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Being busy with summer does not give opportunities to be able to review things, but occasionally, it does let you. I finally got to see Whisper of the Heart and now I will review it. Whisper of the Heart is directed by Yoshifumi Kondo, his first and only feature. He sadly passed away after finishing the film. Miyazaki and Takahata saw Kondo as a future leader of Ghibli, and had he lived, he probably would have been. Whisper of the Heart shows us the small dramas of teenage life, in an alarmingly realistic way. Shizuku is an aspiring author, and wants to be successful. She meets Seiji, who also wants to follow his dreams and become a violin maker. They fall in love and the film transforms into a story of perseverance. This film also introduces us to one of Ghibli's best characters, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, a statue with a soul. Kondo takes his time to tell his story, and for this reason, Whisper of the Heart can be a bit difficult to get through on a first viewing. Some people I have talked to have spoken negatively about this film, because of the slow pacing. In fact, most people that I've talked to that love this film are girls. (Hey, I'm not trying to stereotype, it's just an observation) But Whisper of the Heart has an endearing quality that makes it special, even though I don't think it is Ghibli's best. I'm going to give it a B+.

Last night, I saw one of 2018's best films. A Quiet Place. This film is directed by Jim Halpert. (a.k.a John Krasinski) Which is a little weird to think about. It stars him, his wife Emily Blunt, and two amazing child actors. It follows a family in the aftermath of some kind of world event, in which monsters highly sensitive to sound have invaded. This sets up one of the best thrillers that I have ever seen since Rear Window. (If you haven't seen that, do so.) There is no describing how much I liked this. The musical score is high-strung, the cinematography is great, and the concept is just wow. Krasinski has a full understanding of what he wants in this story and uses it to its full potential. We can see the dedication put into this, in every aspect of the movie. It's awesome. I think the best part of this film is the performances, and the chemistry created. John Krasinski brings a somber, yet determined form in his character. You can really feel the love he has for his children. Emily Blunt.....I can't even start. She does things here that astound me. She blew me away. Millicent Simmonds plays their deaf daughter. What is great here is that she is actually deaf. This brings more authenticity to the role. She actually taught sign language to the rest of the cast. And Noah Jupe plays their younger son. He was great in Wonder, he's great here. The message of A Quiet Place is not about the suspense, it's about love and family. This film has a tender moral, and a powerful way of showing it. That's what really punches it in for me. I highly recommend it to everyone.

The thing about reviews is that you get caught up with life. Then, you eventually need to rewatch a couple of films before you start. This happened to me. I'm back, and today, I'm reviewing more Studio Ghibli, but it is not on the Theory. In fact, it is the only one not on the theory. Tales from Earthsea. Wow. What to start with. Tales from Earthsea is the directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro. Unfortunately, this happened to become what is now what I consider the worst film. This film is based on the incredible fantasy novels by Ursula K. Le Guin. I really loved these novels for the imagery and the deep thoughts they provoked. I already was aware of the reputation of this film before I watched it, and boy, I came out even more disappointed than I thought. Not only is Tales from Earthsea a poor adaptation, it is very difficult to believe this is a Ghibli film. The film's protagonist, Arren, is not a good character. He does some things in the film (like kill his father) and they never fully explain why. The animation pales in comparison to other Ghibli films. The only likable character in the film is Ged, but saying that is a stretch. It's a jumbled mess, like they were given the novels and were told, "Make it a movie. In three months." I found myself surprised at how lazy the movie seemed. There are positive things about the film I can say. The story they manage to pull out of it is slightly intriguing. The English Dub has great performances from Timothy Dalton(the best James Bond) and Willem Dafoe(yes, he's in this movie). There are some animation sequences that are great, like the dragons. Half of the film is exposition. It takes too much time talking about past events instead of fleshing out these characters. If you deviate from the novel by a wide margin, you're expected to make it an interesting story. Some films do it well. (Ready Player One) Others like Tales from Earthsea do not. I'm going to give it a C-.

NO. I refuse to put Lucasfilm in the same sentence. As Disney. I have been paying attention. Tick-Tock is an animal and does not function as a main antagonist. Edgar has class.

COME AT ME, BRO

Here are three: You Make My Dreams by Hall & Oates Tears in the Rain by Vangelis Yellow Submarine by the Beatles

OH MY GOSH! The Master! One of the best Doctor Who villains! Roger Delgado was amazing, and even though I like Anthony Ainley, they kept him going as the Master for far too long. John Simm is my personal favorite. (I also think that they should bring back Derek Jacobi somehow) Another special mention goes to the Cybermen, who I find completely fascinating.

I have not watch Whisper of the Heart all the way through yet. (Which is why I have not posted on Studio Ghibli.) But to entertain everyone, here's a ranking of all the MCU films! 19. Thor: The Dark World I really hate this film, because of Malekith. What's your deal, man? Best Performance: Tom Hiddleston(He makes the film watchable) 18. Iron Man 2 Do I have to say anything? Best Performance: Sam Rockwell(He's the only one having fun here) 17. Iron Man 3 Shane Black made a Shane Black film, not an MCU film. People either think it's terrible, or really good. Me? I think it sucks. Best Performance: Ben Kingsley(Despite what they did, he really pulls it off) 16. Avengers: Age of Ultron Seriously, I could talk for an hour about why I despise this one. So disappointing. Best Performance: Jeremy Renner(Great job, man. Maybe Marvel will actually give you a solo film) 15. Thor From here, I enjoy all these films, but we have to start somewhere. Sorry, Thor. Best Performance: Clark Gregg(Coulson really shines here) 14. Doctor Strange Some people may not agree with this, because a lot of people have put it in their top 5, so I will say this: It is a competent film. If I went into detail, we'd be here all day. Best Performance: Benedict Wong(I literally love every scene with him) 13. The Incredible Hulk I think this film is underrated. It is way better than people give it credit for. Marvel, don't ignore this film. It happened, please acknowledge it. Best Performance: William Hurt(He plays General Ross down to a tee. It's awesome) 12. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 I really like the small scope of this film, and the focus on family is great. Best Performance: Michael Rooker(He just whistled, then knocked it out of the park) 11. Captain America: Civil War The only reason this is not in my top 10 is because if you think about Zemo's plan, it makes no sense. Best Performance: Robert Downey Jr.(He is really putting dedication into his role here) 10. Captain America: The First Avenger I really like this film. If I had to pick a favorite origin film, it might be this one. Best Performance: Hayley Atwell(By far the best Marvel girl, besides the Wasp) 9. Ant-Man This film is hilarious. I love it. Best Performance: Michael Pena(Steals every scene he's in) 8. The Avengers It's not the best film, but I love the chemistry of the characters. Best Performance: Mark Ruffalo(Just try to imagine if Edward Norton had stayed) 7. Spider-Man: Homecoming I was really impressed how it wasn't another origin story. It's not the best Spider-Man film though. You could probably guess what that one is. Best Performance: Michael Keaton(One of the best villains of the MCU, though Jacob Batalon nearly stole this film as Ned) 6. Guardians of the Galaxy An amazing film that could really stand alone as a science-fiction film, but works within the MCU nonetheless. Best Performance: Bradley Cooper(Even though he didn't do motion capture for Rocket, that's some awesome voice work) 5. Iron Man Even though I consider Captain America: The First Avenger a better origin story, Iron Man really comes in at full steam. It is amazing, especially when you look back. Best Performance: Shaun Toub(He made Yinsen very likable, and his death tragic) 4. Avengers: Infinity War One of the best things about this film is the way they juggled all the characters. For the most part. Best Performance: Josh Brolin(By far) 3. Thor: Ragnarok I love this film. Seriously, that's all I can say. Best Performance: I had a really hard time with this one, because a lot of the performances are great. Finally I made a decision. It's not one person. It's the entire cast. Every character in this film has great moments. 2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier Captain America is a great example of how to do a superhero trilogy. And this film is very gripping. Best Performance: Frank Grillo(Steals scenes with his riveting intensity) 1. Black Panther What makes Black Panther the best are the characters. Not a single one feels out of place. Chadwick Boseman is morally compelling as T'Challa, Letitia Wright created a legend as Shuri, and Andy Serkis is just having fun being there. The character arcs are amazing, and that makes it my favorite. Best Performance: Michael B. Jordan(Anybody named Michael in the MCU does a good job, but Jordan doesn't just do a great job. He raised the bar. He might be better than Heath Ledger as a villain, and that's saying something. I said might. I need to watch Black Panther again before deciding)

5. Iron Man 4. Avengers: Infinity War 3. Thor: Ragnarok 2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier 1. Black Panther (Killmonger, guys.....)

Here's a list of good disaster films: The Towering Inferno The Poseidon Adventure The Impossible Cloverfield (Kind of not a disaster film, but it's awesome) The High and the Mighty Twister and The Disaster Artist

I saw the film on Saturday. Wow. My mind is blown. And it gave me some firsts in a Marvel film. 1. It made me cry 2. It totally caught me off guard 3. I actually was rooting for Thanos for a bit. 4. I literally felt like I was flying halfway through the film For a guy who basically was there to lick Thanos' shoes, he was great. My only problem was that Besides Ebony Maw, I would say Corvus Glaive was the next best one. Proxima Midnight was fine, but there is literally nothing to Cull Obsidian. He just roars the entire time. I'm currently writing an essay that I will post later on here.

@Kidpen Actually, if you just want to focus on the Infinity Stones and War, then watch these ones. Captain America: The First Avenger The Avengers Thor: The Dark World Guardians of the Galaxy Avengers: Age of Ultron Captain America: Civil War Doctor Strange Thor: Ragnarok Black Panther You should be all good then!

You technically could, if you had enough time on your hands. Also, no, I don't think Loki dies in this movie, because he is confirmed to be in the next one. But I do think they will kill him off in Avengers 4. Here are others that I expect will die: Steve Rogers/Captain America Drax Clint Barton/Hawkeye Nebula Heimdall James Rhodes/War Machine If they kill off Valkyrie though, I will be so mad. That would be a waste.

Yes, you do. Here's the order I would watch them. Captain America: The First Avenger The Incredible Hulk Iron Man Iron Man 2 Thor The Avengers Thor: The Dark World Captain America: The Winter Soldier Iron Man 3 Avengers: Age of Ultron Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Ant-Man Doctor Strange Captain America: Civil War Black Panther (if you have money of course, because it's still in theaters) Spider-Man: Homecoming Thor: Ragnarok Then, you will be ready. But hurry! It's only four days away.

Okay, okay, I'm back. Ocean Waves is an oddball. I didn't even know it existed until GKids released here. It's not directed by a regular Ghibli guy either. It was created so that the younger crew could work on animation, and was released in Japan as a television film. Is it obvious? A little. The animation is undoubtedly smoother than other TV films, but this one has other issues. The film has three main characters. In fact, the whole film is based on a love triangle. Two boys, Taku and Yutaka, are best friends and both fall in love with Rikako, a new girl. The problem is that the film never gives you the opportunity to root for these characters. They are always moody and Rikako sometimes is extremely angry. They all hit each other sometime in the film, which makes it very hard to sympathize with anyone since they're slapping each other. The other problem is that the film doesn't flesh out Yutaka. It takes its time to develop Taku and Rikako as characters, but just shoehorns Yutaka into the mix. It's very disappointing. However, the story and the moral is solid. I did enjoy watching the film and I recommend seeing it. This is the only Ghibli film without an English dub, which does make a difference. I also really liked the musical score. It created a feeling of nostalgia and bounce. Ocean Waves is strange, but I did like. I will give it a B-.

I firmly believe that this film is one of the world's biggest phenomenons we have ever seen. Every post for spoilers should be posted here. If I see even hints of spoilers for the movie elsewhere, I will look for you, I will find you, and then....I will kill you. Here's the trailer!

Denth, Severus Snape, Darth Vader, Killmonger, Agent Smith, Ozymandias, and Carnage. And of course, the best Disney villain ever.... Edgar the butler (from The Aristocats) FIGHT ME. I DARE YOU.

A LARP session.

So, it turns out the day that I wrote my review for My Neighbor Totoro, Isao Takahata passed away. For this reason, I am skipping Ocean Waves and reviewing Pom Poko next. (I'll do Ocean Waves later.) Pom Poko is a film directed by the late and great Isao Takahata. This film is a bit weird for me. It focuses on raccoons (or tanuki, which ever you prefer) who have the power to shape-shift. A certain clan lives in the Tama Hills, which is being torn down to use the land for developing. This film is about the desperate battle to fight back and drive the humans away before it's too late. Some raccoons want to wipe the humans out. Others want to hide. But most just want to live in peace. This film has great characters, and is very enjoyable to watch. Some of the antics can get silly at times, especially when they practice shape-shifting. It also has a lot of narration. The beginning of the film is a huge dump of exposition. It bogs the film down as a consequence, and it takes a while to get going. Some of the concepts and some of the shape-shifting sequences also are hard to follow, and some of the animation choices are queer. But the animation is a strength. Something in all of Takahata's films is that there is always a sequence where they "play" with the animation. Grave of the Fireflies focuses on detail. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and My Neighbors the Yamadas are animated in a unique style. Only Yesterday has the faded memory flashbacks. And Pom Poko has the whimsical shape-shifting sequences. This film is a great romp from beginning to end. The music matches the tone perfectly. It's not Takahata's best film, and it is a bit weird. Nevertheless, I loved watching Pom Poko and I'm going to give it a B.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Hrathen Daniel Radcliffe as Raoden Isabelle Fuhrman as Sarene Domhnall Gleeson as Dilaf David Harewood as Galloden John Goodman as Kiin Harrison Ford as Roial Ben Whishaw as the voice of Ashe Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Karata Anthony Daniels as Mareshe Daniel Dae Kim as Shuden Anthony Head as Iadon Henry Cavill as Dashe (Really didn't want to reach into GoT but....) Maisie Williams as Matisse

What's the meaning of life?

Some Studio Ghibli films benefit more when you watch them when you're younger. If you watch them when you're older, you find it harder to like, but still difficult to dislike. My Neighbor Totoro is one of these. This film was directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and is one of the first films for Studio Ghibli. Two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, and their father, Tatsuo move to an old house in the countryside of Japan, in order to be closer to their mother, who is recovering from some illness. As the girls adjust to their new home, they travel through the forest, where they meet Totoro, a forest spirit. The film follows them as they discover the wonders of nature with the golden-hearted Totoro. This is a very sweet film, and it is meant for children. And even though it is meant for children, I still find things I enjoy with this film. It is truly timeless. The score is equally fantastical, matching the film's whimsy tone and sweet nature. The animation is riveting to watch, especially in scenes with Totoro. The guy is so huggable and awesome. There is one scene that caught me off guard, however, and it ruined the experience somewhat for me. In this particular scene, the girls are taking a bath. With their dad. .................It is awkward as heck. But nevertheless, the film is great. My Neighbor Totoro is a classic animated film you should show your kids, and it's a great adventure. I'm going to give My Neighbor Totoro an A.

Only Yesterday is another film by Isao Takahata, and released in the early '90's. However, Disney was very reluctant to release it in English, because Only Yesterday focuses on the life of a young woman and what she experiences as she grows up. Because of elements mentioned, Disney did not release it. But finally, in 2016, they did! It was awesome. I watched this film recently, and all the stuff about womanhood and such, it's no big thing to me, I don't really care. Only Yesterday presents a young woman named Taeko, whose family lives in the city, but adores the countryside, and even has an adopted family there. She begins to debate whether or not she should take a job in the city or farm in the hills. As a result, she begins to vividly recall events that happened to her in the fifth grade. All the happy moments, embarrassments, and tragedies. (Hence the womanhood stuff) The film has a great way of portraying her memory. Whenever it is a scene from her past, the room and surroundings are always less defined. It's a great animation technique. The animation in this film feels grainy on purpose, especially when it is a memory. The score is very quiet, fitting the mood of the film. There was one character in this that I did not like. I thought she was too abrupt and ruined pacing. But, fortunately, she's a side character. While Only Yesterday is a lesser known film, it has a great message and a stunning way of portraying it. I'm going to give Only Yesterday an A.

From Up on Poppy Hill is directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro. It is an immense improvement from his other film, Tales of Earthsea, which is really the only bad movie in Ghibli's repertoire. But this film is a joy to watch. A girl named Umi is attending high school and meets a boy named Shun. Shun is a huge daredevil in comparison to Umi, who's pretty much a pansy. They have a common interest in the clubhouse, which is scheduled to be demolished. They are determined to stop this from happening and clean up the place. While they do this, they also begin to develop feelings for each other. But the mystery begins when they discover they might be brother and sister! (Gross.) I don't really have much to say about this film. It's very grounded in reality, and has a cheerful tone throughout. The animation is also really cute, and the score matches it perfectly. However, I recommend you watch this twice, because the mystery can be a little difficult to understand first viewing. But it's a good film. I'm going to give From Up on Poppy Hill a B+.