Archive for the ‘Review’ Category

Review: ParaNorman

Posted: August 19, 2012 in Review
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The theatrical poster for ParaNorman. Read my review below.

I hope I got that title right; when the trailers have all the words in capital letters, it’s hard to tell. Also, be aware there are spoiler alerts in this article.

Anyway, today a friend of mine and I went to see ParaNorman at the theater near campus, and we got to wear those 3D goggles that sometimes seem useless when there aren’t enough shots that emphasize the 3D part of it all. But I’m getting sidetracked; here’s the review part you all came for.

ParaNorman is interesting to talk about. I say that because it’s one of those children films where the filmmakers have added parts that adults will also find funny. Now sometimes that works: there’s a scene where one of the characters, a teacher who thinks she should be in the opera, emphasizes that the town legend of the witch is not meant to be accurate but to sell postcards and that sort of stuff. Other times, it doesn’t: Norman’s mom asks him early in the film what he’s watching on TV, to which he says, “sex and violence”. I think some parents may not like that aspect of the movie.

There is also a few cliche and stereotypical characters in this movie: there’s the dad in the film a typical Daddy-knows-best type who doesn’t really know best, which makes you wonder if he’s really qualified to work with a kid who under other circumstances might’ve been taken to see a therapist; and there’s a black female cop who seems to be the stereotype of black females cops by being loud and yelling “Sweet Jesus!” Yes, she does say that.

However there are attempts to break stereotypes that are pretty positive. Remember that dumb jock type from the trailers? He ends up helping to save the day at the end of the movie, and when we think Norman’s sister finally has a great boyfriend, we find out he’s gay. Got to say, my friend and I enjoyed that.

But the other thing that’s just as interesting about ParaNorman is that while although this is a zombie film, it’s one that breaks a few of the rules. For one, there are only seven zombies–yes seven, you read that right–and they don’t turn anyone else into zombies or kill anyone. Also, these zombies are less stupid antagonists but more intelligent, speaking to Norman and actually playing a different purpose than being evil.

In the end the message of this movie is one that gets us in the heart: sometimes we act mean to things (or people) that scare us, and that causes us to do horrible things. It’s only that by thinking of the good people in our lives that we don’t become like them and that the cycle of hate and fear can end.

One qualm I had with the film that reminded me that this wasn’t magic before my eys but actual filmmakers manipulating little puppets was that one of the characters, a big guy with a beard, had a beard that changed a bit too much when he talked. It just took away from the movie magic.

To ParaNorman, I give the film a 3.8 out of 5 for wonderful memories, but I take away points for trying to please the adult audience too much at the expense of the kids who will go to see this film. Hope you enjoy it anyway.

Review: The Dark Knight Rises

Posted: July 26, 2012 in Review
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The poster for Nolan’s final Dark Knight film, which is not to be missed.

Holy awesome blockbuster, Batman!

Okay, all Robin jokes aside, this movie kicked butt! At times it seemed a little slow, but it was definitely killer! There were plot twists that I had no idea coming (seriously, you will freak at certain points), the emotion was believable, and the storyline was superb (there were things I wouldn’t have done, but I’m still an amateur by comparison. And besides, how many movies make you rethink how you’ll write your novel, which I’m considering doing?).

The one thing I did not care for was the girl two rows below me and one to the right who kept turning her phone on and lighting up the theater near the end of the film. Girl, it’s a movie theater. Your boyfriend can wait, and if you want to check the time, buy a watch.

I rate this movie a 4.5 out of 5 for a job well done.

Oh, fun fact: you know that chant they do in the film that the guy from the trailer translates as “Rise”? Well, I did a little digging, it’s actually Moroccan Arabic and it means “he rises”. Close enough translation, but still makes more sense in context.

Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

Posted: July 13, 2012 in Review
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Poster for the new Spider-Man movie.

Epic.

That’s what went through my mind when I was watching the climactic fight scene. Epic.

Every person on the planet familiar with the previous three films of Spider-Man were skeptical when they heard the series was getting a reboot. Then a few trailers were shown, and people started liking the idea. And then more was shown, and people really started liking the idea. And then it came out, and the reviewers were raving.

And I can see why.

This new Spider-Man, played by a superb Andrew Garfield (nice American accent; almost worth it that we outsourced the role), is much more three-dimensional than Tobey Macguire’s portrayal, to the point where you can really relate to him. The same goes for Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, who has more depth than Mary Jane as played by Kirsten Dunst, and actually does more than scream, get kidnapped, and flirt. Dr. Curtis Connors/the Lizard (whose actor I forget) is amazing, not only in the CGI used to create him, but also in the chronicle of a man who as the movie progresses, becomes more and more delusional, not realizing what he’s doing until near the end of the film.

You know, just about every actor in this movie did extremely well. Not too mention the story was well-written, and there was more to Peter Parker/Spider-Man than just swinging around like a monkey in a spandex suit: he’s crafty, he knows strategy, and he’s funny while he fights crime. And hey, the romance didn’t end on an annoying tone like it did in the original film. Thank you!

I’ve just got three complaints (it would be four, but for once I’m going to shut up about sequels). First is the music for the movie: at times it seems wholly insipid, more suited to a children’s adventure film than a serious superhero film. At other times, the music can seem appropriate but out of place, by which I mean why is there piano keys being clunked all together when the Lizard enters Oscorp? That might work in an old horror film, and it might work here, but the composer could’ve done something better.

The other complaint is after the big battle, Gwen goes to see Peter and all his battle scars are gone. What the hey? You can’t heel a guy that brutally injured in such a short time! It makes no sense! It makes even less sense that at the end, the web comes out in slow-mo. That’s anti-climatic, really.

Well that’s it. I give the film a 5 out of 5, for defying expectations and giving us a really enjoyable superhero film that has some real depth to it.

Oh, before I forget: when you see the film, watch out for octagons. They’re everywhere: in Spider-Man’s mask’s lenses, on the suit’s spandex, on Oscorp’s exterior. I know, it’s a minor detail, but why did they do it?

Review: Marvel’s The Avengers

Posted: July 6, 2012 in Review
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The poster for the Avengers movie.

As I said in the last post, I saw this last night and I thought I’d write a review of it as the third entry in my summer movie review series. However I’m pressed for time so I’ll keep it brief (hope that’s okay with everyone).

In this latest edition to the Marvel Cinematics Universe, we have the heroes of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America and Thor, plus a few new guys, getting together to fight Thor’s evil brother Loki, who’s allied himself with some monsters with a really hard name to pronounce and a minor resemblance to the Xenomorphs and Predators. The plot of this film, like the other ones, seems rather formulaic–meet guy with personal problems/flaws, guy has life-changing experience, guy realizes who he can become, guy confronts enemies, guy takes a break for various reasons from fighting evil–and yet I still find myself impressed and thrilled by the action of it all. Not too mention that they really did some great CGI effects on Hulk and Iron Man.

My one major complaint is that while I was promised there’d be some conflict between the characters involving Captain America and Tony Stark, plus Bruce Banner’s problems with the Hulk. I just didn’t see enough of that. I really thought the former two would have a shouting match that would devolve into a fist fight. There was none of that. Just a little trade of sentences. Where was the conflict exactly with the coming from two different worlds? And I thought Banner seemed to have too much control over Hulk. I mean seriously, you need to startle Banner with the Hulk to bring out the Hulk? Really? And what’s with the “I’m always angry” bit? If you were always angry, you’d always be big and green! Imagine having to find a car that matched your wacky melanin and fit your size!

I’d rate this film with a 3.6 out of 5, for–although impressive–being formulaic, having monsters look like Xenomorphs and Predators, and not showing the conflict I was promised.

Oh, and for those of you wondering what films are in this summer film review series of mine, let me tell you: Men In Black III (seen it), Prometheus (seen it), The Avengers (just reviewed it), Rock of Ages (gotta see it), The Amazing Spider-Man (just came out), Ted (still in theatres, last I checked), and The Dark Knight Rises (sitting on my hands till it comes out).

Review: “The Wolf Gift” by Anne Rice

Posted: July 5, 2012 in Review
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The cover of Anne Rice’s “The Wolf Gift”.

You know, it just doesn’t seem right to do a review of an Anne Rice novel without mentioning in the title that it was written by her, and there’s good reason for that: Anne Rice is a wonderful writer, a woman whose evolution from her early works to her latest writing can be seen by even people who are not well-versed in the study of literature. If I were to try to classify Anne Rice’s writing, I’d call it sophisticated horror, and that depending on what work you are reading, you can compare her work to some sort of food or drink: The Vampire Chronicles are, most appropriately, red wine; Lives of the Mayfair Witches could be an aged, sweet port; The Mummy as a leafy salad; Servant of the Bones as a French bread; and Songs of the Seraphim as a dairy dessert. I’m sorry, I just had lunch, can you tell?

So what does The Wolf Gift taste like? Probably a white wine meant for right before bed. It is an amazing work of fiction, and shows just how Anne Rice’s style has acclimatized to the Information and Technology age. From the point of view of reporter Reuben Golding, we see how he becomes a werewolf–or Man Wolf, as he prefers, and Morphenkind, as his species in the novel is referred to as a whole–and how his new abilities include an instinct to hunt down those whom we consider evil (rapists, murderers, etc.) just by scent. Along the way, Reuben must figure out how to interact with his family after his change, the question of whether he is good or evil, abomination or divinely blessed, and unravel the mysteries surrounding the house he lives in, where he is bitten, and what it all has to do with Morphenkind in general.

Although the book doesn’t have a central primary antagonist (two antagonists do appear throughout the story though; a werewolf who has “lost his way”, which is not what you’re thinking, and two Russian scientists with sinister goals), the obstacle that all the main characters must face is whether they are good or evil, and what it means to be given the Wolf Gift, and how it places them in the grand scheme of things.

One of the unique aspects of Anne Rice’s latest novel is that instead of looking at things from a supernatural/magical point of view as she usually does, she instead looks at the werewolves and their abilities from a scientific perspective, using that to explain the forensic conundrums of werewolf DNA and the passing-on of the wolf gift and how exactly it works on the body’s structure, endocrine system, and DNA.

If I had to discuss the main theme of “The Wolf Gift”, I would say it is purpose, whether it be individual, moral, or cosmic purpose.

I give this latest masterpiece by the woman who basically created the sexy vampire, a 4.4 out of 5, for outstanding plot, character development, and philosophical questions explored. If there’s ever a movie adaptation, I would love to write the script for it.

All for now, I think I’ll write Ms. Rice a fan letter (I do that for every new book of hers I read; she’s the only author I know that has an email address for her fan mail).

What I imagine the werewolves in “The Wolf Gift” to look like. Very scary, but actually very nice if you get to talk to them, and I mean that in either form.

Review: Prometheus

Posted: June 22, 2012 in Review
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The film poster for Prometheus. It’s huge in this post for a reason.

OH MY GOD! I FINALLY SAW IT! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Ok, spazz-out done. Let’s get down to it without giving away any plot points or whatever. Wow. What a movie. I was put into suspense, I got scared a few times, and I couldn’t stop putting my hands on my face at every scary or gruesome part. Yeah, I liked it. It was so much fun learning about the origins of the Xenomorphs and seeing their evolution from simple to close to what Sigourney Weaver fought in 1970. The characters have been criticized by other critics as being “too two dimensional” but I felt they were real enough, especially considering that it’s a slasher film with sci-fi bio-warfare as the killer. And I was left with more questions than when I came in, so I guess that means there’s going to be a sequel! In fact, I’ll be disappointed if there isn’t.

My one qualm is that the beginning might move a little too fast and be a little more confusing if you can’t adjust too quickly, but it becomes easy to follow after that.

I give this movie a 4.3 out of 5, for showing me the evolution of the Xenomorphs and for scaring the crap out of me at some points.

Review: Book Girl series

Posted: June 19, 2012 in Review
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The Japanese cover for “Book Girl”, featuring Tohko Amano on the cover.

Remember a while back I wrote a post about a Japanese book series called Kieli? If not, I’ll leave a link at the bottom so you can check out the exact post, but I want to talk about another Japanese light novel series: Book Girl by Mizuki Nomura. It’s very different fromKieli, but it’s still one heck of a series. The books follow Konoha Inoue, a teenager who wrote a highly successful romance novel in junior high under a girl’s name. However, the success of the book came at a steep price, and Konoha does not want to ever write another novel, or anything again for that matter.

Then one day in high school, he meets Tohko Amano, an upperclassman (or upperclasswoman, though I don’t think that’s a word) who eats books. No, she really does eat books! And when Konoha discovers the secret, he become’s the second member of the literature club, forced to write short stories as snacks for Tohko. Even worse, Tohko keeps getting him wrapped up in strange mysteries that always seem to resemble different famous novels (sometimes Japanese, sometimes not). What’s a guy trying to move on from trauma and shame supposed to do?

Te novels are very interesting, as I’m kept guessing at every turn, especially when it’s a Japanese novel I’ve never heard of that’s being used for the plot. Even when it’s a novel I’ve heard of, seen an adaptation of, or read though, I can never guess how the mystery will be resolved or how the story will end. It’s perfect for mystery fans with a knowledge of literature, and the characters feel very real to you, especially Konoha, who every moment struggles with his past. Interspersed throughout each book, we can find pieces of the literature used in the novel or the dark musings of characters as they struggle internally, adding a bit of spice to an–as Tohko might say–an already delicious piece of storytelling.

I give this book series–and it’s story-writing and story-eating main characters–a 5 out of 5 for excellent writing and excellent characters.

Oh, and before I forget, here’s that link for the review of Kieli:

https://ramiungarthewriter.wordpress.com/2011/08/14/review-kieli/

Review: In Time

Posted: June 10, 2012 in Review
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A poster for “In Time”, detailing in watch-like fashion the date of it’s release (don’t worry though, the movie’s on DVD if you want to see it)

You want to know how I spend the first few hours of my birthday? Starting the previous night, I watch the dystopian science-fiction film In Time on my computer, and then decide to write a post about it…after a couple hours sleep. Well, here’s that post, and can I just say I found this movie powerful? I mean, if the Occupy Wall Street movement wanted a movie that serves as a metaphor for them and the movement, along with the power of the wealthy in this country versus the power of the poor, they’d just have to watch this film.

You know the phrase “Time is money”? In this film, that’s especially true: you earn time, you buy time, you sell time, you lose time, you steal time, and once you run out of time currency, you also run out of life! Lower-class citizens live day-to-day trying to pay debts and have enough to eat while earning their time, while upper-class citizens can live for centuries with the amounts of time they have. Justin Timberlake (who is such a versatile actor as well as a singer) and Amanda Seyfried (who looks a lot like Emma Stone to me) play a ghetto tough and a little rich girl who see the corruption in the system and do everything in their power to upset it, all while being pursued by the police-like Timekeepers. It’s a ton of fun, and it really gets you thinking about things in our current system.

Kudos to the cast for their wonderful performance, and to the crew who made a believable world of corruption and nobody truly living. I give this film a 4.5 out of 5.

My Favorite Slasher Killers Part 2

Posted: May 28, 2012 in Review, Scary Stuff
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Boy, doesn’t that sound like the title to a slasher sequel! But don’t worry, there won’t be any part 3 or 4 or 11 or anything. After all, I’m just doing Part 2 to cover three killers I missed last time. I also wanted a new category of posts to devote to horror-related stuff, so here’s the new category: Scary Stuff. Not exactly original, but the only thing original about slashers is what you put into them (if you think about that it does ring true).

DEATH

The film poster for “Final Destination” because as I’ve said, there’s no picture of Death.

Of all the slashers I’ve ever seen, this one has got to be the most supernatural of them all. I mean, how can you top Death Itself? And the kicker is you never see Death, except for a shadow reflected in certain surfaces. Most of the time you only see his handiwork, Rube Goldberg-like plots that kill anyone who evades Death when it deems you have to die. So creepy.

I’ve only seen the first Final Destination and parts of the second, but definitely see the first. It will blow your mind (not literally!).

THE MINER

Also known as Harry Warden, this killer hails from the Canadian film My Bloody Valentine and its remake. Nobody knows who is really behind that miner’s mask; is it the madman Harry Warden, who went on a rampage one Valentine’s Day and threatened to kill anyone should they try celebrating Valentine’s Day again? Or is it a copycat, someone demented enough to dawn that miner’s suit and kill all the teens in town?

I’ve only seen the remake so far, which but for the ending was good. However, I hear the good one is the original, which I hope to get my hands on soon. Hopefully before the next Valentine’s Day.

The Miner in the remake. Freaky!

GHOSTFACE

Ah, the Scream movies. Wait…let’s start that over. AAAAAAH! The Scream movies! Much better.

Bringing a renaissance to the slasher genre, Ghostface was the killer in every Screamfilm, and each time the person (not just the actor, but the character too!) behind the mask was a different character and had different reasons for wanting to kill main character Sydney Prescott and everyone around her. The killer wears a Grim Reaper cloak and a mask based on Edvard Munch’s The Scream (oh, that makes so much sense), which in the Scream universe is a costume available at any costume store. Also, the killer uses a special device that changes his/her voice to a single, murderous voice and calls the victim before killing them.

Ghostface; he’s much scarier than he looks.

The Scream films were part slasher, part mystery (who was doing the killing and why?) and part satire, as they examined all the conventions of previous famous slasher films, used them, and made fun of them. Still, don’t think these films are comedic–they’re anything but. If you want comedy, see the parody film Scary Movie, which is mostly based on Scream.

I reccommend the first two films, as they were good and scary. The other two just feel recycled, unfortunately.

CONCLUSIONS

So, here are my favorite slashers. If you want to know what makes a good slasher film, let me know. Otherwise I plan to not write again on this subject for a while so as not to scare off any conservative readers. All for now. Bye.

Oh, and check out my last post so as to vote in the poll I’ve set up, if you haven’t already.

Review: Men In Black III

Posted: May 27, 2012 in Review
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Men in Black III movie poster

I’m skeptical of most movies involving time travel. Besides the fact that I loathe the concept (just too much moral considerations, and that’s after you can get past all the considerations involving what could happen if…? It plays too much of the mind), it’s a really tough concept to sell to critics and moviegoers, especially considering how much we know about [the impossibility of] time travel.

Thankfully Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin did not disappoint. They were funny, they were serious, they were actually kind of sweet, and they balanced it all out very well. There were only two problems I had with the film: Will Smith did not do his signature, high-toned “Whoo!”; and the ending involving K’s tip and the satellite/meteor collision made no sense (I doubt the guys who write Touch would be able to make those two connect!). Other than that, the film definitely deserves it’s 4.7 out of 5.

Oh, and when you go to see the film, you will have the added delight of seeing the preview of the new Bond movie SkyFall. Check it out, it’s awesome!!! I’m geeking out already.

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