Tag: movie review
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Movie Review – The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
I FINALLY got to see a show at the North Park, and I was thrilled that it was this one, Studio Ghibli’s The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.  Isao Takahata’s latest is a beautiful and heart-rending re-telling of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.  One day, a bamboo cutter sees a glowing stalk of bamboo in…
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The Hobbit Movies – Thank God THAT’S Over
I was never your biggest Tolkien fan – I had read the Lord of the Rings once as a kid, but the movies got me back in.  There seemed to be a genuine desire to stay true to the source material, and most of the changes made you could at least make a case for it…
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Movie Review – Guardians of the Galaxy
I saw an early screening of Guardians of the Galaxy Thursday night, and let me tell you, I had a blast! Â I may have only read the actual Guardians comic that was the biggest influence on this after the movie was announced, but I’ve quickly fallen in love with these a-holes. Â Of course, I did…
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Movie Review – Godzilla
Japanese kaiju (or giant monster) movies have been part of my pop culture since I was a kid, and my older brothers watched the various Godzilla and King Kong movies. Though I probably got the most enjoyment from the Gamera movies as they appeared on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Â Even without Pacific Rim appearing on…
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Movie Review – Muppets Most Wanted
The Muppets have never been an obsession for me, as they are for some of my friends. They know all the Muppet lore, can break down each movie in a scholarly tone, and name you all the cameos in each one. For me, I remember enjoying the show, and seeing a few of the movies…
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Movie Review – 300: Rise of an Empire
I got in to see 300: Rise of an Empire at an advanced screening (thanks, Buffalo.com!) and I left shaking my head. It’s basically the ‘rest of the story’ about what’s happening in Greece while the Spartans are kicking messengers into pits and defending gates. Themistokles is a Greek general known for his cunning, trying…
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Movie Review – Frozen
We finally made it out to Frozen this weekend, and it’s just as wonderful as I had been hearing. My kids were transfixed, my wife (JUST HER OK) teared up, and even the sidekick snowman made sense. A lot more sense than the trailers let on. Queen Elsa’s song “Let It Go” lives up to…
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Movie Review – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Many people were nervous when Peter Jackson wanted to make two movies out of The Hobbit, and it only deepened when three were discussed. The first movie was pretty divisive – Tolkien purists disliked the changes, and the added parts with the council and the Necromancer bothered some folks. Others felt that if they got…
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Movie Review – Thor: The Dark World
The first Thor movie (am I the only one who feels like THOR should be all-caps? Â or maybe in that ‘Asgardian’ font they use in the comics?) was a solid effort despite some cornball moments. Â The real star turn from that was for Tom Hiddleston’s Loki however, and the fact he got to villain it…
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Movie Review – Ender’s Game
Note: Â my love of the book predates any knowledge of OSC’s deplorable politics and views on gays. Â Not discussing that here. I have a long history with the book Ender’s Game. Â My brother gave it to me to read after he read it and loved it, I couldn’t have been more than 10 years old.…
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Movie Review – Elysium
I really wanted to like Elysium, and I guess I do, somewhat. However, there are some serious problems here that kept me from getting even as far as “I really like it” or “It’s great!”. The first half seemed to drag. Too much establishing of characters, and even then, it didn’t stick. I never got…
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Movie Review – The Wolverine
Adaptation movies are such balancing acts, especially with comic book movies. Alienate the fans, and the negative backlash on the geek sites will wash you away. But the superfans alone do not bring in the box office numbers (just look at Joss and Serenity) so you can’t hew too close to the source if it…