Movie review time! (1st Edition)
In the spirit of doing something different and fun. Let's review some movies and some good series shows too! We think of these movies from time to time during the dull times of waiting in airports or sitting in hotel rooms. We've seen plenty of bloggers give their anime recommendations. To answer the question of whether we're even remotely qualified to be a proper reviewer of film and media arts.
NO! We're not! But we're doing it anyway if you keep reading! -S
Ground rules.
Gotta lay down some ground rules first.
- No pictures – This is going to be an exceptionally text-heavy blog article. Because a single frame of film from any of these productions is the beholden copyright to their respective production companies. Unless given explicit permission to show pictures, which will be highly unlikely as we're just randos on the internet. Probably not going to happen!
- When it comes to anime – No School Uniforms! - This is my method of maintaining sanity when choosing what Japanese animated series to watch. Primarily because a lot of those anime love to throw in slice-of-life Japanese living, which I'm not particularly interested in. This is my fault because every time we try to run with toast in our mouths, we bite the toast and lose the rest of it on the street. Or we start to twirl onion leeks, and they too fall in the street. I'm losing a lot of food during these shows, guys!
But also, a small percentage of those anime love to throw in fanfare, which, given the age of those characters. Uhhh Nope!
There may be someone in the anime fandom who will probably be disappointed because their favorite anime probably has a lot of people in school uniforms. Please Don't. You have to understand I'm turning my back on Evangelion with this rule. A sacrifice we'll accept.
- About Spoilers - Unless something is burning in the back of our skulls that we're going to rage over. We'll try to not spoil anything for those reading this.
Shortbus - Movie
In the category: Erotic Comedy/Romance (Shit, we're going hard on the first category)
Year: 2006
Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell.
Crappy IMDB Short Description: A group of New Yorkers caught up in their romantic-sexual milieu converge at an underground salon infamous for its blend of art, music, politics, and carnality.
Opinion time:
My first glance at this film, and about 10 minutes in, I'm chuckling to myself, going:
This is a porno... -S
You're making me watch a porno.. -S
*sets down the popcorn* Am I being trolled here?!? *knocks over popcorn* What the FU- S
But as we're watching the actors interact in the film. We were drawn in. The film does circle this sex therapist, who, despite being in the career she's in, has never experienced an orgasm herself. And eventually, through the proxy of unlikely people she talks to finds out about this salon or club in New York called “Short Bus,” taking its name from the actual short buses for school, as “A place for the gifted and challenged”
What's a little interesting to me is that a lot of the scenes were just improv actors given a scenario and running with it. With the screenplay written afterwards. In traditional Hollywood, the Writers Guild would've had a nervous breakdown with a concept like that.
I like this film. There was one particular actor who hit me emotionally. It was Adam Mandell that played “Tobias, the Mayor,” when he was talking about sin. His sin was not being able to do anything during the AIDS crisis when it was going through his watch on the city. Even though he admitted he did his best. He was scared.
Although I was barely in my teens. Anyone who was a part of the LGBT+ movement of the 90's knew exactly what he was talking about. Watching friends wither and die from such a disease. Damn.. We were ALL afraid.. I wanted to kiss Tobias too!
It makes me wish there was a place like the short bus in my town.
But yeah.
Started the movie laughing but ended up getting an emotional "kick" in the gut. Because of that, we think of this movie more than we probably should.
Dr. Caligari (1989) - Movie
In the category: Horror/Sci-fi
Year: 1989
Directed by: Stephen Sayadian
Bad IMDB descriptor time: The granddaughter of an infamous doctor experiments with hormone and shock therapies at her asylum for the insane.
Option time:
Wow... What's up, Rocky Horror Picture Show's younger cousin! Wait, That's Forbidden Zone. Fuck! Save that one for another time!
We have to be specific about what version of Caligari. There's a 1920's film called "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," which is more of a silent film. The 1989 film refers to itself as more of a 'sequel' to the original Dr. Caligari.
Perhaps we're just twisted individuals that was both appreciating the style of the Beetlejuice Underworld/Rocko's Modern Life furniture they were sporting while laughing at the dialog of what we think the directors were supposed to make the movie into the “horror” category?
What really stood out in this film is the choreographed cigarette smoking. We were almost waiting for a statement that the film was backed by Phillip Morris with the timing of how everyone was smoking.
It's a level of horror cheese-house film that we could love. In part because plenty of people were looking for Dr. Caligari, who hung out at the goth club and was probably the most interesting person to talk to. If we knew of this film when Club Anything was still going, you bet your ass it would go onto those TVs. (Thinking about the release date, it probably did when we weren't there)
It's less singing. But more Emmy-level acting than one man should handle!;)
If you hate that style of film, like Rocky Horror. Yeah, stay away from this one too.
Scavengers Reign - Series
In the category: Sci-fi Cartoon
Year: 2023
Directed by: Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner
Crappy IMDB Description: The crew of a damaged deep space freighter is stranded on a beautiful but dangerous planet.
Opinion time:
Note: Had to check ourselves on this one. This is NOT an independent cartoon. A lot of corporate backing went into this production despite it looking like an independent film.
Wow, this is what happens when you tell Fantastic Planet to chill; you have a lot of episodes to explain yourself. The pacing can get slow at times as it spends time telling the stories of each survivor of the Ship Demetri. You quickly find out this planet is hyperactive, with so much life that it almost wants to bond with everything down to an almost symbiotic level.
It's currently airing on Cartoon Network right now, but honestly, we wouldn't watch it there because it is a linear story arc cartoon that will start to make no sense if you skip a few episodes. The only thing we would criticize a little is that, at times, the animation seems ultra-rushed, which, given that you're telling a story about a planet where just about everything moves because everything is alive. Yeah, that would break some animation teams on just that thought alone.
Sometimes the Voice Acting work mid-season flatlines for a bit. Not sure what was up with that.
Had a good ending, and even a possibility for a season 2, even though we're never going to get it because, in the world of corporate-run animations, they pulled the trigger for just one season and full stop right there.
Also, if you're a fan of playing the game “Risk of Rain 2” yeah. Lots of vibes watching this film! But the whole thing was enjoyable to us!
Amazing Digital Circus - Series
In the category: Independent Cartoon
Year: 2023-2024
Created by: Gooseworx
Crappy IMDB Description: A woman finds herself trapped in a virtual circus where she and five others are subject to the whims of a wacky artificial intelligence. In this digital purgatory, they must face frightening N.P.C.s and cope with their own personal traumas.
Opinion Time:
We finally watched this when the movie (or last episode) was about to be released. Were we under a rock throughout all of this? You bet your ass we were! From the previews, we just weren't feeling like watching a children's film about a virtual circus.
We know some people would be quick to correct me that this isn't a children's film. We subscribe to the Don Bluth Philosophy that a child can handle just about anything so long as you provide a happy ending. Which this series very competently does so! Children's film it is! We'd be horrible parents!
We probably enjoyed the entire premise and plot-line more-so then the characters themselves. Especially since we are avid “Black Mirror” watchers, as the characters start finding places of the circus that they do not belong. Sort of their version of a “Back Room,” we were more motivated to watch the next episode. And that “Black Mirror” vibe certainly amplifies episode to episode.
The only character we didn't like was the A.I. “Caine,” which is more on a personal level. You see, when we were playing games like “Player Unknown Battleground,” we had a person in our squad who behaved EXACTLY like Caine... and holy shit. That personality may be fun playing a game of “Fall Guys” with him. But none of us were getting chicken dinners on the battleground with him!
Getting back to the series. I liked the concepts and lore of the characters. Also liked the fact that they kept the cast to a minimum instead of pulling a Tumblr and introducing 200+ characters that all have emotional damage we won't have time to explain; You too can buy plushies of ALL OF THEM at their store OMGOMG!!
Episode 7 is my favorite for bringing in “Dance the Maidens No. 17” at the right moment.
We felt the ending was solid. And, like Scavengers Reign leaves the possibility of Season 2 despite the creator getting ultra-pissed with said internet.
Redline - Movie
In the category: Japanese Animation.
Movie: Redline
Year: 2009
Directed by: Takeshi Koike Horrible, you know what IMDB? Accurate Description!: A story about the most popular racing event in the galaxy, the Redline, and the various racers who compete in it.
Opinion Time:
To me, this is like the “Fifth Element” of Anime. Sci-fi, all in on style and hardly anything on the plot! If you wanted a story WITH style from ANOTHER animation company that DID go bankrupt, you would watch “Akira”.
It's an absolutely beautiful animation about... well.. Space Racing. 2 hours long movie, and honestly we're grateful for how short and sweet this is because we would feel a series would completely blow out its charm.
In the story, the pacing is fast but not breakneck speed like FLCL. We just enjoyed the shit out of this film for the over-the-top futuristic styling the characters tend to have. We wished for more anime with this level of technical style to it. But fear it might cost the sanity of animators in the process. So you cherish the gems when given to you.
Also, watched the movie with English dub, and we didn't want to throw our audio system out the window as we did with .//Hack sign.
Final Thoughts.
That was fun! If you want to hear more opinions about cartoons/movies/series to watch from randos on the net, let us know.
Special thanks for getting to the bottom of this article. Means a lot to us.
Don't Die.
Server protect you.
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