tomdude0 Reviews

Bright (I) (2017)

Do not believe the critics. Watch this movie.

[7/10 · 27 December 2017]

Sometimes critics get too full of themselves around Oscar season and want to seem like they are sophisticated, cultured filmgoers with refined taste who accept only the highest standard of movies. This leads them to write scathing reviews of films that are not necessarily "high art" in order to seem credible. Bright is a victim of this phenomenon. Is it a perfect movie? Absolutely not. Does it deserve a 30% on RT or whatever it is? Absolutely not.

The world of Bright is something I have never seen in movies before; an alternate present where fantasy creatures live alongside humans. The visuals in Bright are amazing. The detail that went into the set pieces, into each shot of this urban fantasy LA, really made me believe in this universe. From the very opening shot, not once did I doubt that the world of Bright was real. This movie deserves Oscar nominations in all the makeup and visual categories. Bright will make you believe.

I was hooked from the title sequence. The filmmakers have created an amazing universe that I want to see more of. My biggest gripe is that Bright could have easily been 20 minutes longer, and all the better for it. Too many seemingly key characters just don't have enough screen time. I wanted to see more exposition regarding the world's history and the villains. I can't help but think that maybe Bright would've worked better as a TV series.

Yes, the plot is somewhat predictable. Yes, there are loose ends. Yes, there are thinly written characters. Bright has its fair share of flaws. But it has far more redeeming qualities. Will Smith and Joel Edgerton work great together. Edgerton is especially fantastic. And I just cannot emphasize enough how visually stunning this movie is. Bright doesn't make the mistake of trying to be any more than what it is, an urban fantasy buddy cop thrill ride set in the underbelly of LA. I, for one, am excited for the sequel because this universe is amazingly unique.

Do not believe the critics. They've forgotten how to have fun watching a fun movie. Is Bright the next great cop movie? No. Is it the next great fantasy movie? No. Is it as bad as the critics say? Absolutely not. Should you watch it? Absolutely.

XXXHOLiC (2006–2011)

Excellent series

[10/10 · 18 November 2012]

xxxHolic is an incredibly unique anime. It follows Watanuki Kimihiro, a high school student who can see spirits and is plagued by them on an everyday basis. One day, he wanders into the wish-granting shop of the witch Yuko, who claims that she can grant any wish in exchange for a price. So, Watanuki becomes a part-time employee at her shop in exchange for the granting of his wish: to no longer be able to see spirits. And thus, we are thrown into the world of the supernatural as it appears in everyday life.

Using superstitions and other paranormal aspects, xxxHolic conveys messages and morals with humor and some actual frights. xxxHolic presents a look at life from a very unique perspective. A must-see.

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Hilarious and filled with genuine emotion

[10/10 · 18 November 2012]

I went to the theater with my friend, with the intention of seeing Skyfall. However, upon finding out that all showings of Skyfall had been sold out, and that the next theater we went to wasn't even playing it, we settled on Wreck-It Ralph, since we had both also been wanting to see it. I went in with high expectations, and the film did not disappoint--in fact, in exceeded my expectations.

The story, while it seems rather formulaic as a kids' animated movie, is really quite good. The writing is solid and provides the audience with an excellent understanding of just about every character. The film, thankfully, is not predictable and actually kept me guessing towards the end.

The characters themselves are incredibly likable. Ralph isn't exactly the archetype hero, but we are shown that despite his tall height and short temper, he's really a good guy. Fix-It Felix and Calhoun provide some excellent comic relief. Jane Lynch's voice acting is superb. But the real gem of the film is Vanellope, who is probably the most adorable thing I've ever seen. It's simply impossible not to like her.

Wreck-It Ralph is as good as it gets. With an amazing cast of characters, bright animation, and a story that's filled with genuine emotion, this movie melted away all my masculinity. I haven't teared up this much at the end of a movie since Toy Story 3. I cannot describe this movie any other way except to say that it is perfect.

High School DxD (2012–2018)

Look past the fanservice, and there's actually a story

[8/10 · 14 August 2012]

Let me just say right off the bat that this show's target audience is young men. It features attractive girls and plenty of nudity.

With that being said, the show starts off seeming like just a fanservice anime with some elements of a story thrown in, but a story quickly develops--Hyoudou Issei is a perverted high school student who finally gets his first girlfriend, a girl named Yuuma. However, after their first date, she kills him, and it is revealed that she is a fallen angel. He is revived by the gorgeous Rias Gremory, a red-haired beauty that is the president of the Occult Research Club at Issei's school. She tells him that she is a demon, and that he has been revived as a demon to serve as her underling.

The show is funny and has plenty of action and, uh, "certain" scenes are prevalent throughout. Unlike an anime like, say, Highschool of the Dead, the fanservice in High School DxD actually serves as somewhat of a plot device (considering Issei's character, I guess that's to be expected).

The story develops further as it progresses, eventually turning into a kind of cutesy, somewhat cliché romantic-ish plot. Although the whole nudity thing might fool you, the show's foundation is actually very strong, benefiting from an intriguing story and one of the most likable cast of characters in anime--although I might just be saying that because I'm a member of the target audience.

Overall, this is a very light-hearted story about demons, fallen angels, and breasts--although whether you want to make it about breasts is your choice. My only complaint is that much is that, as far as origins go, much is left unexplained. But hey, there's only so much you can do with 12 episodes.

Angel Beats! (2010)

An immensely beautiful story

[10/10 · 12 August 2012]

Angel Beats is my favorite anime of all time. It has everything that makes a great story. I'd definitely recommend watching a subtitled version as opposed to the dubbed version, as the dub has all sorts of mistakes and the voices do get on your nerves.

Otonashi Yuzuru wakes up in the afterlife with no recollection of how he died. He can barely remember his own name. He meets Nakamura Yuri, the leader of the Afterlife Battlefront, a group of young people in the afterlife who are rebelling against God for giving them cruelly unfair lives. Their main target is "Angel," a girl who they believe is, as the name suggests, an angel created by God to watch over and enforce the rules of the afterlife (which takes the form of a huge boarding school). Abiding by the rules results in disappearing, supposedly due to being erased by Angel and/or God. Otonashi joins the Battlefront, and so the story begins.

Several flashbacks are placed throughout the series to give some of the characters' backstories. Each flashback is very emotional, very real, and, most importantly, human. You can relate to each character incredibly well, because they are presented as human beings, and this sucks you completely into the story.

The musical performances by the fictional band in the anime, Girls Dead Monster, are really exceptional. The animation is spot-on (they even go so far as to match the actual chords that are being played) and the songs are very catchy, even if you don't speak Japanese. They provide a very nice soundtrack to some scenes.

My only problem with this series is that it should've been twice as long. It was originally intended to be 26 episodes, but for some reason was cut down to only 13. They could have done so much more with another 13 episodes. However, the episodes that were made are still more than enough.

Angel Beats makes us ask ourselves, "What do you want to do with your life?" Everyone wants to die without any regrets. Angel Beats explores this theme with a story that is hilarious, emotional, action-packed, tearjerking, human, and, ultimately, beautiful. I've watched it several times, and it never gets old, because the themes are timeless and universal. I highly recommend this anime to anyone.

The Golden Compass (2007)

Actually very good

[26 October 2011]

I've read the book, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the movie even more. There's a pretty solid plot that is shaky in some places but overall is very easy to follow. Great cast, Dakota Blue Richards shines as Lyra and Nicole Kidman's character was pretty complex but she just about nailed it. Character development is a little lacking, but the characters themselves are vivid enough that it makes up for that.

The main problem with this movie would be the loose ends. It's based off the first book in a trilogy, so naturally this installment is meant to introduce everything and the next two would tie everything up. Naturally, this film was structured as if there was going to be a sequel--the filmmakers even cut out the ending of the book with the intent to start the sequel with that. So yes, there are many unanswered questions and an ending that leaves us waiting for a sequel. However, after four years, I highly doubt there's going to be one. Which is disappointing, to say the least.

With that said, the film can still be appreciated for what it is: A visually beautiful film that brings up many possibilities that will make you think. What are parallel universes? What are daemons? What is the ever-mysterious dust? Because the chances of a sequel are unlikely, the film is not complete when it ends and the answers to these questions will probably never be translated to the big screen. The biggest disappointment in this movie is not what could have been in it, but what could have come after.

Terra Nova (I) (2011)

Better than expected

[3 October 2011]

Bleak future. Time travel. Dinosaurs. Family problems. Romantic issues. That's Terra Nova in a nutshell. Doesn't sound like much, I know. But this is a show worth watching.

No, there's little to no original thinking here. The show uses the whole family/romance drama mixed with some kind of action formula. But the fact is, it's not original because virtually every possible idea for this genre has already been used a LOT. What makes the difference is the execution. The show is pretty predictable, really. But there's dinosaurs, futuristic technology, and guns. To me, there's not much more I could want from it.

Overall, it's basically just another sci-fi adventure with the same sci-fi TV formula. But it's executed very well. Definitely a show I'm going to keep watching.

2012 (I) (2009)

Not bad

[28 September 2011]

If you didn't like this movie, you're probably being too critical. This is one of those movies where you shut off your brain and just enjoy the mindless action sequences.

Story? Not great. The characters are all somehow connected but this is really just the typical Roland Emmerich disaster formula. Several different groups of people, they come together, huge disaster, most people die. Sound familiar?

With that being said, this is probably Emmerich's most emotionally charged film--which is to say, there's a minimal amount of emotion in it. I actually didn't want some characters do die. Of course we get the typical brief backstory of each character through dialogue that is pretty much weak as ever.

However, like I said, this is not a movie to be critical about. Just enjoy it. My only complaint is that the end of the world was an hour too long. The disaster sequences do get a bit tedious after the 2 hour mark.

Green Lantern (2011)

A huge failure

[14 July 2011]

***CONTAINS SPOILERS***

This movie sucks in almost every single way. Since I can't just address every flaw in a list, I'll provide a summary of the film that includes my judgment.

We are introduced to the Green Lantern Corps, an organization of guardians that protects the universe. There are 3,600 Lanterns, and each one protects a different sector of the universe. The movie then shows an incredibly fake-looking CGI villain, Parallax, sucking a yellow-colored energy out of several Lanterns, killing them. Parallax then goes after Abin Sur, another Lantern, and after being wounded, Abin Sur heads for Earth and commands his ring to find a worthy successor.

We are then introduced to the main protagonist, Hal Jordan, a cocky test pilot. Abin Sur's ring chooses him as his replacement and Hal is teleported to the crash site, where he is appointed a Green Lantern and is given Abin Sur's ring and lantern, which powers the ring. At his apartment we are given a humorous scene in which Hal tries to get the ring to work with the lantern, then it immediately turns into an extremely cheesy scene where he says some cheesy dialogue while under a cheesy trance.

At some point after this, Hal ends up on the Green Lantern's home planet, where he attempts to go through training but he is resented because he's a human and he decides to quit.

And now the government has Abin Sur's body and some random person who we know nothing about is called to perform an autopsy, then this random person discovers he was only called because of his father's influence. Then this person gets psychic powers from Parallax's traces on Abin Sur and becomes an utterly pointless villain that doesn't contribute to the plot at all. He tries to kill his dad but Hal, as Green Lantern, stops him.

Then later Hal and this random person, whose head randomly swells, face off again and Big-Head discovers Hal's secret identity, which, at this point, isn't so secret as pretty much the only person who doesn't know it is Parallax, who doesn't even care. This kind of ruins the movie (or what's left of it).

Sometime later Big-Head and Hal meet again, then Parallax appears out of nowhere and we're supposed to suddenly accept the fact that Parallax has been traveling to Earth this whole time and had commanded Big-Head to kill Hal, but because Big-Head failed due to his completely pointless nature he is killed by Parallax. Hal then kills Parallax and he's now a hero among Green Lanterns. Yay.

Then at the very end some Lantern that used to hate Hal puts on the yellow ring of fear that was made earlier in the movie and the movie ends in a cliffhanger but I doubt there will be a sequel, considering the reviews and the fact that this movie cost $200 million to make (hard to believe, considering how fake Parallax looks) and only made around $143 million.

The movie is 2 hours. However, the plot is so rushed and underdeveloped that it only feels 30 minutes long. Probably one of the biggest wastes of 2 hours (or 30 minutes) ever.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

Fun to watch, but that's pretty much it

[5/10 · 16 June 2011]

So...remind me what exactly this movie was about.

There's no SCRIPT. The film just wanders aimlessly for two hours and only starts remotely making sense in the last half hour. It's like the filmmakers were just making it up as they went. There was hardly even a plot.

What was left somewhat saved the movie. The action sequences and jokes made it pretty fun to watch. But that's it--the movie is just eye candy.

This is one of those movies that's just dumb fun, something you watch when you're looking for in-your-face action and not much else.

Swing Vote (2008)

Underrated

[10/10 · 14 June 2011]

A movie about the result of the United States presidential election being determined by one man's vote? Sounds ridiculous, but the film's explanation of how this came to be almost sounds plausible.

Bud Johnson is some dude living in a trailer in a tiny New Mexico town who cares about nothing but his daughter, Molly. The overachieving Molly basically has to take care of her alcoholic father. She tries to get him to become aware of current events, and tries to get him to vote--and everything plays out from there.

Kevin Costner did a great job as Bud Johnson, who, as he put it, is an "American rascal". Bud has no clue what he's doing or what's going on, and Coaster portrays that perfectly.

However, Madeline Carroll stole the show. Sure, Kevin Costner's name was put on the poster, but that was only a ploy to make money. Madeline is the real star. Madeline has a special talent, something I've never seen before. Her performance just seemed so real, so much more real than everyone else's. She has a bright future ahead of her.

I do not understand how this movie didn't do better commercially and critically. There's really nothing wrong with it. It made me wonder about just what exactly goes on behind the scenes of a candidate's campaign. A funny, thought-provoking movie with great performances from its leads.

The Spy Next Door (2010)

C'mon, it's a kids movie

[7/10 · 14 June 2011]

This movie got negative reviews because critics didn't take into account that it's a kids movie. There is a script...it's barely there, but what's important is that it is there.

Basically it's about a Chinese spy named Bob Ho who is on loan to the CIA. He's planning to retire so he can marry his next door neighbor, Gillian, a single mother with three kids who hate Bob. When Gillian has to leave town, Bob is in charge of looking after the kids while fighting off his nemesis, a Russian named Poldark.

Jackie Chan is just Jackie Chan. Comic while still providing decent fight scenes. Nothing special. Not surprisingly, Madeline Carroll did a good job as Farren, Gillian's rebellious 13-year-old stepdaughter. She did great, considering what she was given. The character of the son was extremely annoying. Just everything about him got on my nerves. And the four-year-old was adorable enough.

The fight scenes are all slapstick. They're a bit over-the-top and I question the plausibility of some of them, but keep in mind that they're designed to entertain kids. And they were a bit funny.

Overall, this is just your standard kids movie. Moms and dads will undoubtedly fall asleep, but little kids are going to have a blast.

Buried (2010)

Pretty suspenseful considering it's 90 minutes in a coffin

[7/10 · 10 June 2011]

Paul Conroy is a truck driver in Iraq whose convoy is ambushed by insurgents. He wakes up buried in a coffin with a lighter, a cell phone, a flask, a knife, some glowsticks, a flashlight, and 90 minutes of oxygen. He has to somehow use these tools to stay alive until he is found.

Considering it's 90 minutes of Ryan Reynolds in a coffin, it was pretty darn suspenseful. The film made me tense up for minutes at a time until I could finally exhale. Sure, a lot of it is talking on the phone, but the conversations get heated as Paul grows more and more desperate.

Reynolds provides a pretty believable performance. I'm sure if I woke up buried in a coffin I'd be having a panic attack and run out of oxygen very quickly. Reynold's character, Paul, however, calms down a little after a short amount of time. It made me wonder, but hey, they're making a movie, not a 90-minute close-up of some guy thrashing around in a coffin.

From my point of view, Buried is a political film. There's some sharp criticisms of the government and how they handle things. It made me wonder.

A film worth seeing, but it's not a memorable one. It's 90 minutes of intensity that, while suspenseful, won't make it past your eyes.

Flipped (I) (2010)

Brilliant

[10/10 · 8 June 2011]

UPDATE: I read the book, and I compared the two. I'm going to do something daring and say that the movie was better. Something about the movie was more innocent, and there was a sense of finality at the end. The book was excellent, but something about the movie was just...better. Anyways, here's the original review.

Flipped is about the romantic relationship between two kids, Bryce and Juli. When Bryce first moves into the neighborhood, Juli instantly becomes obsessed with him and keeps this obsession going for over half a decade. Bryce, however, feels that she's a pest and constantly tries to avoid her. But eventually the story "flips"--Bryce starts having feelings for Juli and tries to express them.

Overall, the story was great. The setting was changed from the more modern setting of the book to the late '50s and early '60s because back then it was harder to get hold of someone, making the whole romantic situation more awkward. There was one thing that confused me a little, but I won't say it because it'd spoil an important point in the story. If you're paying really close attention you'll notice it.

The acting was great, Madeline Carroll and Callan McAuliffe are definitely two to watch. I still remember that Subway commercial that Madeline did and she's grown a lot. The two do have a lot of chemistry and they portray the awkwardness of romance and just being a teenager very well. For the most part, character development was good. Some of the minor characters weren't developed as well, but hey, they're minor characters for a reason.

I think the ending was the most beautiful part. I wasn't expecting it at all, and it was really moving. There's a reason this movie won the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award.

I've watched this movie multiple times, and every time I find myself with a huge grin that I just can't seem to get rid of afterwards. I can't get enough of it. I guess you could say I flipped over Flipped.

Sucker Punch (2011)

Most Underrated Movie of the Year

[9/10 · 15 May 2011]

Sucker Punch is about a girl, Baby Doll who is institutionalized by her evil stepfather so that he can obtain the inheritance left to her by her late mother. At the institution, Baby Doll meets the other girls-- Rocket, Sweet Pea, Amber, and Blondie, as well as the evil owner of the institution, Blue. Baby Doll learns that a character known as the "High Roller" is coming for her in 5 days. She decides to escape from the facility before then, and retreats to an alternate reality to help her and the other girls execute an escape plan.

For the most part, the story was excellent. There were some melodramatic moments, especially towards the end, but there are many more great moments than bad ones. I'll admit, the acting of the girls wasn't great, which was a hard hit seeing as the film is centered around them. Oscar Isaac did a good job as Blue, but Carla Gugino's Russian accent was...um...strange.

I thought the alternate reality idea was great and really original. Basically, Baby Doll can use music to enter the alternate reality and she envisions the other girls there with her. The girls must obtain five items in order for them to escape. There are different levels of the alternate reality, and in each one the girls obtain an item that represents an item they need to get in real life. As they obtain the items in the alternate world, they obtain the items in the real world.

Overall, the movie was really good, action-packed, and had amazing visuals. The portrayal of women was questionable though. Still, a great movie and deserves more credit than what it's given.

Final Fantasy XIII (2009 Video Game)

Deserves More Credit Than It's Given

[10/10 · 14 December 2010]

I honestly loved this game. It's beautiful in almost every aspect--the visuals are probably the best visuals in a video game to date, the narrative is amazing, the voice acting is flawless, and the combat system is nothing short of brilliant. The major criticism this game is receiving is its linearity--which I agree, was a bit irking.

The game is very linear, with beautiful landscapes but paths so narrow you almost feel claustrophobic. However, if you think about it this was probably a tactical move by Square Enix in order to draw in new players without overwhelming them. The game is designed to be friendly to the new FF player, and hopefully after the disappointment that was XIV, Versus XIII will keep the new players hooked on the series, along with XV if Square decides to continue the series (and I hope they will).

The combat system is one of the most challenging you will find today. It starts out very simple--choose an attack and wait for the gauge to fill up, then repeat till the enemy is dead. However, soon you are introduced to roles, magic, and Paradigms--combinations of different roles to combine different attacks and moves. After all this, the challenge is choosing the right Paradigms, because that is the difference between victory and defeat in this game. It keeps you hooked and never bores you, and prevents players from just going through the motions.

The visuals are amazing, after the opening scene I was amazed that it was all CGI. The cinematics are beautiful on the PS3, so I urge you to get the PS3 version. Many environments are breathtakingly beautiful, such as a crystal lake, a house of moving stairs, and many more.

The narrative is brilliant and fits with the very likable cast of characters. You meet Lightning, a young woman who is portrayed as very cold, but slowly opens her heart up while keeping her ice cold determination; Sazh, a man who is drawn into Lightning's plans through curiosity and ends up getting more than he bargained for; Snow, a headstrong, confident young man who is engaged to Lightning's younger sister; Hope, a teenager who, despite his name, has no hope, but matures and gains confidence and courage; Fang, a strange woman with a past she can't recall; and, unfortunately, Vanille-- an upbeat redhead with a very annoying voice who will probably drive you crazy, but is hiding something dark within.

All these characters are citizens of Cocoon--a city-world in constant fear of invasion from Pulse, the world below. The government is corrupt and is run by godly beings known as fal'Cie, who carry out the Purge, in which people who live too close to Pulse fal'Cie and/or are or might become its slaves, Pulse l'Cie, are transported from Cocoon to Pulse against their will.

All in all, the game is beautiful and the storyline is touching and better than most Hollywood films. The linearity is bothersome but nothing too bad. I definitely think this game could be made into a movie, and end up as one of the greatest animated films of all time. I would recommend this to anyone.

Avatar (2009)

Visually Stunning, But Not A Film I'd Remember

[6/10 · 24 April 2010]

This film contains the greatest special effects I've ever seen. I'm glad I didn't see it in 3D, or I'd be having headaches.

"Avatar" takes place in the year 2154. Earth has run out of resources and they have come to a distant moon, Pandora, to get Unobtainium to save their dying planet. However, the natives on Pandora, the Na'vi, are unwilling to give up their land. Handicapped marine Jake Sully is part of the Avatar Project, a project in which humans transfer their consciousness to their Na'vi counterpart to aid in relocating the Na'vi residing on the biggest deposit of Unobtainium in the area.

Although the storyline sounds promising, and it is a rare film in which the earthlings are cast as the villains, this film is forgettable. You'll never forget the effects, but as a film itself, it just disappears as you watch it.

Kick-Ass (2010)

The Next Generation of Superhero Films

[10/10 · 23 April 2010]

I loved this movie! It has a perfect combination of stylized violence and witty humor, something other films have tried and failed at. The acting was superb, as was the storyline.

"Kick-Ass" is the story of Dave Lizewski, your average high school comic book geek. He decides to become a costumed hero and fight crime because no one else has bothered to. He fails miserably and is severely injured, resulting in surgery in which his bones are mended with metal plates and nerve damage diminishes his ability to feel pain. However, Dave is unfazed and goes out on patrol as Kick-Ass almost immediately after recovering. He breaks up a fight in which one man is being beaten by several others, and a video taken by a bystander becomes a viral sensation.

Later in the film, Kick-Ass meets fellow superheroes Red Mist, Big Daddy, and Hit Girl. Red Mist, like Kick-Ass, is a teen, but he has a dark secret. Big Daddy and Hit Girl are a father-daughter superhero team, Big Daddy being a man of middle age and Hit Girl being his preteen daughter who is a formidable foe and an expert at killing. They unite to take down mobster Frank D'Amico.

My favorite character was Hit Girl. Chloe Moretz did a great job as this foulmouthed, vicious, preteen superhero for an actress of her age. Hit Girl easily stole the show and this movie wouldn't have been the same without her.

My only complaint about this film is that the Big Daddy character wasn't developed very much. Despite Nicolas Cage presenting an impressive performance as the vigilante dressed as Batman, I couldn't help but notice that not much happens with him throughout the film.

In your average superhero movie, the heroes are merciful defenders of the innocent public, and the villains seem like pure evil but they have good inside of their hearts and they change their ways. "Kick-Ass" portrays heroes and villains as they would be like in real life: brutal, ruthless, and determined. Frank D'Amico is ruthless. The "heroes" do not spare the villains' lives, they gun them down without a second thought.

"Kick-Ass" is the next generation of superhero movies. It portrays the dark side of human nature as well as just how far some people will go to stand up for what they believe in. The first thought that raced through my mind after seeing "Kick-Ass" was: "Sequel."

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

The best Potter movie so far

[10/10 · 7 August 2009]

I loved this movie. The opening sequence was explosive, especially in IMAX 3D, the storyline was dark (very), Draco Malfoy was even more evil, the acting was superb, the special effects were amazing--in other words, everything a Potter fan could hope for.

After seeing this, I think that the PG rating was a bit too generous. The movie is very dark overall with fire, blood, death, etc. However, that just makes it even better. The opening sequence was genius because it gives the viewer an overall idea of how strong the dark forces are becoming, but the absence of Voldemort throughout the film sort of diminishes this effect. Also, the family that we love to hate, the Dursleys, are nowhere to be found. Other than that, the movie was fabulous.

Even though the movie was great, it wasn't that much like the book. The beginning was changed, much of the middle was cut out, and the ending was changed as well. So if you expect a carbon copy of the book, you'll be disappointed. But the film still captures the overall plot of the book.

The most powerful part of the film was the ending, which will leave you either sobbing or with your mouth hanging open in disbelief. If you read Entertainment Weekly's Summer Movie Preview issue, you will know what happens. (Unless you are not familiar with the dialect of the actor who plays Hagrid.) This was better than all of the other Potter movies. It's going to be extremely difficult to top this in the two-part Deathly Hallows.

Aaron Stone (2009–2010)

Enjoyable but sometimes a bit too dark to be a kid's show

[9/10 · 31 July 2009]

After seeing the premiere of the show, I thought it was rather good, so I continued watching it. It turned out to be pretty good, but sometimes I feel that with all the creepy mutants and the paralyzing and the guns and lasers and people getting hurt in ways that would probably break something that this show is a little too dark to be a kid's show, if you know what I mean. This is probably the darkest series Disney has ever made. Well, what with Disney being all kid-friendly, it's probably the ONLY dark series Disney has ever made.

It's got some good humor, but most of the jokes are kind of expected. Most of the funny moments are with Jason's half of the storyline in episodes, because Jason is sort of a major screw-up throughout the episode.

Otherwise, the acting is pretty good, I like how they keep T. Abner Hall in shadow throughout, S.T.A.N is thoroughly amusing, especially since he's a robot, and the fight sequences are impressive. However, the costumes leave something to be desired. In the first episode, Aaron asks S.T.A.N, "Do I look silly?" the first time we see him in his "uniform". When I watched that, I thought, "Yes. You look very, very silly." When I watch this I remember Power Rangers. I absolutely DESPISED Power Rangers. With their freakish costumes and going "Hi-yah!" and making weird noises when they fight, and the villains looking like they were made out of plastic (which they probably were), and the "monsters" obviously wearing costumes, and the plastic villains not moving their mouths when they talk, it was a pretty bad show. Aaron Stone is much better, no weird noises when fighting, no plastic villains, just normal action show stuff.

Anyways, I've kept you for long enough. Overall, it's a pretty good show, although some mothers may ban their kids from watching it because they are afraid it will give them nightmares.

Twilight (I) (2008)

Doesn't deserve a PG-13 rating

[4/10 · 24 July 2009]

First off, this film does not deserve a PG-13 rating. It is rated PG-13 for "some violence and a scene of sensuality". Well, in the whole film, there's really only about ten minutes of "violence". And the sensuality, it's not at a PG-13 level. This film could have been fit into a PG rating, but nooooo. It was rated PG-13. I think that the only reason it was rated PG-13 was because the book was a young adult book and they decided to rate it according to the targeted audience for the book. This movie is a PG level movie.

I read the book just for the heck of it, I can't say that I loved it, but it was much better than the movie. The movie was mostly talking, talking, talking, ooh-aah, kiss scene, talking, talking, talking, WOOT FIGHT SCENE, talking, talking, talking, happy ending, the end. If you haven't seen this movie, I pretty much just summarized it for you.

The dialogue needed a lot of improvement, whoever wrote the lines for the characters seriously needs some writing lessons, and the lines from Edward was like he was from a different era.

Overall, this film needs a lot of improvement, if the sequel is not better than I might just start to lose it.

10,000 BC (2008)

Why do all the young men look the same?

[1/10 · 24 July 2009]

This movie sucked. There. I said it. Because it really did. The plot was hard to follow, all the young men looked the same, the narrator sounded like he was an old man from a Disney film, and everything seemed just a little too advanced for it to be 10,000 BC.

Speaking of the title of my review, all of the young men really DID look the same. A thin beard, loincloth around their waist, muscular, etc. They all looked so much alike that I had a hard time figuring out who was the main character and who was one of his traveling companions.

The fact that all the characters seemed to have Spanish accents confused me, I had thought that the people back then (if there were any) would talk with grunts and hoots.

The "magic" at the end of the film was rather predictable, and apparently kissing was invented before 10,000 BC. Seriously, do NOT buy this movie on DVD. Do NOT rent it. Do NOT recommend it to anyone.

So, yeah. This movie sucked.

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (2005)

Terrible, terrible, terrible

[1/10 · 24 July 2009]

I saw this movie in 3-D, and I have to say, I was extremely disappointed. The movie's special effects were terrible, you could tell that everything was CG, they obviously didn't put any effort at all into the animation. The plot was terrible, Sharkboy and Lavagirl's suits looked like they were made out of plastic (which they probably were) and it was overall a very childish film. I mean, really, a banana split boat? Who came up with the idea for this film? A six-year-old?

Despite the horrible quality of the film, I must say that there were some amusing moments in it, I think casting George Lopez was a great idea.

Overall, this film could have had a lot of potential, but instead they turned it into a computer-generated mess of a Planet Drool.

Bedtime Stories (2008)

Disappointing

[3/10 · 15 July 2009]

This movie was not as funny as I thought it would be. I watched it last night on DVD, and I only laughed once or twice. People are being much too generous to this film.

First off, even though it is called a comedy, this film isn't very funny. The only parts I found amusing were the moments with Bugsy the hamster (or guinea pig, I can't remember) and the "sad part" where the film points out the unoriginality and frequency of a sad part in a movie.

Second, Adam Sandler is a "funnyman", but I feel that this movie does not capture the true comedic talent of Adam. He didn't do much of the comedy in the film, in fact, it was mostly other characters doing the comedy act. And that's assuming that there even WAS any comedy in this film.

Overall, I feel that this movie could have been much better. If Adam Sandler's career was a chalkboard, then this would be one huge smudge.

The Simpsons Game (2007 Video Game)

Brilliant

[9/10 · 2 July 2009]

I first got this game for the Nintendo DS and I later got it for the Wii. I enjoyed the Wii version much more, but the DS version had easier gameplay.

The DS version of the game is a side-scrolling platformer, and it is very fun. However, it is ridiculously easy and it only takes two and a half or three hours to complete. It also leaves out an entire level that is only available on the big consoles and the graphics leave something to be desired. But overall, it was pretty fun, even though I beat it who knows how many times.

The Wii version is much more challenging. I've had it for a while and I haven't been able to complete it yet. The bad thing about the big console versions is that the camera is terrible and sometimes it is impossible to play. The camera adjuster was mapped to the +Control Pad, which is at the very top of the Wii remote and is rather hard to reach while beating up enemies. The gameplay was not very easy as you can tell that the game was not designed for a Wii remote and nunchuk. It is still very fun and it includes the level that was left out in the DS version. It also has many more cut-scenes than the DS version.

Overall, the DS version is the most limited version of The Simpsons Game. If you want to play the complete full version, you should get it for the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360. The Wii version is still brilliant, though. This game is amazing and any Simpsons fan will love it.