Entertainment Reviews(and Debate)

[Modal Seoul]

LIST OF MOVIES YOU SHOULD NEVER WATCH UNLESS YOU'RE WITH FRIENDS (So you can make fun of them):

1. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

2. Batman and Robin

3. The Seeker

4. Supergirl

5. Terminator: Genisys

6. Manos: The Hands of Fate

7. Howard the Duck

8. Catwoman

9. The Last Airbender

10. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

11. Minions

12. Attack of the Clones

13. Captain America(1990)

14. Super Mario Bros.

15. Green Lantern

16. Thor: The Dark World

17. Pan

18. Cars 2

19. Spider-Man 3

and 20. The Star Wars Holiday Special

[Who Sharded?]

I really enjoyed Thor: The Dark World, especially the parts not on Earth.

[ryshadium90]

44 minutes ago, Who Sharded? said:

I really enjoyed Thor: The Dark World, especially the parts not on Earth.

I like Avengers as much as the next person, but to a certain point, I feel like the Marvel franchise is really starting to stretch things out. Most of their meat is way too much action/humor and not enough thinking moments. A good film needs to have a balanced amount of all categories.

[ryshadium90]

56 minutes ago, Captains Domon said:

LIST OF MOVIES YOU SHOULD NEVER WATCH UNLESS YOU'RE WITH FRIENDS (So you can make fun of them):

You forgot Eragon. I wanted to die watching that movie. Everything was SO WRONG!!! Why does Roran look like his brother? Why do the Ra'zac just look like dark feathery dudes? Why does Saphira have feathers and not scales? Why in the world does Arya HAVE BLOND HAIR AND ACT LIKE A DAINTY PRINCESS? Where's Orik? And why, why, why IN THIS WORLD OF RIDICULOUSLY BAD FILMS is the plot so choppy? It hurts my soul, and has scarred my aspirations of ever seeing a Brandon Sanderson film.

[maxal]

2 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

2. Batman and Robin

7. Howard the Duck

14. Super Mario Bros.

OMG  I can't believe someone even remembered those movies even existed.

Batman and Robin with his "rubber lips" (alright rubber lips, seriously?) and his over-grown teenage angst for "not having a real car" combined with Alicia Silverstone, teen icon of the moment, being dropped in there to act as "Bat Girl". I saw that movie at the theaters.

Howard the Duck!!!! Dear childhood memories when watching a talking duck getting parachuted onto Earth was actually something I looked forward to 

Super Mario Bros. Alright. Someone thought, within their right state of mind, this actually was a good idea. Seriously. Even as a child I thought it was lame.

You forgot Mortal Kombat  The theme song was pretty good, but the movie...  I still like the song though. And Street Fighter, Double Team and pretty much Jean-Claude Van Dam entire filmography. What to say of the excellent Under Siege with its iconic: "I am just the cook". Yeah. That's a classical bad movie.

 

[Modal Seoul]

Whoever reads this review should have watched the movie first, because if you haven't, GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW!!! You have been warned.

Princess Mononoke. I don't even know where to begin. It's a terrific movie. But then again, most of Studio Ghibli's films tend to be amazing. (Except Tales from Earthsea) The film starts out with the protagonist Ashitaka, fighting a horrifying demon of corruption. You instantly get hooked to the story, eager to find out more. Ashitaka is cursed while fighting, and to cure himself, must travel west. Unfortunately, he can never return to his village. It is very depressing.

To make things clear, this animated movie is PG-13. Some of the violence is very graphic, and is very shocking when you first see it. Ashitaka's curse helps him kill enemies, but to devastating effect. He decapitates two samurai with arrows.

The plot revolves around Ashitaka's journey to "see hate with eyes unclouded" and introduces two villains, who desire to kill the Great Forest Spirit and take its head to the Emperor. The titular character, Princess Mononoke, is a human girl raised by the Wolf God. Her name is actually San. Mononoke is more of a title, meaning demon or spirit. Ashitaka wants to aid the animals in keeping the forest safe, but also wants the humans to live in peace with nature, putting him in a difficult position. When San attempts to kill Lady Eboshi, the leader of Irontown who is hired to kill the Forest Spirit, Ashitaka stops them both, leaving with San even when he is mortally wounded. She almost kills him, but hesitates when he calls her "beautiful". It shows the human side of her character, and defines the arc of their development.

I also appreciated the way it depicted women's rights, if that makes any sense. Lady Eboshi employs women, many of who are former prostitutes. I liked how they are given a second chance and are also given authority to choose for themselves.

I won't spoil the ending, but know that I loved the way it did. Princess Mononoke is a fantastic film, and you should watch it if you have the chance.

[ryshadium90]

4 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

To make things clear, this animated movie is PG-13. Some of the violence is very graphic, and is very shocking when you first see it. Ashitaka's curse helps him kill enemies, but to devastating effect. He decapitates two samurai with arrows.

Princess Mononoke is a fantastic film, and you should watch it if you have the chance.

I completely agree with you. This is one of my favorite Ghibli films, right next to Nausicaa and Spirited Away. The demons can be a little creepy, and I've always found the dynamics of Ashitaka's arrows in that scene to be a little out of whack. It takes tremendous force to take off a person's two arms, right from the socket, with one arrow. The same with a head straight from the vertabrae. Even if there was that amount of force, given the demon arm, the bow should've broken under the stress. Regardless of that, the movie is great, and I love Miyazaki's theme of protecting the environment.

(For those of you who have seen Nausicaa, you need to go and read the graphic novels. They are fantastic. A little confusing, but every book needs a little bit of that. They go into so much deeper story lines, and extend farther linearly than the movie does.)

[Modal Seoul]

A List of the Greatest War Films:

1. Saving Private Ryan

2. Schindler's List

3. The Great Escape

4. The Bridge on the River Kwai

5. The Guns of Navarone

6. All Quiet on the Western Front

7. Lawrence of Arabia

8. Empire of the Sun

9. American Sniper

and 10. Grave of the Fireflies

[Ammanas]

6 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

A List of the Greatest War Films:

1. Saving Private Ryan

2. Schindler's List

3. The Great Escape

4. The Bridge on the River Kwai

5. The Guns of Navarone

6. All Quiet on the Western Front

7. Lawrence of Arabia

8. Empire of the Sun

9. American Sniper

and 10. Grave of the Fireflies

Have you seen Stalag 17 or Enemy at the Gates? Not sure if they deserve a spot in your top ten, but both are very good. Also not sure if this counts or not as a war story, but Pan's Labrinth 

[Modal Seoul]

2 hours ago, Ammanas said:

Have you seen Stalag 17 or Enemy at the Gates?

I haven't seen Stalag 17, but I have seen Enemy at the Gates. Honestly, I thought this movie was too dramatized in its portrayal. That, of course, is just my opinion, but whatever.

 

2 hours ago, Ammanas said:

Also not sure if this counts or not as a war story, but Pan's Labrinth 

No. Anything del Toro has directed fits under "horror" or "action". Also, "trippy weird alien stuff"

[Modal Seoul]

A List of the Greatest Superhero films of All Time:

10. Iron Man

9. Superman II

8. Batman

7. Man of Steel

6. The Incredibles

5. Unbreakable

4. Wonder Woman (review coming soon!)

3. Spider-Man 2

2. Logan

1. The Dark Knight

Honorable Mentions: X2, The Avengers, Batman Begins, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Spider-Man

[Andy92]

I just started reading The Dark Tower books recently (currently on the 2nd one). Does anyone know if the movie coming out is going to cover events from all 7 books? I'd hate to see it and have some big ending spoiled, but I don't know if I'll finish them all by August either. Might just wait until it comes out on DVD. But if it only covers the first few books then I'd probably be okay. I just don't know what the movie is planning to cover. 

[Modal Seoul]

34 minutes ago, Andy92 said:

I just started reading The Dark Tower books recently (currently on the 2nd one). Does anyone know if the movie coming out is going to cover events from all 7 books? I'd hate to see it and have some big ending spoiled, but I don't know if I'll finish them all by August either. Might just wait until it comes out on DVD. But if it only covers the first few books then I'd probably be okay. I just don't know what the movie is planning to cover. 

The movie is actually a sequel to the series. In order to fully understand the movie, you'll have to read all seven. There is also a follow-up television series, which will cover a backstory relating to the fourth book of the series.

[Ammanas]

1 hour ago, Captains Domon said:

A List of the Greatest Superhero films of All Time:

10. Iron Man

9. Superman II

8. Batman

7. Man of Steel

6. The Incredibles

5. Unbreakable

4. Wonder Woman (review coming soon!)

3. Spider-Man 2

2. Logan

1. The Dark Knight

Honorable Mentions: X2, The Avengers, Batman Begins, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Spider-Man

Did you not like Dr. Strange or it just not make the cut?

Also I just thought of Apocalypse Now for your War list. Have you seen it? Did you like it?

[Andy92]

2 hours ago, Captains Domon said:

The movie is actually a sequel to the series. In order to fully understand the movie, you'll have to read all seven. There is also a follow-up television series, which will cover a backstory relating to the fourth book of the series.

Appreciate it. Looks like I'll either be speed reading this summer or waiting until the DVD release. 

[Modal Seoul]

5 hours ago, Ammanas said:

Did you not like Dr. Strange or it just not make the cut?

Also I just thought of Apocalypse Now for your War list. Have you seen it? Did you like it?

While Doctor Strange is a terrific origin story, it felt like the Iron Man formula with a few twists. I do like the movie, but it doesn't make the cut.

I haven't seen Apocalypse Now. Sorry.

[Modal Seoul]

This week, I saw one of the best superhero origin stories ever. Wonder Woman. If there was one movie that everyone wanted to see DC make and not mess up, it was Wonder Woman. DC has had a few terrific movies over the years, but Wonder Woman blew them off their feet, except The Dark Knight. (Heath Ledger forever, man)

I loved the overall feel and tone of the film in general. Diana volunteers to leave Themyscira and rid the world of war. She begins to see the wonders of the world, but also the pains. She realizes that humankind is flawed, but is willing to defend them because of the people who make a difference, shown beautifully through Steve Trevor. What really struck me was when she can't hear a thing, but Steve talks to her. We can't hear it either. After he dies, she imagines what he said to her, and ultimately decides to choose justice. That is the moral that I really liked about the movie.

Gal Gadot is awesome as Wonder Woman. A lot of people freaked out when she was first cast but it turned out to be great. Steve Trevor was good, but it just felt like Captain Kirk had time traveled back to World War I. The villains were pretty good. I didn't like Ludendorff, but that's because I despise the actor who plays him. As a character though, Ludendorff had pretty interesting dynamics. I loved Doctor Poison. To finally see a Wonder Woman villain come onscreen was amazing. I loved the tone she brought in her scenes. However, while I think David Thewlis does a good villain, I feel he didn't bring the threatening and huge demeanor Ares has. He was good when he was acting as the "ghost", but as Ares, it was a little bit of a letdown. Luckily, Diana compensated for that.

Wonder Woman was an amazing addition to the DCEU, and I look forward to showing this to my future kids.

 

[Toaster Retribution]

A thread for venting your feelings? Great, then I´ll talk about how horribly D&D butchered the character of Stannis Baratheon on Game of Thrones. Spoilers for all the asoiaf books, and all the GoT seasons:

Spoiler

In the books, Stannis is one of the most complex and interesting characters. He is obsessed with law, justice and right, and wants the throne because it is his right and his duty, not because he is interested in the power. But he has always been looked down upon because of how just and stern he is. He is hard to like, and felt that no one ever gave him the acknowledgement he deserved for his actions. Along with this, he is also convinced of the fact that he is the chosen one to save the world, and is trying his best to do this, which includes going to the Wall and help the Night´s Watch, someting that no one else does. In the end, Stannis is a person who wants to do well, but who feels ignored and looked down upon.

In the TV-series, much of his nuance is gone, and he appears as an idiot who is manipulated by Melisandre. A lot of his scenes with Davos, who shows what kind of man he really is, are gone, and he just appears as an unlikeable stern douche. And then, in season 5, he burns his daughter alive, in order to defeat the Boltons.

First off, Ramsay Bolton should never have been able to ruin Stannis army with just twenty good men. Stannis is too good a commander for that to happen. Second, Stannis would never burn his own daughter. In the books, he does decide to burn his young nephew, because he is seriously convinced that this action will save the world. He is a bit like Taravangian in this aspect, convinced that one life should be sacrificed in order to save millions. He doesnt like it, he ponders the sacrifice for several chapters before deciding. Davos ends up saving the nephew, so the burning never happens, even though Stannis wants to go through with it. This is obviously wrong, but the build-up really does make you understand where Stannis comes from. 

Book Stannis would never burn his daughter though. He ends up being in a similar situation in the book as in the show, marching against the Boltons while drowned in snow. When his soldiers wants to burn people, he tells them to pray harder, and the only people he actually burns are criminals. It is completely out of character for Stannis to burn his own daughter in this situation. And still, the show made him do it. The result is that ShowStannis goes down as one of the villains and psychos in GoT. He ends up on the same lists as Ramsay, Joffrey and Tywin. GoT basically made a complex and conflicted hero into a villain, and made him do something he would never do. 

This is not the actors fault however. Stephen Dillane is one of the most spot-on castings the show has done, and one of the best actors in it. He has moments when he is PERFECT, and I wish that the script was better, so that he could be the actual Stannis, instead of a watered-down simplified version of him.

Another thing that bothered me was that Stannis burned his daughter in an episode that featured Daenerys having one of her dragon-moments. The result was that a lot of people praised Dany, and hated on Stannis, and compared him to Ramsay Bolton. This is a great example of GoT simplifying things. Stannis is, in the books, a much more nuanced character than Dany IMO, and yet he is reduced to hated villain while everyone loves Dany beacuse she has dragons. Because she has cool CGI effects (dragons are nice, but they are no character trait). 

So, now I am done ranting. Apologizes for going long.

 

[Who Sharded?]

That just reminds me of how bad a lot of the writing was in GoT seasons 5 and 6.

[Tesh]

With the eighth HP, I completely agree with you. And why did Harry not end up as an auror? I mean seriously! Whenever someone starts talking about the 8th, I simply go, what ever you do, DON'T READ THE BOOK! It ruined Harry Potter.

[Storming Radiant]

3 hours ago, Tesh Kholin said:

Whenever someone starts talking about the 8th, I simply go, what ever you do, DON'T READ THE BOOK! It ruined Harry Potter.

8th? What 8th? There's an 8th? An 8th where the characters all act like themselves and don't do any out of character things? An 8th where there's no weird train demon?  An 8th in which we get to see all the characters we loved in the original series insted of their idiot kids? An 8th with a good plot? An 8th that was written as a book and not just a freaking show with its script published? Because that book just doesn't exist. At all. Anywhere.

[Tesh]

@Storming Radiant Unfortunately, no. But I wish. That would have been amazing.

[Toaster Retribution]

I have heard a lot of bad stuff about Cursed Child. Havent read it myself though. Ironic how I originally thought that it would be great, and Fantastic Beasts would be awful. It turned out being the opposite, apparently. Although am I the only one who hated that (Fantastic Beasts spoilers):

Spoiler

Graves was Grindelwald? It would have been better if he was his own character. Also Colin Farrell > Johnny Depp.

 

[Storming Radiant]

2 hours ago, Toaster Retribution said:

Although am I the only one who hated that (Fantastic Beasts spoilers):

  Reveal hidden contents

My thoughts exactly. But overall the movie was good.

[Steeldancer]

On 5/22/2017 at 11:57 AM, Captains Domon said:

LIST OF MOVIES YOU SHOULD NEVER WATCH UNLESS YOU'RE WITH FRIENDS (So you can make fun of them):

1. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

2. Batman and Robin

3. The Seeker

4. Supergirl

5. Terminator: Genisys

6. Manos: The Hands of Fate

7. Howard the Duck

8. Catwoman

9. The Last Airbender

10. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

11. Minions

12. Attack of the Clones

13. Captain America(1990)

14. Super Mario Bros.

15. Green Lantern

16. Thor: The Dark World

17. Pan

18. Cars 2

19. Spider-Man 3

and 20. The Star Wars Holiday Special

I enjoyed one thing about all these movies: the cinemasins videos