Kingsman: The Secret Service - The Adult Bond Send-Up You Didn't Know You Wanted

Kingsman: The Secret Service

It was within the first scene of the movie (the title sequence) that I quickly realized to just say "fuck it" and enjoy the ride that is Kingsman: The Secret Service. In that "checked-out" mentality, I found the film to never take itself as anything other than what it is: a modern day adult send-up of classic Bond and spy movies.

It does a great job of playing with classic Bond tropes: the grandiose villain with a defining feature (lisp) and the badass second-in-command, the rich and powerful secret organization complete with a master of gadgetry/tech , the equally powerful evil organization and even the classic spy romances.

Without trying to give too much away, the film did a very interesting twist by having the villain (wonderfully played by the one and only Samuel L. Jackson) not actually seem all that evil - he actually wants to, as he fully believes, help the human race - through population control. The film itself never directly calls him out as evil, nor does he grandstand, but clearly he's the bad guy. Right?

As for the spy romances, I thought Kingsman did a great job by largely avoiding them, instead focusing on the friendship between the two young, attractive, would-be secret agents - breakout stars Taron Edgerton and Sophie Cookson. Even the wicked and alluring evil second-in-command played by Sofia Boutella, also a breakout, lacks a clear romance angle. It's refreshing to just have them focus on character growth and plot (classic spy hero's journey to save the world).

Speaking of the characters, everyone did a fantastic job, with Colin Firth going above and beyond to prove that he can really kick ass and have fun while doing it! The adult actors (Firth, Jackson, Mark Strong, Michael Caine) were all clearly enjoying their roles, while the younger actors felt more like they had something to prove (as they had more of an arc, particularly Edgerton and Cookson).

Beyond that, I particularly enjoyed the films overall style - choregraphy, cinematography, direction, set design (exotic locales and elaborate sets!), costumes and even a surprisingly satisfying soundtrack by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson.

My only gripe is the film's gratuitous violence. I like good over-the-top violence with a point, such as Robocop, but found the occasional bit of over-the-top violence in Kingsman to be unnecessary, despite the many great action sequences. Then again, the gratuitous violence regarding our desensitization may be one of the films mild attempts at social commentary - the other regarding the power elite of the world vs the layperson. But the commentary, and even the violence, wasn't really the primary focus of the film, which was simply to have some crude, crass adult fun with spy movies.

Bottom line:
RECOMMENDED for those looking for a highly enjoyable spy romp popcorn flick with great action and style.
NOT RECOMMENDED for those against gratuitous violence, crude humor or expecting something revolutionary in the spy genre.

Kill la Kill anime review

Good gracious me, "Kill la Kill" is an absolute treat of a show. Great characters, great music. It starts out really strange/weird/quirky and fetishistic, but is a slow build that ramps up into a great testament of human will, with plenty of "fuck yeah" moments. But don't let the pervy-nature of the show fool you, there's actually a lot of great depth, with some strong parables and themes. The action got me fully invested and the humor was always welcome; the flow between the two helped set a great overall pace for the show.

Trying not to give any spoilers, it was one of the most enjoyable thrill rides I've had the pleasure of being on in some time. I watched all 24 episodes on Netflix within about a week and wish there were more, or at least a bit more of an epilogue/denouement. The show is primarily action while often playing with genre tropes and it delivered in spades - great character development through its action.

Speaking of characters, Nui Harime quickly became one of my favorite recent villains. The combination of her bubbly personality, high strength level and melodically ominous music made for a richly entertaining character; reminiscent of Buffy's Mayor. Also, again despite the fetishy nature/start of show, it's filled with LOTS of great female characters, often outnumbering and outshining the male characters (who are equally fetishized).

Highly recommended. It's very complementary to Gurren Lagann, seeing how they had the same director and writer.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3114390/?ref_=nv_sr_1

The Addams Family movie quick review

The Addams Family is morbidly fun. Perfect casting with great chemistry, great visual and off-kilter humor with a very enjoyable soundtrack. RIP Raul Julia, the best Gomez Addams.

Toy Story - Notes on the Narrative

Toy Story is probably one of the best subversive movies out there. What you think is a story about the beginning of a friendship is actually the story of an egotistical asshat (Woody) who's main goal is to break the spirit and crush the reality of a friendly, well-meaning toy (Buzz) out of jealousy. Woody only let's up once Buzz is broken (physically and psychologically), whereupon he regains his power and status between the two and returning Buzz to the group regains his power and status with the other toys. Andy's feelings and Woody's relationship to him never really mattered; it's all about Woody's pride and his relationship/status to the other toys.

But the excellent direction, pacing, humor and catchy soundtrack by Randy Newman (which should have been an obvious sign) prove quite the distraction.

Three cheers for the bad guy!

House of Flying Daggers review - beautiful cinematography with an excellent soundtrack

House of Flying Daggers is a very enjoyable Eastern love story with some good twists. Yes, it can be a bit slow at times and there's not much story outside the love story/relationships - the larger picture story of the revolution/conflict is largely an after thought. However, the real highlights are the beautiful cinematography, fun action and excellent soundtrack. I particularly enjoyed the occasional silence/lack of dialogue to communicate and convey emotions

Recommended for those looking for a beautiful-looking action-romance with great music who enjoy a patient journey.

Black Mirror series 1 and 2 review

I love the premise of Black Mirror - a dark look at how technology and society interact, as well as what our future may hold. The anthology format allows them to tell whatever stories they want, increasing the ability for satire.

Unfortunately, the premise of the show is also one of its downfalls. Tonally, the show is excellent and the music does a fantastic job of highlighting the dark nature of the show. However, the stories, particularly in the first series, fall too much into the realm of gimmicks. It felt too much like the episodes were relying on their satire premise rather than actually telling good stories.

The second series does a better job of rectifying this, with the first episode of the second series, "Be Right Back," being perhaps the best of the anthology. However, the second two episodes aren't quite as impactful, with "White Bear" being perhaps the worst of the anthology.

There are so many great, lofty ideas in the show, but the anthology nature combined with mixed runtimes and episodic nature hurts them. Few of the episodes actually feel complete. A number of them feel like they could have been fleshed out more, either as a mini-series or feature (ex. "White Bear" and "The Waldo Moment.").

Despite the above, I actually do recommend the show primarily for its dark tone and music. It's good, if not very good on the whole, but select episodes may be hit or miss. I'm definitely curious about the Christmas special.

Ranked episodes below, best to worst:

Be Right Back (very good)
The Entire History of You (very good)
The Waldo Moment (good)
The National Anthem (good)
Fifteen Million Merits (meh)
White Bear (meh)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2085059/?ref_=tt_ov_inf

Happy New Year - Time to Shed Our Defensive Culture of Blame

First, read this: http://www.newstatesman.com/laurie-penny/on-nerd-entitlement-rebel-alliance-empire

There are a lot of great points and I do agree with the general view on society's current state/situations (there's a lot of privilege out there with plenty of room for improvement), but I take issue with the general tone and construction of the piece in that it continues to generalize both men and women and only comments/calls out that SOCIETY is wrong. To paraphrase the piece, SOCIETY is bad due to patriarchy, as such, BOTH men and women are flawed (but nerdy white males have it easier than they're possibly willing to acknowledge) - I have no issue with this statement and actually recommend reading her link towards the end of Rebellions and Empires.

What I take issue with is that I'm getting tired of statements/pieces with this message because they present no real solution nor do they go to the actual source of the problem (regardless of who wrote the article). They generalize people in the sense that they are a complicit (or active) part of society and society is the problem. EVERYONE is thus inherently bad.

Sure, they acknowledge that everyone has a different life which may comparatively be difficult, but continue to generalize and inadvertently be negative. It's a backhanded, unintentional if not direct, insult, as opposed to being something more positive, uplifting and eye opening.

We need to more directly call out the root of the issue - the INDIVIDUAL. Society is made up of a large number of individuals. We do not individually act as a society. We are not psychic, even if there's occasionally a group mind. The INDIVIDUAL is what we can change. Like a pebble thrown into calm water, if we can change an individual it can have a ripple effect to hopefully spread more positivity. To walk among a society composed of beacons of light would be simply illuminating.

Be a good HUMAN, not just a good man or a good woman. Treat others as you want to be treated. Take more confidence and comfort in yourself and your individuality. Know that at the end of any day, the lowest common denominator is YOU. Actively LISTEN to each other. Maintain a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, for attitude is one of the best things we can control. Build positive habits. Acknowledge that we are flawed and imperfect. Take responsibility for all of the good and bad in your life and reflect on how and where you can change and grow. Soak it all in and reflect. Remove the bad.

For better or worse, we're currently in a CULTURE OF BLAME, with the center of the blame being who's currently in power in our society/culture - heteronormative white males. There's a lot of blame going around, on oppression (by minorities) and victimization (by majorities). I frequently see a constant failure to accept any negative responsibilities, regardless of side - and both sides are contributing to the blame/negativity. The amount and degree of that doesn't even really matter, everyone has some degree of it and all that matters is the individual level.

There will probably always be differences between us humans - sex, gender, sexuality, ethnicity - but we're all human. We're all individuals with our own unique backgrounds and identities. We all have difficulties, some more than others. We should be open and honest in discussing these situations, but not as a means to pass blame, simply to acknowledge the difference and learn how to change and improve. How can I as an individual be more empathetic, compassionate, helpful - how can I be more HUMAN?

Change can be very difficult and hard. We're often so caught up in emotions, technology, digital communication as a CULTURE OF DOING that we fail to act as a CULTURE OF BEING. The kneejerk reactions need to stop. We need to pause and reflect. Check ourselves and our thoughts.

The internet in this GOLDEN DIGITAL AGE is a great power that allows us to communicate on an instant global level. It's a great power that needs great responsibility and we have not been using it properly. We are perpetuating the fast spread of negativity because we like DRAMA. Take a look at pretty much any news outlet - sensational negativity. Take a look at all of the hotbed issues of the past few years and see what difference we as a society are actually making, how quick we are to forget - Occupy Wall Street, Ed Snowden's leak, Sandy Hook, Trayvon Martin, Catcalling, Gamergate, Ferguson.

Communication is very important. Incredibly important. RIDICULOUSLY important. It's what makes us the most advanced species on the planet, the most advanced species in the currently known UNIVERSE. Yet, what is it we're communicating, through both ACTIONS and WORDS?

It's January 1st, 2015. A fresh day of a fresh year. Let's pretend every day is a new day and new year. Let's focus on the positive and wash away the negativity of the past. Every day IS a new day. Every day IS a chance to be a new and better person, a new and better version of you. This year, as every year, I choose to make my New DAY'S Resolution a simple one:

Be a good human. Be the best me possible.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons review - A Great Step Forward in Interactive Narrative

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a great step in the direction of games as art. It tells a very interesting narrative in a tight amount of time (around 5 hours, leisurely), doing a great job of combining the interactivity with the story.

Speaking of the story, it's the main draw of the game. The ending is must-play, while the rest of the game is very good. The emotional journey is the key driver in Brothers. While I do think the bulk of the story could have had more emotional elements throughout that led up to the ending, the ending still was able to provide me with a positive impact.

As such, I definitely recommend a playthrough.

Big Hero 6 and the Need for Good Storyboards

Considering the quality of talent involved, Big Hero 6 was a letdown. Co-Director Chris Williams was involved in large roles on two of the more charming Disney Feature Animation movies of the early 2000s - "The Emperor's New Groove" and "Bolt" - so I was rather hopeful that BH6 would at least have heart and charm. It did have both, but only in small doses, instead suffering from a syndrome of mid-2000s video games - great graphics (or animation) over solid, emotional narrative.

Before continuing to the problems, here's a quick list of the good:

1. Beautiful animation
2. Baymax was the best character, followed by Fred
3. Great to see ethnic diversity, even if one character bordered on stereotypical (Go Go)
4. Best of all, the pro education, science and experimentation message

However, none of the above was able to overshadow the generic story with mostly one-dimensional characters who lacked proper emotional arcs/development, particularly both lead character Hiro and the villain. Hiro's emotions lacked a good flow, causing his overall journey to feel shallow (not giving specifics so as to avoid spoilers). The villain had an absolutely unnecessary mystery element to them. There was no need to incorporate a mystery like that when doing an intro film for not just a single character, but a team. It was an extra layer that added nothing.

Like when Hiro and Baymax would take in a spectacular view, when zooming out to the see the big picture of the movie, the story becomes rather strange raising several questions. What is this story about? Is it about the brothers? Is it about a young genius discovering his potential? Is this a world with superheroes? Is this story about superheroes? Is it about relationships in general? Is it a team coming together to overcome the odds? It was scattered, to say the least, with the POV needing work.

As well, in a rather surprising move for a Disney movie, the world felt INCREDIBLY dangerous. The ragtag team of superheroes are actually a group of college students with no prior fighting skills utilizing super sharp and harmful weapons while the villain was overtly violent and murderous. It was shocking how often I felt the characters were in actual danger, particularly due to the previous world issue point (is this a world with superheroes who can take a beating or not?). Because these were real humans in larger-than-life situations, it lacked the proper weight when each superhero discovered their powers. Everyone just accepted their incredibly dangerous new reality as if there were no repercussions (and were suddenly mostly pros). That's a scary message for kids that more than balances out the positive message of point #4 above.

The reasons above could easily have been discovered and resolved during storyboarding had the film given that stage its proper due. To be fair, I have no idea what the pre-production and production phases of the film were like; it could have been plagued with problems. As it appears that there will be a sequel (which I am actually OK with), I hope Disney takes the time to learn from the mistakes of the first film. I'd love to see another example of a sequel that surpasses the original, even if the bar isn't that high.

An additional criticism that should have flagged the quality of the film - the poor use of pop music and rather mediocre soundtrack. The occasional pop song in a film can be great (such as the use of numerous Prince songs in Tim Burton's first Batman), but the ones in Big Hero 6 felt... childish. Granted, they weren't nearly as bad as other kids movies.

On a pet peeve final note, the character Honey-Lemon bugged me. Throughout the film she was the only character to properly pronounce Hiro's name as "Hee-Ro" rather than the more standard american "Hero." However, as even Hiro would pronounce his name as "Hero," I would have preferred if she had done the same. It's similar to Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Q: What do you call it when a mammoth stuck in time insults someone?

A: A tar diss