Mini Reviews - The Crazies

The Crazies

About the inhabitants of a small Iowa town suddenly plagued by insanity and then death after a mysterious toxin contaminates their water supply.

This is a standard routine horror film featuring crazy/zombie-like obstacles where the core characters go from one area to another for scares and bloods. Though the main actors did a good enough jobs to make the audience to care for them in their plight and the first few scares were pretty intense especially when it introduces another enemies: the government and their gas-masked haz-mats drones. After a while, the plotline becomes pretty predictable and safe and less tensed.

2 and a half out of 5 stars

Mini Reviews - Brick

Brick

A teenage loner pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.

It is what it is... a film noir detective story set in modern-day high school. At first you'll be very impressed of how it flows similarly like detective films such as Maltese Falcon and Chinatown from the cinematography and soundtrack to the behavior/personalities of each character. You wouldn't see a teenage dorky loner, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt as being as suave and cool as in the league of Humphrey Bogart. Though halfway through, the concept can be tiresome and the plot can already be followed easily without being too relied on the nonsensical heavy-influenced dialogue if you know detective films. The pacing is the film's strength and weakness as it is a homage to the film-noir films and can drag the audience along. This is truly only for hardcore film-lover. Casual audience may not get into this easily.

3 and a half out of 5 stars

Toy Story 3 Full Review

Firstly I'll talk about the animated short, Day and Night that was presented before the main feature and it is by far their most creative and innovative Pixar has done. The idea and concept is probably new and was executed very well as their combination of 3D and 2D animation were used to a highly clever and creative extent. Though the narrative is pretty straightforward, it is really a SURREAL experience. That is basically what you always get from Pixar and especially that is very special as the main feature.

One thing you will know if a film series is very special is if the series actually grows up with you. The first adventure may be small and simple and the characters you get to know and spend time with are straightforward and have simple ambitions. But as the series and adventures goes on, the characters you know are developed, matured and their ideals are not anymore black and white as their time together becomes more harder and challenging, even darker. One prime example is the Harry Potter series, where the characters grow up with the audience. And this series literally grows up with the audience who has seen the first film as kids, including me. The second Toy Story film could have serve as the series' ultimate ending, but Pixar seem to have one last story up their sleeves. And the timing couldn't be so right. This latest adventure of Woody and Buzz Lightyear is probably the finest and the best of the Toy Story series and even arguably the most darkest. Hell maybe of all Pixar movies.

I wonder if they have seen me in my 'freaky' phase...

The last time we see Woody and Buzz in Toy Story 2, they have
accepted that they'll be prepared when Andy grows up to the point he has outgrown them. That time has come. Andy is going to college and the toys are contemplating on what fate will been bestow upon them, either they'll be donated to a day-care center, be stored in the attic or will be thrown away to the dreaded landfill. After a huge mishap, the toys are accidentally donated to the day-care center where they are introduced to a community of new toys governed by Lotso, a stuffed, huggable teddy bear. With him offering them a place in the day-care center, which seems a happy eternal life, there is something smells awfully fishy about it. Is life in the day-care center paradise or prison?

This place seem like a wonderful, happy place to live out your life....

OR IS IT?!

Easily could have been a throwaway sequel that gives cheap rides and
flimsy plot to the audience, but Pixar, like how they saved Toy Story 2, takes its time to tell a consistent and important story and really takes advantage of the age and attachment of these characters. What I read from other reviewers and critics is that some of the important plotlines are heavily similar to the first two Toy Story. Sure it did borrowed a few elements like the "delusional Buzz Lightyear" again, but all these borrowed elements are really integral to the story instead of being a recycled gag. And unlike the Shrek movies, Toy Story 3 spares us of any throwaway modern pop-culture jokes that take two seconds of screen-time and their humor and jokes are clever, creative and very funny, even heart-felt as well. You know how funny Pixar is when you get introduced to Chuckles the Clown. There are some jokes that can be suggestive like the flamboyant lifestyle of Ken, but they are not insulting or cheap and continues on with the story.

You know I'm a

"good" person because I'm so cute and cuddly/wuddly...

The animation is a no-brainer when you consider the span between the
first two Toy Story to this. Its been 10 years through technological leaps-and-bounds and the film's animation is a huge improvement, while still retaining the classic and nostalgic feel and looks. While the core characters are greatly developed even further, there are bundles of new characters/toys that were given enough screen-time and to do their own clever shtick. None of them were lame and their part was either important or funny. Even though its a family animated film, the action was pretty outstanding and very much edge-of-your-seat. It ranges from cool blockbuster type action to down right dangerous and dark thrill-ride. And I couldn't tell enough of how much dark this film was, whether its shows characteristics of cruelty and brutality to signs of real danger and peril. It may scare the children, but not too often.

Is he or he is

not.... you know...?

But the heart of the film is the actual heart of the film.
Ultimately it is about love. About friendship. About loyalty. About life, loss and acceptance. A love between a child and its toys and the love between comrades and friends. The films are never hokey or manipulative when it comes to play these themes, they are genuine and important and taken with great care and respect. Especially to one significant scene (other than the ending) that just demonstrate how indeed these characters are not toys, but real people. It is one time in the entire Toy Story series that define them the most heroic, courageous and daresay BADASS toys you have ever met. And let's talk about the ending, which I won't spoil it for you. But I will warn you, it is damn emotional and the perfect book-end/epilogue to the series. It all comes full circle and it shows how special these characters are not just to Andy, but to everyone else who was once an innocent child in their life. It goes to show that these kinds of toys make your childhood extra special and you would have thank them for that.

It must be
getting old for Pixar, being able to make not just good movies, but great and amazing movies one at each time. And its to the point that I really want to ask them "just make a mediocre movie just this once." We all know that something is magical in that fun little studio and brew up wonderful, brilliant things from your cauldron, so maybe be fair for the other animated studios. Let them shine instead of you just this once. But for now, we have to settle for them as being the greatest and most brilliant animation studio around if not ever and we have to thank them for bringing out the child within.

5 out of 5 stars


Since you're great at sequels, I WANT
AN INCREDIBLES SEQUEL!!!

My Top Ten: Top TWENTY Favorite Animated Films (10 - 1)

Its that time of the month where I give my Top Ten on ANYTHING!

Continuing from the last Top Ten, I'll finish the countdown of my MOST favorites of animated feature films. From artistic merits to childhood, let's go down to explore. Hey, that rhymes :D



Lets get on it shall we?

10.
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

Everybody LOVES the Totoros! This is one of those films that makes you feel like a child again and experience the imagination of a child. No matter how old you get. You just want to jump in and give that giant furry totoro one giant squeezable hug. Not only that but this is 100% kiddy safe with no absolute threat or antagonist on screen. There is possibly one tense moment, but this is one film the whole family or anyone can enjoy. Not to mention the subtle environmental message it provides in the movie. Aren't all the characters look so ADORABLE?!

9.
UP



The most recent addition to my list and rightfully so. Pixar may have some bright colorful beautiful images, but they don't shy away from the deep and heavy themes and subjects, giving the film much clever and meaningful layers and making this probably the most mature Pixar film they have ever done yet. It also has that fine balance of emotions, filled with moments of comedy and moments of sadness. The one thing most audience will remember from this movie (other than Dug) is that emotional four-minute sequence illustrating the married life of Carl and his loving wife, Ellie. That sequence defines Pixar's mastery of storytelling, as they are able to draw the audience to these characters to their love, life, problems and tragedy all under a short time. Accompanied with Michael Giacchino's beautiful score, it is one brilliant and tender piece that if you don't at least cry from this, there is something VERY wrong with you.

8.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

This was a very innocent, fun and wonderful animated film that delighted every children all over even before it was associated to emos, goths and Hot Topics. Damn those thieves! Though it had a simplistic storyline with a basic protagonist and antagonist, mostly everything else are completely surreal and totally Tim Burton in its element, despite being co-directed by another great stop-motion animator, Henry Selick. The design and look from all the inhabitants to the landscape and environment are both creepy, yet creative and imaginative that its doesn't seem scary or menacing. Plus the music and the song numbers are just terribly catchy. From the moment you hear the first song of the movie "This Is Halloween", its hard not to sing along with it.

7.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

This was Disney's animation at its artistic near perfectness. From its simple, yet majestic storytelling, mature and artistic pacing and design, wonderful characters and timeless music and songs, it was an example of a true masterful fairytale. You can tell as it was the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. I really love the development and the characteristics of each of the character as Belle being a more independent and strong-minded woman than most of the female protagonists in the Disney-verse and the Beast from being a beast itself to having more human quality when Belle comes into his life. And Gaston is one of those villains who I can't help but like. He may be a giant douche, but he's a douche you love to watch.

6.
SPIRITED AWAY

Like the previous entry, this was the pinnacle of Hayao Miyazaki's art. Comparing to Lewis Carrol's Alice In Wonderland, the film takes us in a wonderful and wild, yet very tranquil journey of one supernatural and sacred world, filled with unique creatures and demons. Probably the greatest thing about this film is that it is a reflective and subtle movie. There is nothing big and loud and not many things flying around all over the place, but a much quiet movie where you have time to observe scenes that is like a painting or art. Its like a stroll through an art museum. And the music score is just a masterpiece, probably the best Joe Hisaishi has ever done.

5.
THE INCREDIBLES

When this was first announced, I thought Pixar is jumping on the superhero bandwagon and will be making a lame kiddy version of the Fantastic Four. How wrong was I? Pixar has put this in the line of work and say they have made one of the best and most awesome superhero films of all time next to Spider-man and Superman. Probably because Brad Bird, responsible for The Iron Giant, was also behind this. Pixar knows how to create layers, relevance and themes into something as simple as a movie about superheroes including nostalgia themes of classic 60s comic superheroes/espionage elements to themes of mid-life crisis and family. You do get behind Mr. Incredible as he tries to adjust to his normal non-superhero lifestyle and tries to get back his glory. Not to mention the action sequences are just awesome and brilliant for an animated film.


4.
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE



You must wonder why I love this more than Spirited Away. Well imagine yourself through the middle of your high school years and you have to deal with responsibility, maturity, growing up and the opposite sex. And then you watch this within those years. That's why I'm more attached to this more than Spirited Away as it did helped me get through those terrible years that was high school. You really do connect with the protagonist, Kiki as upon her tradition where she has to go out into the world and start living for herself, just like everybody else. And like most of Miyazaki's works, there is no real threat or antagonist and it is mostly an coming-of-age tale, something that is essential to kids and teenagers even for today.

3.
WALL-E

Unlike most of the animated films Pixar has done, this one is most different and ambitious. One - it is the first time Pixar fused both computer animation and live-action footage together in certain scenes. Two - the first part of the film is told through visually without any constructive dialogue like a silent film. Three - other than the fact it has subtle messages about environment and corporation, the film is mainly a romantic love story between two non-humanoid robots. And you think that concept wouldn't work, but somehow Pixar made it work in an amazing way. Not only it is one of my favorite animated films, but it is also one of my favorite romantic films of all time and the best example of visually storytelling. Some of the sequences in this film are so artistic and yet very adorable at the same time.

2.
ALADDIN

Is it better than all Pixar films? No. Is it better than most Miyazaki films? No. Then why do I highly put this on my list? I just love this movie! I love it when I was child and I still love it as an adult. It is one of those timeless childhood classics that I won't ever forget. The first time I saw it when I was little, it was just so magical. Every sense of magic, wonder and adventure that every kid could ever want from that wild carpet ride through the Cave of Wonder to Aladdin's fight with Jafar as a giant snake. The animation is, like Beauty and the Beast, majestic and at times, pretty epic with the song numbers very memorable and wonderful. And Robin William really does steal the show as the shape-shifting Genie. Plus singing "A Whole New World" to your girl, works ALL THE TIME!

And my number 1 favorite animated film of all time is...

1.
THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO

This is among that few rare list of films like The Dark Knight or Schindler's List that I don't and will never ever get tired of. This film is PURE adventure. It is a simple, yet thrilling and extraordinary adventure story with a dashing adventurous hero, a beautiful damsel-in-distress and an evil count, all set in a large and looming castle with dangers and traps. Coincidentally this is also the first film ever to be directed by Hayao Miyazaki and this was very different from most of his films as it was an action film. And it is probably everything you get from a madcap thrilling adventure from the awesome car chase in the beginning, to the huge siege in the castle to the swashbuckling showdown inside the clock tower. As for its time, the animation never looks outdated and still is beautiful to watch as it was back then. If you're a lover of animation such as myself, this is one movie you cannot miss.

So that is my top 20 list. What's your opinion?

My Top Ten: Top TWENTY Favorite Animated Films (20 - 11)

Its that time of the month where I give my Top Ten on ANYTHING!

I haven't been doing a lot blogging as well as the "monthly" Top Ten list, but now I'm back on the giving the traditional top ten lists. And this time I won't be doing just Top Ten, but Top TWENTY! And with the much-anticipated Toy Story 3 coming in to spark the inner child within me, its time to look back on my most favorite animated films of all time. Whether it is a childhood gem of mine or something artistic and whimsical, these are the films that truly inspire me as an animator and filmmaker.


Lets get on it shall we?

20.
FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN

I put this WAY up there in the top 20 because this film is PURE guilt pleasure. Yes, the story is nonsense. Yes, the characters are wooden as dead-wood. Yes, the character designs are between ridiculous and a little bit gay. But one thing that really makes up for it are the over-the-top giant gravity-defy epic fight scenes. At least if you are not gonna sell me on the story and characters, make the battles very entertaining to me and it surely entertained me. In fact, I was blown away by how ridiculous and yet awesome these fight scenes are the first time I saw them. This film is only for those who love anime (considering I'm not into anime anymore).

19.
SHREK



The Shrek movies have gone stale with age and they recycled every jokes they have with each movie, but you can't deny how funny and daresay "original" the first film was. The first Shrek movie causes a ruckus storm because it was nothing the mainstream audience have seen before and we are taken in of how referential and indeed clever the writing and the story was, not to mention all the great characters in the film and all the great funny moments. It was a great parody of every fairy tale animated films before it became something we now despise in the film community.

18.
TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE

This is ANIMATED right? Animation is labeled for 2D, 3D, stop-motion or puppetry, so this is considered an animated film. Anyway, whats better than a parody of fairy-tale animated movies? A parody of Michael Bay movies. This film was VERY under-appreciated by the mass and people have missed out on how VERY clever, innovative and just downright awesome it was. Of course, this is from the creators of South Park, the guys who made paper-cut animation awesome. Not only that, but it is a funny and clever parody on police-dominating America and the dreams of red-neck Americans if they can save the world by just nuking a country. Not to mention they invented one of the greatest one-liners consisting of two words: "Matt... Damon...".

17.
COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE

Considering this is just a much longer episode of my MOST favorite Japanese anime series of all time, this film consist everything that makes the show awesome as it is from the funky/jazz soundtrack, the cool moments from the characters to the great space battles and fight scenes and it works. What I can say about the misadventures of the all-time cool cat, Spike and his band of bounty hunters that I haven't praised about. If you're new to anime, watch the brilliant anime series first and then this movie.

16.
FANTASIA

This marriage of classical orchestral music with wonderful Disney animation is one of the art students such as myself. Enabling for the Disney artists to create their vision/storytelling through the music of some of the greatest composers in history such as Tchaikovsky and Beethoven was just a breathtaking and wonderful visual experience to me. There were great moments of storytelling such as The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Night on Bald Mountain that you can't help but be mesmerized. Its a shame we don't have something like this in today's industry.

15.
PERSEPOLIS

This film turned out to be a surprise to me as I thought I would be one of those pretentious art films when it is kinda only half of that. I ended up loving the story of a young Iranian girl growing up in Iran during the Revolutions only to become intelligent, strong and independent despite her treatment and discrimination of her own gender. You really do root for her as she kinda represents the modern Middle-Eastern woman as she shakes the harsh tradition of the female upbringing in Iran and she has a very unique personality from worshiping Bruce Lee to listening to punk and heavy metal such as Slayers. Not to mention I love the simplistic and whimsical animation of the film.


14.
PINOCCHIO



You know the first time I saw this when I was little, it freaked me out. Seems harmless in the beginning, but talk about a cruel puppet-master, boys turning into donkeys and a giant monstrous whale. But that said this film is just magical. Not only it is an example of animated artistry, but this is considered a true childhood gem of mine and it was an introduction to the world of Disney. Way before its magic is spent on Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. Probably it is very relatable to me and every other boys today as Pinocchio is the one example of an innocent naive child, exploring the vast dangerous world and getting into sorts of trouble. And who could ever forget the ever-classic song of "When You Wish Upon A Star"? That song is pure magic.

13.
TOY STORY/TOY STORY 2

I have to put these two together because they serve perfectly well together as one movie. Probably the great thing about this movie is that we instantly fall in love with all the characters as each of them has their own lively bubbly personalities. The fact that it was the first 3D-Animated film in theater we ever saw that we truly believe that the toys really are alive and they are out there in their grand adventure that is much bigger than them. It serves as the same kind of imagination that we had as a little kid when we all started playing with toys and these films always spark our inner child.

12.
NINJA SCROLL

One of the few anime films that introduced me to the world of Japanese anime in my teenage years. Though it is a true samurai tale of one ordinary, yet highly skillful samurai ninja taking on one opponent at a time each with their own brand of skills and theme. Not to mention the fight scenes were incredible and some of the best I have seen. If there's one word I can describe this film, it's BADASS!

11.
FANTASTIC MR. FOX

This is another film that took me by surprise. Some people won't get into hipster films like Wes Anderson and some people are huge fans of that. I'm one that belongs to the latter. I'm a fan of Wes Anderson's film and even when he's adapting a simple children's book by Roald Dahl, you'll still get a Wes Anderson's film. What I dig (no pun intended) about this film is that they apply certain adult themes such as mid-life crisis, fatherhood and responsibilities that appeals to a much older audience. Not to mention the awkward dialogue that is standard Wes Anderson and the wonderful, yet simplistic old style stop motion animation that is just a visual feast. And who to have provide the voice of the cool Mr. Fox than Mr. Cool himself, George Clooney.

So that is 20 to 11. The top 10 to 1 will be next. What's your opinion?

Mini Reviews - Whatever Works

Whatever Works

An eccentric New Yorker (Larry David) abandons his upper class life to lead a more bohemian existence. He meets a young girl from the south and her family, and no two people seem to get along in the entanglements that follow.

As much as I was excited to see Woody Allen, the brilliant writer and filmmaker and Larry David, one of the great comedy legends coming together for Woody's next film, you would think that combining the two will resulted in something brilliant. It just ended up in something pretty much mediocre and safe. Much of the wittiness and cleverness of Woody's writing was kind of not there and most of the characters are not of people you would care, only having Larry's character being slightly interesting. It is a good analysis and observation in the development on the characters as they go from bad to good such as Evan Rachel Wood's character from being an air-headed and dumb girl to someone more wiser and insightful. However with most of the characters going in the one improving direction, it makes the film a tad predictable and for a Woody Allen film, its pretty much safe. Harmless and safe. Its pretty much fine, it works, but not brilliant.

3 out of 5 stars