For Our Honoured and Respected Kingsglaive

It took me a long time to finally set aside some time to watch this. And before I go into the review, let me just say this: this movie is gorgeous. And that is its biggest highlight. There will be some spoiler talk in here, so if you're still interested in the movie, I would say to skip this review. Or only read this if you still plan on watching the movie with the intent of drawing your own conclusions of it.

The movie came out last year, 9 July 2016 to be exact. 2016 was a huge promotional year for Square Enix. They had this, Brotherhood, the Audi R8^*, A King's Tale, and a tonne of other things to help promote the actual game. They were very, very busy, but out of all that, we're going to, of course, discuss the movie.

For those who don't know, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (henceforth known as "Kingsglaive") is a feature length CG movie by Square Enix. The development team behind the film is actually Vision Works. People might know them as the team that made Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, which is one of my favourite adapted movies. The movie tells the political story of King Regis, his counsel, and of these people known as the Kingsglaive, who are a group of refugees who lend the power of the Crystal to keep the country of Insomnia safe during these wartimes.

The total runtime of the movie is 110 minutes, and I will say it again.

This movie is breathtakingly beautiful.

Let's Watch: Vampire's Kiss

I don't do a lot of Let's Watch posts, because I tend to write my reviews after I watch the movie. But in this case, there was no way I could possibly wait to get this one out there.

Vampire's Kiss is a 1988 classic starring Nicolas Cage. If the name isn't familiar to you, then surely the infamous meme face is. That image alone should tell you about the magic you're about to see here.

Brace yourself. This is going to be a long post, and there are spoilers ahead. (Duh.)

Warning for spoilers, repetitive superlatives, and being overall link heavy.

The first ten minutes of the movie are unabashedly entertaining. The acting goes from stuck up to drunken at the drop of a hat (and the slur of some words). The movie begins with Peter Loew (Cage) stretched out on his therapist's (I wanna say, vinyl) couch, talking about some woman he just wanted to "get the hell out". His therapist (a distant cousin of Rue McClanahan) has a case of the scratchy throat, and the camera slowly zooms in on her.

They're playing the pronoun game because we don't really know who "she/her" is that either are talking about. Loew takes a moment to stare off into space, and then there's a really abrupt jump to a booming club. You can really feel the 80s.

What's All the Hot Fuzz About?

So, I know I'm behind on the times, but I've always been interested in this movie. Recently, while a friend was out of town, I got to watch this while baby sitting her cat. I have to say, I'm glad that I did.

'Hot Fuzz; comes from the makers of 'Shaun of the Dead' as pictured above. This mystery-crime-comedy originally came out in 2007. I am way behind the curve. I've seen 'Shaun of the Dead' though if that helps. For those who don't know what the film is about, I'll give you a fill in. Simon Pegg plays an extraordinary officer named Nicholas Angel. Angel is a former London constable who gets reassigned to Sandford, a British quaint, country village. From there, Angel continues to be as upstanding and extraordinary as he was in London. Things in Sandford are not quite as simple as they first appear, and shit goes down.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this film. It was funny, but it wasn't stitch-in-my-side hilarious. I can appreciate it. It was cheeky, interesting, and it has dear Mr. Timothy Dalton in there, which I tip my hat towards. 'Hot Fuzz' is only 121 minutes, but honestly, it was interesting all the way through. It's a steady build, and the action in there wasn't too over the top. In fact, it was pretty believable, especially between Angel and "Yarp".

I'm sorry that I don't have a lot to say about the movie, but it really is one of those things that you can enjoy when you watch it. It's not extraordinarily amazing, and the humour doesn't send me into tears. In fact, I like it that way. It has the perfect balance of story, humour, and plot development. If you've watched 'Hot Fuzz', let me know what you think. If you've never seen it before, oh, I do request it. Come on, tell me when you're gonna watch it, and I'll be waiting with bells and whistles for your reaction.

And All the Kingsmen

I'm not going to lie. When this originally came out, I didn't hear a single thing about it. I had never seen a trailer; I have never even heard about it. I didn't even know it existed until about February. I was on tumblr when I started seeing some gifs of one of the characters. I just thought it was cool but didn't really trying think too much about it.

Which is strange, considering how awesome it ended up being.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is one hell of a film. It's incredibly fun, over the top, and just the kind of movie to get me back into cinema. It's a spy film in its greatest form. It pulls no punches; it has great villains, and of course, its gadgets are amazing. It pays homage to, makes fun of, and amplifies the average spy film all at the same time. It's a multifaceted wonder, and personally, I'm impressed.

I love spy films, and I love action films. I love seeing wild adventures, nonsensical villain-hero banter, and some sort of dramatic tension. Kingsman definitely delivers on that while at the same time spin kicking some expected spy-stereotypes out of the window.

The film has a great cast of people, and the delivery is honestly fantastic. As far as the individual characters go, it's very easy to pick your favourites and to get attached. The main character Eggsy (yup) comes from a broken home, and there are moments where domestic violence is discussed/witnessed. It explains why he's so hardheaded, even though he's an incredibly bright kid.

Sam Jack does an incredibly job of playing a somewhat dorky, lisping villain. I love this type of villain! I love the way that he acted it out, and in case you didn't realise: the word of the day is 'love'. It's such a strange emotion to feel, but I'm really passionate towards this film. I think my one complaint with the film would be that the cinematography can get really blurry during some of the exciting parts. Well, really, it blurs up during the church scene. It does invoke the proper mood of high paced, very intense, and caught up in the action. But I'm greedy. I want to see clearly with my already bad eyes. Keheheh, other than that, I don't have any real beef with the film.

I want to hear different opinions though. I want to know if there's anything you felt was missing or left you wanting. For me, I found it to be a purely fun, over the top, stylish, cinematic tale. I'm really glad that I went to go see it, and I suggest that you go check it out too.

Beautiful, Chaotic Metropolis

Life! That's all I have to say about my lack of updates. But as is my style, I'm going to be working backwards with you for a moment.

I've seen a couple of great movies lately, but I want to talk about the most recent one I saw a few days ago. Its name is Metropolis. I've seen gifs of this movie (specifically of this blond crying) on tumblr. I've made a mental note of it, but I never made an attempt to go look it up. Sometimes, I just flat out forgot, but I was given the opportunity to correct this repetitive mistake!

The GRAVITY of Our Situation

Let me apologize in advance because this is a long review/first impression post about the movie.

Yasu was given two free tickets to see the movie via Klout (,which until today I've never heard of so you get nothing about it from me). I first heard about the movie because it was talked about on the Rooster Teeth podcast, and I learned Sandra Bullock and George Clooney were in the movie together. Now, they are two completely different actors, and so that made me very interested in seeing this film. I never would have thought I was going to see this movie. Ever.

Despite having the opportunity, I'm sad to say that I wasn't really stoked on seeing it. I'm glad that, as the movie went on, my feelings did a complete, galactic 180°.

The Hot, Paved Tekkokkinkreet

I'm really behind on things that I've seen/done and actually enjoyed. Like really behind. Let's try and make this better. About six months ago, I had the pleasure of watching Tekkonkinkreet, which is one hell of a name to type.

The movie is based off the seinen manga series and came out in 2006. Man, am I late. One of the things that got me about the movie is the art style of the characters and the crazy amount of details in the background. I didn't think that I was going to enjoy it very much, and I wasn't sure why. I just had that feeling. I'm so glad that it was wrong. This ended up being more than a story about two brothers trying to survive in this dangerous world of gangs and steel.

For Kuro (/Itachi), this world is all about surviving and trying to keep it safe enough for his brother to live in. Shiro isn't 100% oblivious, but it's obvious that he's not completely there as well. They mean everything to each other, and while that's an easy trope to fall into, I think that Tekkonkinkreet takes it to a whole new level when Kuro gets obsessed with leveling the playing field between him and, well, everyone else.

I think it's a really good movie, and I'm glad I finally got around to checking it out, you know. This is a movie for those who don't mind action, brotherly love turning into overprotection, and a bit of madness. Check it out for yourself, and let me know what you think.

All's Fair in Love and Summer Wars

 

We're blazin' a trail through these movie features, but here's something that took me a couple of months to complete. Moving around really put a stanch in my personal interests. I'm kinda glad that I got around to finishing this one. Summer Wars isn't dramatically action packed or suspenseful as other movies I've reviewed.

Their global society has escalated, and their main means of business, communication, and gaming comes through the world simply known as OZ. It's an interface that can be accessed via mobile phone and home computer, and every single user has an avatar they use within this impressive digital realm. All seems fine until the code to the supercomputer's mainframe is hacked. And how unlikely heroes have to fight to restore order, but their virtual lives aren't the only ones at stake. Well, they aren't unlikely heroes, but they are—for the most part—a bunch of kids!

For what I can say, this is a really peaceful movie. It keeps their technological progress on a realistic plane. Meaning, even though now we have touch screen, 72" TVs, we still don't have flying cars. Here in a rural area of Japan, there's a grandmother who lives in her large estate and the only major change that separates the world from what it is today is its usage of this place called OZ.

I would definitely give this movie a watch. It has (very) slight moments of suspense, surprising let downs (in a good way), and it's just overall good for what it is. It's pleasant, but not extravagant. A solid four out of five on this one in all cases.

I'm Gretel and This is My Brother, Handsome.

I-I meant Hansel, of course. The movie is starred by Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton, who looks a lot like Cobie Smulders (who I keep referring to as Robin Scherbatsky). The duo play a striking part as Hansel and Gretel. What a wonderful film to see after an amazing birthday.

Hansel and Gretel—or as it's fully known "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters"—was a surprising film to watch. Note: it is rated R. I didn't know this beforehand. I managed to avoid everything that said the rating, but I haven't paid attention to the rating on things since I turned eighteen a few years ago. Ha! How liberating that feels. I just thought that it was going to have the standard amount of action I've been cruising the past few months with movies. I wasn't expecting anything above Avengers level on this one. Believe me when I was surprised by the gore. I wasn't horrified, just caught off guard. This is not your children's movie! Naturally (though there was a newborn in the showing I was at).

I expected it to be scary or creepy because the witches were really frightening or dramatic looking in the trailers. I would say that it's pretty safe on that end. The grotesque nature of the witches, however, is a lovely adaptation. This was a good movie. I'm still waiting to feel Fast Five pumped or Advent Children powerful, but I'm not disappointed what I saw on the 26th. If you have a chance go and see this movie with your friends. It's a definite four/four point five out of five.

The Woman in Bla---AH! AAH! OH NO!

(img src: g33kWatch)

Midnight is the best time to decide to watch a scary movie, and an even better time to watch The Woman in Black. This movie is scary because it plays deep in the psyche. When you expect a jump, it never happens, and when it does, it's not in the traditional way. I'm a long time Harry Potter fan, so I was a little sad (from nostalgia) when I found my childhood had finally ended, but each member of the cast had blossomed into their own.

This movie is chilling, unnerving, and actually very tragic, especially at the end, but I won't ruin it for you. If you waited to see this movie at your local drive-in or dollar cinema, you've made an interesting choice. Knowing how good it is, I wish I saw it in theaters, but I'm glad I waited until the hype was over so I could give this my preferred, clear review. Take the time to check it out. I believe this movie is actually very good in its merit. And for me, a lot of the thrill and want has been taken out of seeing scary movie, but this movie I would gladly see again.

So let's have a date! Or rally up your friends to go see The Woman in Black.

★★★★★! All across the board.

A War in District 9

To be honest, this movie was not quite what I had expected it to be when I first heard of it. I know that I'm rather late to the party when it comes to this movie. It's been on my to watch list for the longest time, and eventually it just slipped out of my mind. I had the pleasure of watching District 9 on BBC today, and it was a wonderful feature. After seeing many decent or passable movies, it was good to see something that made me uncomfortable, that was unsettling, and just amazing down to its core.

The movie is shot in a documentary style, and I thought it would stay in that format for the course of the film. It did, but not necessarily in the way that I had expected. The movie follows Wikus Van De Merwe (played by Sharlto Copley) into an alien populated slum in South Africa. He and a group from the formidable MNU are going about evicting these aliens from their dilapidated homes. The premise of why isn't made too clear until the ending half of the movie.

The movie's tension builds at a steady rate, sneaking in things for the audience to notice later on. There are no cheap shots; no one miraculously gets saved. The rise and falls come through sweat and blood, wrenching at the audience's tolerance and nerves along the way. Even though I'm watching the movie late, it's a great movie, and it lives up to the positive things I've heard about it. The positive thing is the movie isn't necessarily over hyped, and a fair amount of time has passed since its released. So if you want to check out District 9 for the first time or get a better retake, I would highly suggest this awesome (in the literal sense of the word!) movie.

Skyfall

Has the time come for the infamous man of mystery to rise up from the cinematic grave? Why yes. Yes, it has. James Bond is back again, aged, and a little worse for wear. I saw this movie a little over a month ago, and I can say that I'm rather content with it. Honestly, I wasn't engaged by Casino Royale as a whole, and I was beginning to think old school spy movies were truly gone to the days of olde. Thankfully, Skyfall has come about with interesting twists and turns.

Without giving too much away to those who haven't seen it, the movie has more realistic points and a new Quartermaster. James Bond's perspective is once again shifted as his newest threat is a combination of past and present, but it's not his past that he needs to worry about. Personally, I would give this movie a 3.5 or 4 out of 5. While I did enjoy the movie, I didn't walk out feeling pumped or highly impressed. Perhaps I am jaded by the many years and bouts of cinematic encounters, but I can admit that this, for me, was a step up from what has been produced in the latest movies. With a beautiful score and psychedelic opening, which is a throwback to many years of Bond, I can say that Skyfall is at least worth watching with friends.

☆ I would recommend this movie. (3.5/4 out of 5)

Rise of the Guardians

This movie came out, and there was a lot of hype about the main protagonist, Jack Frost. Knowing that public opinion can flip flop or some people are overly enthusiastic, I do as I always do: ignore them all. I was interested by the trailers (which were mostly shown online as far as I've seen), and I am always a fan of DreamWorks productions. Taking a chance, my friend and I saw the movie for ourselves.

Whatever hype that had built up with the movie is truly worth it. It seems that most children movies now really hit deep and hard, waking us adults up to the childlike wonder we've forgotten or moved on from. RotG balances so many things that makes it a family movie. It's a little sad at times, so don't worry if you choke up with a few tears.

☆ I would definitely recommend this movie. (5 out of 5)

Let's Watch: "Tekken: Blood Vengeance".

That was a great movie. Honestly, I was blown away.

First of all, they did something amazing by utilizing their graphics the way the did. It's "3D", but not in the marketing way that it is today. It's 3D animation, and I could not have been more impressed. Everything was smooth and flawless. The acting? Ah, superb.