's another one called Samaritan going to come out, with Sylvester Stallone as the big hero. As for the big names, I'm sure there's a lot of buzz out there about the upcoming Batman movie, but when I saw the trailers, it just seemed like so much violence and brooding without a lot of depth. It might be a decent action movie, though.
There may be other films I'll go check out, based on what their trailers look like, but for now, I think that sums up what I'm curious about. I admit I didn't really get into movies for 2021 like I did for 2020, but we'll see what I feel like doing for 2022. At least those 7 above are on my radar, and I'm sure to write reviews for those, when I see them.
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