- Last OnlineMay 12, 8:22 AM
- JoinedMar 25, 2017
No friend yet.
RSS Feeds
|
Dec 2, 2023
This is a typical boy meets girl story with a supernatural twist of a tunnel that can grant your wish but every 3 seconds in the tunnel equates to 2 hours outside. Just from this premise alone, you can guess exactly what is going to happen. The plot is incredibly predictable with tons of cliche tropes.
However, what it lacks in plot, it makes up for it in everything else. The art style and characters are visually appealing. The interactions between our main leads are enjoyable to watch. The animation is gorgeous. The soundtrack is terrific. The theme and message are incredibly heartfelt.
The ending
...
does raise a lot of questions but the overall experience was enjoyable. It is not going to be for everyone but for anyone craving more of that sweet anime romance, this is a good one to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Nov 4, 2023
Makoto Shinkai is one of my favourite animation directors of this generation. The Garden of Words, Your Name and Weather with You were all stellar movies. Of course, I was massively looking forward to Suzume! Does this live up to his previous movies or is this finally a dude in his resume?
Let's get the obvious out of the way first. The animation is still as gorgeous as ever. There are still many beautiful shots that are just jaw-dropping. You can clearly see the amount of detail in drawing and animating many of the scenes. The cinematography is just breathtaking and the otherworldly scenes are just
...
incredibly mesmerizing. Radwimps returns again to collaborate with Makoto on the music score. Radwimps made a terrific upbeat, yet moving soundtrack for the previous 2 movies. In Suzume, he made a more sombre and otherworldly song that is very fitting for the themes explored in this film. It's different but I still love it.
On that note, I enjoyed the themes explored such as coming to terms with loss and building new relationships. The main character, Suzume, begins her journey by meeting a man named Souta and gets pulled into a supernatural world. She then goes on a journey, meeting new people and building more friendships. It is genuinely heartwarming and results in a very terrific 3rd act. The final act is so impactful and has a powerful, emotional resolution that can definitely tug at people's heartstrings. Suzume is such an endearing main character. You do wonder why she puts herself in danger so much but as you learn more and more about her, you end up supporting her a lot and hoping she succeeds. The support characters are all charming as well, even with their short screen time.
A problem I had with the previous movie, Weathering with You, was how it felt too similar in structure to Your Name. Unfortunately, Suzume is still the same. We still get a boy and girl who get brought into a supernatural event in the first act, the second act with an increase in supernatural and a revelation, and a final act dealing with this revelation and its consequences. It results in the film being incredibly predictable. One element this film does do worse though is the romance aspect. Suzume and Souta's romantic chemistry just isn't as strong. There is a lack of romantic moments between them and it is made more difficult to believe when Souta is mostly a chair. Honestly, the movie would have been better if the romance aspect was removed.
The movie can be a bit repetitive for the first half of the story by repeatedly having the characters search for an evil cat, get taken in by strangers, see a worm in sky, find a door, face a challenge and then close the door. It also does have pacing issues with some of the road trips being a bit too long, especially one near the end of the second act. It detracts attention from the main plot and slows the film down. While this film is mostly beautiful, it does use CG a lot more than before. For example, the worm entity is entirely 3D. The CG would be fine if it blended well with the 2D animation. The problem is that the 2D looks amazing and the 3D looks cheap causing this jarring visual at times.
Overall, Suzume is still a wonderful film from Makoto. The themes that are explored will definitely be more appreciated by Japanese audiences than by westerns but the emotional conclusion will still hit hard nonetheless. I don't enjoy this as much as his previous movies but I still enjoyed it a lot. I will still 100% see his next project but I do hope it tries to be a lot more different this time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Nov 4, 2023
After watching the amazing Japanese animation movie "Your Name", I've wanted to watch director Makoto Shinkai's next work. The premise is simple and it's about "A boy runs away to Tokyo and befriends a girl who appears to be able to manipulate the weather". So is the movie another hit from the director or a flop?
Let's get obvious out the way but the animation and art style is still absolutely gorgeous. There are so many shots in this movie that are visually stunning and is done with meticulous detail. The animation team somehow made the rain looks dazzling in different ways, sometimes foreboding and sometimes
...
elegant, it's quite exceptional. There are a lot more supernatural elements in this movie compared to "Your Name" and these elements are magnificent to look at. Radwimps returns to do the music and it is still phenomenal here as well and the director utilises these Jpop songs at the right time and they hit the right notes.
The characters are all great as well. The main leads are Hodaka who is a 16-year-old boy that ran away from home and moved to Tokyo, Hina who is a girl who takes part-time jobs to support her family after her mother's death and can control the weather. They meet each other by coincidence but end up tangled in each other lives. They are both lovable characters and the chemistry between each other is strong which leads to the strongest moments in the movie. I enjoyed watching both of them and following alongside them. The supporting characters are also great and also a lot more relevant and developed compared to "Your Name" making them stand out more. They are all distinct with their quirks and their struggles making them more memorable.
So everything good in "Your Name" is good here but is the story still good? Yes, it is. There is a profound mystery ongoing throughout the movie about the constant rain happening in Tokyo, the weird "fish jelly water" floating around and Hina's weather power. However, the emotional core of the movie is the relationship between Hodaka and Hina which is what keeps the audience so engaged with the story. There are some very dramatic and heartwarming moments throughout that are genuinely touching. Additionally, the use of Japanese rituals and Shinto beliefs gives the movie it's own flavor that will set it apart from American romance movies.
So is the movie masterpiece? Unfortunately, no as the biggest flaw of this movie is that it feels too similar to "Your Name" and not as good. It's difficult to not compare it to "Your Name" when that was his last movie before this. Weathering with You follows too many similar beats to that of "Your Name" with how similar the acts and structure are. It doesn't help that the movie also a romance movie and also has the same Jpop band singing within the movie. It probably would have been better if this movie was something completely different as people can't avoid comparing it to the masterpiece "Your Name".
The movie also has some pacing issues as I feel it drags at times which is most prominent in the middle act. The movie could have cut around 5 to 10 minutes worth of stuff to improve the pacing so it feels more cohesive. It also uses a lot of cliches and cheesiness that are seen in romance movies especially in the final act which make the movie feel not as unique. Furthermore, there are a lot of plot threads still dangling that I feel should be answered such as why Hodaka ran away from home?, how Hina got her own house despite being young or why she has weather manipulation powers? and did Natsumi (a supporting character) get a job or not? It's weird to mention Natsumi is going through countless job interviews but failing and show it, only to not even bother to resolve it. Likewise, it's weird they don't elaborate much on the backstory of the main leads.
Overall, it's a good movie but it just feels too similar to "Your Name". An interesting tidbit I've found about Makoto is that he wasn't exactly fond of the massive hype of "Your Name" as it made it difficult for him to live up to that hype for the next movie. Sadly, what he feared happened. I think it would've been better if Makoto did something a bit more drastically different and then comparing it wouldn't be so problematic. However, Weathering with You is still a visual glory with a narratively engaging story and likeable characters. Despite the lack of backstory for our main leads, we the audience will still have no trouble in rooting for them and wanting them to be together. It may not be as good as "Your Name" but it still went down a storm with me and I believe it would for you as well.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Apr 30, 2023
It's a One Piece movie that does something different with it being more of a musical centred on the new character Uta, Shank's daughter. It's not action-heavy like previous movies. Uta herself is a complex character with clear mental issues, which is not what you usually see in One Piece. It delivers great songs, good animation and an emotional yet dark story. The last 20 minutes of this film are stellar!
Don't come into this one expecting something similar to 'Strong World' or 'Film Z'. This is a unique experience for One Piece in general. I personally found it a fun watch but I understand that
...
this film might be divisive for One Piece fans.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Nov 12, 2022
Jujutsu Kaisen (2020) anime was awesome, so I was definitely looking forward to the prequel movie.
STORY: 5/10
The story is very straight forward which is slightly disappointing. The main character, Yuta Okkotsu, is suicidal of the curse but can't kill himself. He gets taken into Jujutsu high school and learns to love himself. Also some bad guy is going to do bad things. That's pretty much it. There isn't anything that happens that is surprising.
ART: 8/10
The animation is awesome and definitely worthy of its movie production. The fight scenes are awesome to watch but I do think the choreography isn't as awesome as the TV series.
...
CHARACTERS: 6/10
The main character has a generic personality and the villain, Geto, has a genocidal plan because he evil. They don't spend enough time to explain why Geto is the way he is but this was probably done so they can do it in season 2. Every returning character such as Gojo, Mak and Pandai are as great as you remember them from the series.
MUSIC: 9/10
The soundtrack in this film is flipping awesome. The sombre song in the intro and the rock songs during the fights. They elevate every scene
OVERALL: 8/10
I enjoyed the movie and think it is a great addition to Jujutsu Kaisen. However, in terms of world building and actual plot development, I'm not sure it did much for the overall story. It could easily be skipping and nothing would be missed. Nevertheless, it's a great movie and fans should definitely watch it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Aug 6, 2022
Came in for the clickbait title!
Came out in tears...
The story is indeed very cliche and blatant in its attempt to tug at your heartstrings. Right from the beginning, the movie puts you in a state of mind of impending doom and you think it will ruin the enjoyment of the story. Fortunately, this isn't the case as this knowledge makes the experience different as instead you root for both the characters to properly bond before the inevitable conclusion.
The animation feels wooden and stiff at times and there are an overuse of filters in certain scenes. Sometimes the background is incredible which is very noticable at
...
the beginning but near the end there definitely doesn't feel as much emphasis on the backgrounds. It is a shame but the movie doesn't ever feel ugly if anything.
One potential jarring element is the main character being very stoic and the girl overly energetic. It feels like the two characters are in different shows because of it which can affect how people view the film. However, to me, they don't damage the movie.
Overall, the movie is still incredibly engaging and heart-warming despite the foreboding sadness when it comes to watching it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jun 18, 2022
Mirai is definitely not going to be a movie for everyone. For starters, the main character of this film is a very bratty 4-year-old. The child can be extremely irritating to watch to the point of being unlikeable. It's worsen when everyone else is so nice and likeable, including the new baby sister.
However, that is the intention of the film. The whole focus of Mirai is seeing this bratty kid learn important life lessons and growing into a more capable individual and a better brother for the new sister. Fantasy elements such as seeing an anthropomorphic dog or a middle school age version of his
...
sister are there to give him these lessons in more interesting ways. This leads to some amazing visuals and animation with some stellar sequences. Additionally, the music is great and elevates the scenes.
Overall, I enjoyed it a lot. It's not a movie with high-end stakes but it is a meaningful story that has a wonderful ending. I highly recommend giving Mirai a watch because it has a very beautiful message.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jun 18, 2022
Maquia is a magically wonderful movie. The relationship between a mother who could live for 100s of years and a normal mortal living child makes for an engaging story. There was definitely some worries that the story might go in "that" direction. Thankfully the movie sticks to the mother and son theme and it is all the better for it. Even though you know how this film is going to end from the get go, it still manages to tug on your emotional strings.
The art style is gorgeous with beautiful backgrounds and stylish character designs. There are some CGI incorporated which is especially noticeable for
...
the dragons but it's never that off-putting. The music score is phenomenal as well, having been composed by the legendary Kenji Kawai or IP Man and Ghost in the Shell fame. The main characters, Maquia and Ariel, are great with a strong supporting cast as well.
The only issues I had is with some slow pacing and the fact that some subplots don't have as strong of a resolution as the main characters. This results in some lingering questions by the end concerning Leilia subplot and the whole Red eye disease having no explanation.
Nevertheless, Maquia is one of the most memorable original anime movies in a long time. The story will stick with me for a long time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jun 4, 2022
Made in Abyss is one of the best animes to come out in recent years. It's stunning world building with gorgeous animation. I found the series oddly mesmerizing with it's cutesy style yet grim and dark tone. With season 2 recently announced I decided to finally watch the movie which is set after season 1 but before season 2.
The biggest standout in this film is Bondrewd who is just an amazing antagonist. He is loving and compassionate with no genuine ill will to the protagonists but will commit horrible things with no remorse. He wants to discover all the mysteries of the abyss and believes
...
everything he does is completely justified. Even when people don't agree with him, he is genuinely fine with it and doesn't harper any negative feelings towards them. This makes him such an interesting character! His relationship with Nanachi is the main focus of the story and it's definitely very engaging.
Kevin Penkin returns to compose the music for the film and it is still as beautiful as ever. Every song is stunning and elevates every scene. The animation is still great with some pretty thrilling animation in the 3rd act. It also continues to have some really dark moments which is what made the series stand out in the first place.
I have some issues with the film though. Firstly, is the lack of worldbuilding as the movie is completely in one place which is one great aspect from the show that is not in the movie. A new character called Prushka is introduced and ends up being an underwhelming character. She is not very interesting and has limited interactions with the main characters but for some reason the story acts like she was great friends with them. I felt her character didn't amount to much. I'm also annoyed that Riko, the main character, never really does anything worthy of a main character and ends up just being carried by Reg and Nanachi. She doesn't really undergo any proper character development and just ends up feeling like a person who just happens to be there.
Despite all that, this is a great sequel to the first season and I definitely can't wait for season 2!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jun 4, 2022
The premise of Midoriya being frame for something he never did and being hunted down is an interesting premise. This could've made for an interesting conflict where he is getting hunted down by heroes or his classmates. Maybe there could be an interesting detective story to it with Midoriya having to investigate who the real culprit is.
It is a shame this movie does absolutely nothing with it and waste the idea of it. It's also ridiculous that there is a villainous group that is threatening on a world scale. They are somehow more threatening than the actual main villain of the manga. There isn't
...
a fight scene that is as cool as the previous movie which is a shame.
What this movie does do better is having an actual interesting support character in Rody. He is more interesting than most of Class 1-A. His relationship with Deku is the most enjoyable aspect of the film and is the one thing that makes this movie fun to watch.
Overall, watch it for Rody!
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
