Edge of Reason Reviews

Directors:  Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki and Hideaki Anno

Starring:

                Japanese: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, and Yuko Yamaguchi

                English: Spike Spencer, Brina Palencia and Tiffany Grant

 Release Date:

Japan: June 27th 2009

North America: January 20th 2011

                After two years the second part to the Rebuild of Evangelion was finally released. Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance, the part of the Rebuild series where the story finally started to take shape. Of course in this portion we still have yet to enter complete new territory story wise but, there is still allot of new things to see in this installment. Anno really stepped up his game with this second part and in the end created a great movie but somehow at the same made something that did not have the spirit of the original series at all.  This is the double edge sword for the movie because I feel that he decided to make this film a little more appealing to the mainstream audiences then to the original fans of the series. Because of this film alone Evangelion is even bigger than when it was when it premiered a decade ago.

                This film takes place almost a week after the events of 1.01, Shinji is slowly starting to come out of his shell now that he realizes that he is not alone in sharing the burden of the planet. However Angel attacks are becoming more frequent and more dangerous with each mission almost hailing the third impact. While still trying to form a bond with his cold father Gendo, Shinji is still trying to find some meaning in the world. Enter the pilot of Evangelion Unit 02 the fiery Asuka Langly Shikinami (Asuka is no longer German this time around) Shinji now has to learn to cope and live with his abusive and highly obnoxious new roommate. All the while Gendo and the mysterious group Seele continue to pull the strings in order to bring about their ultimate goal, the Human Instrumentality Project.  Accompanied by a new mysterious Evangelion pilot from the States and the mysterious boy on the moon Shinji must prepare for the final ultimate battle for the fate of the world.

                The animation this time around is completely new and there also appears to be a complete difference in the style of animation as well. This movie is simply gorgeous to look at, from the back grounds; to the gigantic Eva’s and Angels, 2.22 is probably one of the best looking anime films I have seen in the past few years. The animation is fluent and all the character designs look great, Evangelion has not looked this good in a very long time and fans will be very happy with how the film looks visually, there really are no complaints on the animation spectrum of the film.

                As before the original cast have all returned to reprise their famous roles, and with the return of the voice for Asuka (both in Japanese and English) fans will really be brought back to the glory days of Neon Genesis.  And that is where this movie really shines, 2.22 really showcases the complex (and abusive) love triangle between Shinji, Rei and Asuka. Their relationship is the real foundation of the film and is its heart. We get to see great character development from all three characters and we get to see some interesting new choices in their goals. Rei finally comes out of her shell in this movie and I find her to be the single best character in the entire film. Her growing affection towards Shinji slowly reveals a more human side to the girl that has been called a doll by both Asuka and fans. Asuka is still a fan favorite and her introduction into the film does not seem forced and feels very real. Her character is not as snarky (well maybe just abit) as her original counterpart and her affection towards Shinji is more on the table this time around. Misato’s hatred for the Angels is also revealed as is a complex relationship between her past lover Ryoji Kaji. The new Eva Pilot however Mari Illustrious Mikinami is poorly underdeveloped for the hype her character received in the trailer at the end of 1.01. Her only purpose for the film is to create more merchandise and to create a string of new ecchi and hentai.  All we know about her character is she is weird, I wouldn’t even call her crazy just weird, perhaps more of her character will be revealed in Q but for now she is just fan service.

And this is my major problem with the entire film, for a movie that is almost flawless we are gives a slew of fan service. This is just to please the Otaku’s in the world in order to see Asuka (see picture below) in either skimpy outfits or naked. We also get a slew of Asuka panty shots; this in itself is very weird since the characters are all within in the ages of 12 and 14. Now Neon Genesis Evangelion did have its share of nudity but nudity was only used when it was needed. In 2.22 Nudity is thrown in for more appeal to the fans in order to help give the film a wider audience appeal.  The scene when Asuka gets a new plug suit seems very pointless and forced, why would the government create a see through plug suit where we can all see Asuka’s bra. I understand that she even addressed this fact but that still does not give the movie enough reason to include this. The plug suit had a scientific application, it helped synch up the Eva pilots mind and soul into the Evangelion unit. The only reason I can think for this new plug suit is to sell more toys and to create more hentai and ecchi.

The action this time around the action is faster paced then 1.01 and has a very epic feel to it. If you watch 1.01 and go straight to 2.22 you can see what I mean. The action is awesome and is what I would expect form a more modern anime. However the film constantly jumps from action scene to actions scene and does not really advance the plot. Most of the movie is just grand epic Angel fights. Yes, that is the focus of the show but Evangeion was never about crazy action in robots, that was the just backdrop for a series about the mental breakdown and mental case study of Shinji Ikari, Rei, and Auska. It’s like 2.22 forgot what it was supposed to be in its execution. Anno wanted to make this so people who did not like (or get) Neon Genesis Evangelion or the End of Evangelion a chance to see the film in a more simplistic fashion to appeal to everybody.

The music is also incredibly fantastic and is a soundtrack I really want to pick up the next time I am at a convention. In 1.01 the music seemed like a tease for something it could have been, this time we still get many of the familiar themes from NGE but we also get a tone of new epic scores, and the use of some Japanese children songs is chilling and very disturbing and adds for an emotional climax to the film.

Evangelion 2.22 is a very good movie and is a step above 1.01 I just wish the Anno did add so much fan service and tried to please everyone. Audiences are more willing to accept what you throw at them in film. There is no need to make Eva accessible to everyone when the show was still widely popular in it’s original format.

I still give Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance a

8/10

It is still a great movie and a very fun ride; I cannot wait to see what the rest of the rebuild series has in store for fans. The story is going to go in very interesting directions and this was the perfect way to segue into new territory.

Directors: Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki and Hideaki Anno

Starring:   JAPANESE:  Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara and Kotono Mitsuishi

                ENGLISH: Spike Spencer, Allison Keith and Brina Palencia

Original Release Date: JAPAN    September 1^st 2007

                                NORTH AMERICA May 27^th 2009

Because of budget problems Hideaki Anno never really was able to demonstrate his true vision with Neon Genesis Evangelion. After a decade Anno was finally able to pull together the funds and the time to do Evangelion the way it was meant to be done, the new series is titled the Rebuild of Evangelion. Originally supposed to be a trilogy of three films which has now been separated into four Evangelion 1.0 You are (Not) Alone is the first of the epic retelling of a great series. The new series is promised a brand new story with new characters and I am very interested to see where the series is going to take us, of course before you can get to any of the new material you must get reacquainted with the series main character Shinji Ikari and his struggle against the Angels and himself.

This film is a retelling of the first six episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, there is new animation mixed in with animation from the original series, however you might not be able to tell what is new and what is not since the original animation has had a great HD revamp and looks better than ever. Current technology has also really helped with the end result of this film, a myriad hybrid of cg animation mixed with traditional animation really shows the great technology that NERV has at its disposal.  The entire original Japanese cast is back reprising their original roles, and even Funimation (who now has the rights to the series) was able to bring back some of the original cast for the English dub.

The story for this portion is exactly the same as the show, but for those who have not seen the original series this is a great start. The year is 2015 and the world has suffered a great catastrophe that has destroyed most of the planet and its ecosystem. With the oncoming terror and destruction a powerful alien race has descended on the planet and is starting to wage war with Earth’s inhabitance, these giants have been called Angels and they are bent on the destruction of the human race. The only weapons that can defeat these giant creatures are the giant mechanized Evangelion unites.  The only people who are capable of piloting the Evangelions are children between the ages of twelve and fourteen. Shinji Ikari has been chosen to pilot Evangelion Unit 01 however Shinji is not the most confident of individuals and piloting the Eva comes with its own personal and psychological problems for the young boy. Shinji must learn to find confidence within himself and confront both the Angels, his father, and more importantly himself.

Although this movie is just a rehash of the first six episodes it is still a fantastic film, it is composed in a fashion that does not feel rushed and does not muddle the original message from the show. In fact I think this films helps display the internal conflict of Shinji better than the original series. Those who would whine and complain about Shinji’s faults might actually find themselves rooting for him by the end of the film. The movies climax against the fifth Angel really helps showcase the trauma Shinji has had to go through during each Angel fight and shows the great character growth that he develops as he understands that he is not alone with the burden of the planet.

The First Child Rei Ayanami also is showcased and developed quite well in this film, of course this is the portion of the series where she is just an emotional doll but the audience will be able to get a glimpse that there is a shred of humanity within her by the end of the film. Her relationship with Shinji is a very heartwarming and can show what Anno has planned for the duo in the next three films.  

Angels themselves have also had their own revamps in the film, many of the fights against them are on a completely different scale than in the original series. One might actually find it hard to go back and rewatch the original series after watching the first Rebuild film. There are not many surprises if you have already seen the original series but the final fight in the film throws some unexpected (yet refreshing) curve balls to help spice up the fight and the film.  The movies soundtrack is also very impressive, with many of the series original themes returning we are also given a look into some sweeping epic scores which add a more epic feel to the series. Of course this is also just a look at what’s to come in the future.

                I give Evangelion 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone a

7/10

I can’t really say much else about the film since it is only the first six episodes thrown together in one movie. Most of it feels like a teaser to something bigger (and that’s the truth) that is on the horizon. From the plot to the soundtrack we are constantly teased by Anno (the biggest Troll) who has something truly grand up his sleeve. Fans are even teased at the end by a surprise cameo that was not fully expected in order to gain interest for the sequel. I highly recommend watching this film, it is a great way to start the new series and is also an good way to introduce a new fan to the Evangelion universe without sitting through six episodes of the show.

Director: Hideaki Anno

Starring:

                JAPANESE: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara and Yuko Miyamura

                ENGLISH: Spike Spencer, Amanda Winn Lee and Tiffany Grant

Release Date: JAPAN July 19^th 1997

After the long delay fans finally were able to see the true ending to Neon Genesis Evangelion, of course you could say that the ending of the show was actually the original ending, but with Evangelion there are so many different ways to interpret the ending, the End of Evangelion is no different. End of Eva is the most epic climax to an anime that I have ever had the chance to witness. The End of Evangelion is an ambitious effort both in its themes and the over arching story that helps conclude the tragic journey of Shinji Ikari and the rest of the chosen Eva pilots.  If you are hoping for a happy ending then you might just want to stick with the series ending, the End of Evangelion holds no punches in its execution, and it is brutal when it needs to be yet poetic and dreamlike in its ever growing mythology that the movie helps to weave.

The film is separated into two parts; both are complete reinterpretations of the series final two episodes. The Episodes titled “Love is Destructive” and “ONE MORE FINAL: I need you” are the two stepping stones for the movie. The first part, Love is Destructive focuses on the complete annihilation of NERV and shows what SEELE and the UN’s final plans are for NERV now that all seventeen Angel’s have been defeated. ONE MORE FINAL focuses on that shady plan Seele and Gendo have always been talking about called the Human Instrumentality Project, and all of the villain’s ambitions are revealed and the true purpose of the Evangelion units is discovered. Of course the final part is a big head shaker with crazy visuals that would even make Stanley Kubrick impressed.

Shinji is a completely different person at the start of the film, being forced to kill Kaworu-the first person to ever truly show Shinji affection-Shinji has retreated into his sub consciousness. Not able to neither move nor do anything else with his life Shinji wishes for everything to fade away and stoops down to the lowest you will ever see him.  After facing a horrible and humiliating defeat and no longer fit to be the pilot of Eva Unit 02 Asuka has had a complete mental break down. Just like Shinji she has also retreated into herself and is in a catatonic state.  The First Child Rei Ayanami is starting to question the loyalties of Gendo Ikari and is slowing becoming aware of what his horrible true intentions are for her and what that could mean for Shinji and the rest of the planet.  Misato is also slowly uncovering the conspiracies and cover-ups that NERV has put into place after Second Impact, of course for Misato and the rest of NERV it is all too late because SEELE has decided that Gendo is too much of a gamble to be left alone with the power of both Adam and Lilith so they enlist the aid of the Japanese Defense force to destroy NERV and kill anyone that works there, including the chosen children.

                The first five minutes of this movie are shocking and brutal and is something that many fans will not expect, this movie takes on a complete darker tone than its predecessor and is not willing to tone down anything you will see. The raid of NERV is a horrible and brutal segment that takes up almost half of the movie. NERV was never meant to defend against an all out Human attack and they are complete butchered by the trained solders that do not show any mercy to the workers of NERV. However this is one of the many beautifully brilliant actions scenes from the first portion of the movie, the best being a final showdown with Asuka and the rest of the completed Eva series which to this day still stands as one of the best Mech fights in Anime.

         While the first part is mainly action, which many fans wish to see, the second portion is all cerebral as we get to witness the End of Evangelion, now when I say that I mean it quite literally, you get to see the end of the world. This is the portion of the movie that has faced much criticism from fans, but people need to understand that Evangelion just not about mechs fighting angels-although that is the main premise of the show-the show is about the complete mental breakdown of a child and the constant battle he has to face with himself, and the outside world. The movie is not simply trying to be artistic, just like in the original series everything is shown for a reason. The final mental breakdown Shinji has during the films mind bending final minutes are all part of a bigger picture that is left for interpretation for the audience. The End of Evangelion is one of those films where any one person can view it a different way and interpret many of the scenes in a various ways. Of course with the internet one can get a better understanding for the film, but I find the End of Eva is more enjoyed with your own personal interpretation.

                Of course many fans were expecting a more linear ending then what they got with the series, but the End of Evangelion is different. Even after a decade this movie still probes the minds of anyone who watches it and is still the subject of heated debate amongst fans. I truly wish the Rebuild series was just as complex as Neon Genesis, after revisiting the entire series I have an even bigger appreciation for it than when I did when I watched it years ago.  This is a movie I think everyone should see at least once, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a real love it or hate it show, but it still stands as a huge landmark in anime and this movie is no exception. Although the Rebuild series is far more accessible in both distribution and the way it is presented to the viewer I still think that even after the final Rebuild film has been released that this movie will still be the true ending to the series. This is a hard film to live up to and I have no idea how Hideaki Anno is even going to match the genius he put into this movie

I give Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion a

9/10

It is almost a perfect movie, I know it is rated higher than the original series but I really enjoy the ambitious move that Anno took in making this film. This is the movie that completely alienated fans of the original show and is still making viewers question politics, religion, the universe, and even their own lives.

As I am writing this Evangelion 3.0 has finally been released on home video in Japan, hopefully someone will be able to release a decent subtitled version really soon so that I can finally watch the movie. I am sorry this review is short but I just cant talk so much about the film without giving away any crucial details, and I am afraid I have already said to much in the review about the movie.  

Director: Hideaki Anno

Starring:

                JAPANESE: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara and Yuko Miyamura

                ENGLISH: Spike Spencer, Amanda Winn Lee and Tiffany Grant

Release Date: 

JAPAN March 15^th 1997

                    NORTH AMERICA July 26^th 2006

                When Neon Genesis Evangelion finally finished airing fans were a bit upset to put it lightly. Studio Gainax suffered multiple vandalizing incidences and received multiple hate mails. Series creator Hideaki Anno also regularly received death threats from fans.  So after one year Anno decided to create an ending that would satisfy fans, the format he decided to produce this work was in the form of two theatrical releases. The name for this project became known as the End of Evangelion, the first part of the two part movie series was Death & Rebirth. Death & Rebirth was released on March 15^th 1997 and the final part titled the End of Evangelion was released on July 19th 1997.  Both films together create quite possibly one of the most appealing and interesting conclusions to any anime series of recent date. 

                Death & Rebirth was separated into two parts; the first part is titled Death and is a 90 minute summery of the entire 26 episode series. The second part titled Rebirth is the first fifteen minutes of the End of Evangelion. I could find someone watching this after finishing Neon Genesis to be quite annoyed. This movie of course is shot and put together wonderfully but looking back at the film now it seems out of place within the grand scheme of Evangelion. Of course the composition section includes some extra information, but this is information that could easily be accessed if you have the director cut episodes or have the Internet (which you do if you are reading this). This is a movie that really is only suited if you need a quick fix, if you want to have an Eva marathon without trudging through the original series (but why would you not watch it anyway?) or if you are a diehard Evangelion fan.  Maybe its because of where I live but this movie is fairly hard to come by, the only Evangelion films that can be accessed are the two Rebuild films. Of course you could torrent the film or order it on Amazon. 

My major gripe with the film is that the quality of the animation is really granny; this is a shame since this DVD got released after ADV produced the Platinum Collection which was completely remastered. Even the End of Evangelion looks better and more polished than this film. You could easily watch the Rebirth section and put it right next to the End of Evangelion and you could see the quality difference. I don’t know if this is a fault of Manga Entertainment or the original home release of the movie since the date it was originally released.  The audio for this movie is also fantastic; I have always found that Evangelion had an exceptional cast even for the English dub which was almost unheard of when the show was first released.  

                Like I said before the film is really put together in an interesting format, acting almost as a sort of multiple flash back sequences while four of the Eva pilots (Shinji, Rei, Asuka and Kaworu) practice the cello and violin during school. Of course you never know whose mind this is taking place in, I like to think its Shinji’s since by the point Kaworu enters NERV Asuka goes missing and has a complete mental break down. While in this you see her practicing the cello she is back to her normal self. If you haven’t watched Neon Genesis in a while this movie is the perfect refresher course, you get to see the Eva’s battle all 17 Angels. Although most Angel battles get only a few sections of screen time, the battles that get the most attention are against the Third and Seventeenth Angel due to their important involvement to the story.  Of course if you haven’t yet watched the directors cut episodes this movie gives hints as to what Gendo has done with Adams embryo, what exactly is up with Rei (if you haven’t figured it out already) and exactly what Seele’s ultimate plan for Gendo and NERV is. Of course everything involving Seele’s plan is revealed in the Rebirth section but I would honestly just skip it in order to not have to rewatch the same scenes in the End of Evangelion. 

I give Neon Genesis Evangelion Death & Rebirth a

7/10

Of course it is just a simple rehash of the original show so it’s not that compelling if you just finished the series and decide to trek through this movie you might find you’re self wondering when you will actually see anything new. Even when the newer scenes present itself in the final portion of the film that is even best left alone since you can just watch the End of Evangelion to see it in its entirety without a cliff hanger ending.

The movies original purpose was to help re tell the story of the series and to give a bit of a tease on what is to come. This movie really has no purpose anymore but it is still a very interesting summery of the entire series that should be seen at least once.

Director: John M. Chu

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Byung-hun-Lee, and Adrianne Palicki

Release Date: March 28^th 2013

I think everyone can admit that G.I Joe: Rise of Cobra was a disappointment, let me rephrase that, it was horrible! It did not capture the fun and excitement of the original cartoon series and turned many of the characters into horrible caricatures of themselves. The only saving grace of that movie was Byung-Hun Lee and Joseph Gordon Levitt but even then his portrayal of Cobra Commander was a horrible bastardization of the character. After Rise of Cobra fans had pretty much given up on there ever being a G.I Joe movie and pretty much anything Hasbro could throw at the screens. When word came around that a new movie was coming out fans, and myself included were very skeptical, how could they make another G.I Joe movie without rebooting it? Well Paramount decided to just go ahead and make a sequel. Yes that right Retaliation is a direct sequel to the Rise of Cobra.

I don’t know exactly how many months or years have gone by in the movie’s universe but last time we saw the Joes they had stopped Mcullen/Destro’s plan to unleash nanomite warheads on the White House. The Doctor had revealed his true identity as Cobra Commander only to be quickly apprehended and put in a secure prison with Destro.  Snake Eyes had defeated Storm Shadow in a duel but Storm Shadow survived (how I do not know)and his whereabouts are currently unknown and Zartan had infiltrated the White House as a disguised President, so where does that leave the Joe’s now?  Well Duke has become the head commander of the Joe’s and many of the Joe’s from the first movie have simply vanished for some unknown reason. New additions to the team are Roadblock, Flint, and Mouse. After being sent on a mission by the President (secretly Zartan) to capture a nuclear warhead in Pakistan, they are quickly betrayed and labeled as terrorists with many of the Joe’s being killed in combat. Only Roadblock, Jaye, and Flint survive the attack. Meanwhile the Cobra Commander is set free from prison by Storm Shadow, and Snake Eyes goes to Japan on his own personal mission to finally settle the score with Storm Shadow once and for all. 

This movie is allot darker than its predecessor and has more of a real world feel to it, the cool gadgets are still intact but not to the extent in the Rise of Cobra. Gone are accelerator suits and back are just simple normal Joes who can get the job done without some robot suit. Cobra is really a force to be reckoned with this time around and the movie really tries to show you how they have completely infiltrated and taken control over the United States. Now this movie has had some considerable hype ever since it was first announced, but after the year long delay for the movie (which I think has considerably ruined its chances of being a good film) we finally get to see it. Now everyone is talking about how amazing this movie is and that it surpasses the first movie. I will admit that yes, it is better than the first movie but it is nowhere near the great movie fans are making it out to be. After seeing the movie and letting the weekend help me think about it I have to say this movie is very average. Of course if you compare it to the highly inferior Rise of Cobra then Retaliation is going to seem like this big masterpiece of an action film. So set aside any fan boy expectations and do not watch the original before you see this movie, that way you can see it for what it really is, a very average spring action film that has come out when your only other options for movies are the Host. Not allot of competition so it’s going to be seem like an incredible movie.

Even though the film is considerably average that does not mean it is not a fun ride, the 3-D conversion is interesting but it is not necessary. Unfortunately the only option my theater had was 3-D, I think this movie would have fared fine without it but hey studios need more money.  Dwayne Johnson is a pretty good lead; however the absence of Chaning Taitum is felt in this movie, after getting about 10 minutes of screen time (actually more than Cobra Commander) he dies. Now don’t get all upset that I ruined something, this has been news that was announced about a year ago and is one of the main reasons the movie was delayed. The new footage they shot is interesting but I don’t see the point of adding new scenes to develop some bond between Roadblock and Duke, Duke is just going to die and since he has had more development than Flint and Jaye you don’t really care about the other two remaining Joe`s.  

Now the plot is as bland and thin as you can get with minimal character development and a main threat that borderlines the ridiculous. This is not something to really nail the movie on since its G.I Joe, I really could care less if Cobra’s plot makes since, it rarely does anyway. I just want to see explosions and one of my favorite villains the Cobra Commander done right. Now the Commander is a big improvement over whatever that thing was in the first movie. Now it is still the same character but at least he actually looks like Cobra Commander!! Joseph Gordon Levitt did not return, and honestly you can’t blame him he was filming the Dark Knight Rises (a much better movie) while Retaliation was being filmed. With a character like Cobra Commander you really can get anyone to play the role, all he is is a guy in a helmet with a really creepy voice. Of course you get a tiny bit of footage of him without his mask but the crew on his movie actually made the actor look like his counterpart from the first movie.  The absence of Levitt isn’t really felt in this movie since Cobra actually feels and acts like Cobra, only problem is that he is in the movie for a top of 6 minutes.  I think the movie would have been better is Zartan was the main threat and Cobra getting freed during a post credit sequence. Cobra does do what he does best and just hides in the shadows only to run away when the going gets tough, but he is really underused in this movie which is a shame especially since there was also hype on the revival of this character.

Another character that has returned is Storm Shadow played by Korean actor Byung-hun Lee, Lee is a great actor and I suggest you check out I Saw the Devil. His return as Storm Shadow is a very welcomed return since he was one of the only things in the first movie that actually worked. Storm Shadow is probably the only character in this whole movie that actually gets character development. Honestly you can’t blame them since in the first movie his reason for “turning evil” was laughable. This time Storm Shadow is a much more believable character who is on his own quest for revenge. Ray Park also returns as Snake Eyes (without that mouth piece) but there really isn’t much to say here since he never says a word so there is hardly any good character development here but he is the fan favorite and is the figure head of the best action scene in the entire film.  Bruce Willis is also included in this movie but his role is more of a cameo and I honestly don’t think it deserves much mention. 

Most of the action scenes are your generic shoot fest with shaky cam and some really random close up shots during the action. The best action scene is on a mountain top but honestly I wasn’t that trilled during it, most of the action is fairly boring, maybe if I was in a full theater the action would have a better effect on me. Even the fight between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes is not that great and I personally prefer there confrontation in Rise of Cobra.  I really wish some of the action scenes in this movie were a little bit better but I feel a sequel will probably be on the horizon so we have allot more Joe action in store.

Some plot points make no sense like Cobra abandoning Destro in prison only for it to blow up, of course Destro most likely somehow survived, but that’s going to be a very unrealistic return since the explosion is actually stated to be over 100 degrees. I don’t know why Cobra would just abandon Destro after giving him the nanomites to actually change him into Destro, this makes his character development in the first movie completely irrelevant. But this isn’t a movie to be taken too seriously. 

I give G.I Joe Retaliation a 7/10

It is a fun movie but it isn’t really memorable, I think if it came out last summer like it was supposed to than maybe I wouldn’t have felt so bland about the movie. But it is worth checking out if you want to go to the movies and there is nothing else to see. 

Created By: Hideaki Anno

Starring:  JAPANESE: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara and Yuko Miyamura

                ENGLISH: Spike Spencer, Amanda Winn Lee and Tiffany Grant

At the end of this month the third installment to the rebuild of Evangelion hits store shelves in Japan. In order to prepare myself for the possible greatness of this movie I thought it was a good chance to go and revisit the rest of the series.  Of course the best place to start is in the original series Neon Genesis Evangelion. First airing in Japan on October 4th 1995 the show has quickly become an anime phenomenon both in its home country and overseas. The series has received critical praise and many mixed reviews during its 20 year run but it still remains that Evangelion revolutionized the mecha genre and anime as a whole. With video games, manga adaptations and a few movies under its belt, Evangelion has remained a fan favorite to this day and the original series has still met the standard and has aged pretty well since it first premiered.  My first experience with Evangelion was during my first year of high school; this was back when I wasn’t really that into anime accept for the obvious giants like Dragon Ball Z and a few Gundam series. My friend let me borrow the series and I eat it up, I finished the show in one sitting and that was probably one of the biggest mistakes (due to the nature of the show) yet most enlightening experiences of my life. I don’t think my little fourteen year old brain was prepared for what I was about to witness. I bought the series the next year in the Platinum collection box set.

The story of Neon Genesis Evangelion takes place in the not too distant future. In the year 2000 a giant meteorite fell on the Earth causing massive damage to the planet and the atmosphere. Humanity was almost completely whipped out by this event and was forced to slowly rebuild in order to survive; this even became known as Second Impact. The meteorite was not all of man kinds problems, giant creatures called Angels slowly emerged and began attacking mankind at random. Conventional weapons are no match against the giant beast’s so the secret agency called NERV created the Evangelion series, giant robots which can combat the alien invaders. Each Evangelion is piloted by a child between the ages of twelve and fourteen. The story centers on Shinji Ikari the son of Gendo Ikari the commander of NERV. Shinji was abandoned by this father at a young age and had been contacted by his father because he had a “use” for him. Unfortunately that use is not what Shinji had in mind. Gendo wants Shinji to pilot the Evangelions and destroy the Angels in order to protect the planet.  Shinji however is not all gun hoe about the idea, he has his own deep mental problems and constantly refuses to accept this heavy burden thrown upon him. Accompanied by the stoic Rei Ayanami and the obnoxious Asuka Langley Shoryu they must combined their might in order to defeat the angels and save mankind from a dreaded third impact.

Shinji Ikari as a character is probably the best protagonist written in any form of fiction in the last twenty years. I am not over exaggerating when I say that Shinji Ikari is probably better written and more realistic than any other character in any other series. Shinji was a character that many fans, including myself loathed and detested. This is because Shinji Ikari is a wimp, he doesn’t want to fight, he constantly runs away from any sort of stressful situation and to top it all off Shinji is sort of mentally unstable to put it lightly.  As I’ve grown up and watched the show a considerable amount of times my affection towards the character has grown as has my understanding of his problems.  Many people were used to having there protagonist’s be strong, willing to jump into any situation and fight for the good of mankind. They are people we wish we could be, characters we inspire towards; Shinji Ikari is none of those things. He does not have the strength of Goku, or the charm of Naruto. The reason why people didn’t like Shinji was that instead of creating a character that people wanted to be like Hideaki Anno created a character that we already are. No one likes to look in the mirror and see their faults; Hideaki Anno loves to show everyone their faults with an acute and masterful precision.  I fully accept Shinji as a character because he honestly does what I would do in any situation, anyone will admit that “no I would jump in that robot and constantly fight” but Shinji doesn’t learn to control the robot, he’s just thrown into it and expected to know how to pilot it. To top it off he has to fight a giant alien that could kill him and if he fails the world would be destroyed. If anyone would say that they wouldn’t be the least terrified are blatantly lying.  As the show goes on Shinji develops an incredible character arc, he slowly starts allowing people in and starts making friends. Piloting the Eva gives him a confidence and a purpose in life he has never had before, but of course in this s how no one can be happy and Shinji’s world and mind come crashing down.  Shinji is a character that shows and embraces the best parts of humanity and many times the worst, sometimes sinking down to low and detestable levels, but that is all of the charm of this very complex and real character.

What starts out as a typical mecha/monster of the week show slowly turns into a heavy psychological and philosophical drama, as the show continues to darken we slowly witness the degradation of almost every many characters mind, we bear witness to Shinji slowly losing his sanity and go insane and we see the angels constantly changing tactics in order to damage the psyche of the children.   The great thing about this show is how real each character is, every character has their deep psychological issues that slowly get exploited during the course of the show. These problems are what makes these characters seem as real as any person you would meet on a street. There goals and ambitions are all rooted in a disturbing past that comes hurtling towards them and the viewers near the end of the series.  I can understand why someone might not like this show because not only does it analyze the main characters but you might find you’re self going under your own analyzing, people hate confronting the truth about the world and themselves and this series constantly does that. Not only is it good writing but it is some dammed good science fiction that should appeal to even the most non initiated of anime viewers.

The animation in this series constantly dips and rises, sometimes the animation is crisp and smooth while other times its jerky and the quality is off. Now the artists are not to blame for this, during production of the show the crew’s budget got cut. This caused many problems for the staff and crew, the ending of the show turned into the strange infamous ending that it was. Many times the same scenes are used constantly but that is only noticed after you watch the show a few more times, but other times the budget cut is a blessing allowing them to add in some silent and still dramatic scenes that actually improve on many of the series episodes. Scenes like Asuka and Rei in the elevator are classic and shows how cutting the budget actually helped in one case.

The heavy religious mythology added into the show really makes for a unique anime experience that’s unlike anything ever seen in the genre. Hideaki Anno did have a complete mental breakdown during the course of the show that really shows in the more mentally aggressive episodes. Neon Genesis Evangelion is anime perfection, if you haven’t watched it yet then why the hell are you not watching it right now!! I admit that the one thing that this series has over the Rebuild is the psychological and heavy religious symbolism which the Rebuild seems to have not put in. Now the Rebuild films so far are fantastic but they are more of an explosion fireworks show than the heavy layered drama presented in the original source. If you don’t understand the ending that’s perfectly fine, Anno created a two part film series to end the series. But I really recommend only watching it when you think you have grasped the themes of the original show. The movies throw allot on the plate and make it very hard to take in.

I give Neon Genesis Evangelion a

8.5/10

This isn’t me being a fanboy the show is really that good. Evangelion is a love hate show you either will think it’s the best thing ever written or the most overhyped piece of garbage ever. It’s not for everyone but anyone can find something to enjoy in this series, it’s a perfect anime series and probably the best science fiction story ever. Next I’ll be revisiting Death/Rebirth the first part to Anno End of Evangelion movie series.

*Spoilers ahead*

Created by: Kevin Williamson

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Natalie Zea and James Purefoy

                Usually when I watch TV I usually only watch around one or two shows at a time, I am not one of those people that watch six different shows in the course of the week. I like to keep it simple and stick with around one show that I know I will at least get really invested in. The Walking Dead and American Horror Story: Asylum were my shows of choice but seeing as both seasons are over ( AMHS being done for quite some time now) I decided it was time to maybe watch something new. I still have a month until Breaking Bad has its final season and I am watching Game of Thrones, but I thought that throwing in a second show couldn’t really hurt. That’s when I remembered seeing all those ads for that new crime drama starring Kevin Bacon. Crime Dramas are probably the last thing I would ever turn to when it comes to TV (Breaking Bad is the exception of course) and the plot seemed pretty interesting and it had Kevin Bacon in it which could mean one of two things. 1) His film career has finally died or 2) This show might actually be really good. The show was already reaching its eleventh episode (which I’ve just finished watching) and it seemed the season was reaching its end so I decided to power watch it to pass the time.  Now since I have no idea how the end of this season will ultimately play out I think I have seen enough to get a general understanding of the show and to write a review on what I have just recently watched.

                The Following has all the regular clichés that an average TV crime drama has, but even though it suffers from some of your everyday clichés that does not mean it is not worth your time….sometimes. The Following “Follows” hardened FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Bacon) who in the past was able to catch serial killer and failed author Joe Carole (Purefoy) who murdered over fourteen young girls. Over the course of a few years Hardy got involved with Carrols wife and wrote a book on the ordeal, this ended up giving him a famous reputation. But while Hardy seemed to be living the life Carole was planning to execute his ultimate plan, his sequel as he calls it. An elaborate revenge scheme that seems to come straight out of a comic book, Carole has created a cult over the past couple of years and he plans to use them to get revenge on Hardy and to somehow win his wife back in the process while writing a book? When Carole escapes from prison it is up to Hardy to find and arrest the sick psycho before he kills again, but when he finally catches the man he finds that he has just entered a dangerous game of cat and mouse between the FBI and Carole’s demented murder cult.  

                Now the shows premise is interesting enough, but it seems like the writers just got lost in the process of trying to create a deep and elaborate crime thriller. The first two episodes are fantastic; the pilot episode is more than enough to get someone to watch the rest of the season but after that the writing gets lazy and Carole’s plan ends up becoming sort of ridiculous as you reach the middle portion of the show.  The cops are lazy and are probably the worst group of FBI agents I’ve ever seen on TV or any movie for that matter. They somehow cannot catch a guy who by now has eluded them about three times during the show.  I don’t watch allot of crime dramas so I feel that might be a reason why I’ve been hooked on the show up until this point, then again I have watched all of this in the course of two nights. I think if I had to wait a week for each episode I’d have given up by now. Some of the things that happen in this show have been somewhat new to me, but other times I have found myself shaking my head and wondering what the hell I just witnessed.  The writers on this show seem to be continuously trying to make the show seem smarter than it is, it’s an almost insult yet pretentious move when during most of the episodes you can almost see the writers saying “see what we did there!! Aren’t we clever and intelligent, I bet you never saw that twist coming!” at first, yes, you don’t see anything coming but the writers try to shove in a twist every episode that by now, it’s easy to see how almost each episode plays out.

And that’s another problem; each episode plays out the exact same way! There is almost no change in the formula at all. The show always starts with someone getting murdered by a cult member, and we open to Ryan on the crime scene with his band of merry men. Then it always works out to them discovering who the person is within the course of 6 minutes. With the occasional flash back to some annoyingly dumb story about some rich cry baby cult member and his equally annoying bi sexual three-way relationship with two other cult members.  Then Ryan discovers who the cult member is and goes after them, with only one person for back up. Then Ryan ends up killing the cult member saving the day, or in some cases the person elaborately escapes and we get to see Carole mocking Ryan and the audience for even staying around this long. It’s a wash and repeat formula and it’s gotten old very very fast.

Now even though the format of the show is very flawed that doesn’t mean there is always something bad in the show. The acting in this show is fairly decent and I am surprised that many of the cast members have been able to make the bad writing look good. The episodes are very sporadic in the way that sometimes they are great then other times they are numbingly annoying and horrible.  Kevin Bacon is great as the shows lead, he’s a shoot first ask questions later kind of guy and I always enjoy seeing the dumb cult members try to get the better of him. Most of the crazies that have tried to get the upper hand on Bacon just end up getting shot. His character is smarter than most of the crazy cultists and he can usually find a way out of any twisted situation they force him into in about a millisecond.  The only times he has ever been stopped is when Carole enters the scene and then Bacon is just useless. I don’t understand this because Carole does the exact same things that the other cultist have done yet Bacon just somehow is defeated like he was some uneducated idiot.  Most of the time when Carole does something or if anything goes wrong it could have been easily been prevented, but for the sake of TV bad things have to happen.

James Purefoy is delightfully cruel in this show as the enigmatic Joe Carole.  It’s almost like he’s channeling Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Hannibal, at least that’s the first thing that comes to mind whenever I see Carole on screen. I do like seeing him on screen because he gives this sophistication to the role, but other times he comes off as a preachy and very self righteous man that we are supposed to somehow feel sympathy towards? I am sorry but if you are trying to get your audience to somehow feel a shred of remorse for a man that has killed 14 women and has been the focus of the entire shows conflict that’s not really a good move. I can’t relate to this man because I am not a deranged murderer with a god complex. It’s also not a good idea to introduce this sympathetic side when you reach the middle portion of the show, by now we want to see him behind bars again.  Sure he wants to be reunited with his family and get to know the son he has never seen, but buddy there is a reason that you are not seeing your son and that your ex-wife hates you, you decided to murder FOURTEEN women and order you cult to kidnap your own son! That’s not a very good plan if you want us to like you.

But even though the two leads are fairly solid the supporting characters are like a bag of cats, you never know which one is good or really annoying. There are some side characters that I have found interesting and am actually worried about the situations they get in. Those are the two FBI agents that accompany Ryan, and Carole’s ex-wife who is unfortunately forced into this situation when her son gets kidnapped by a member of the cult.  Most of the time you actually go on her side more than the FBI’s ,their constant inadequate attempts to save her son are always thwarted by Carole and she has to scream at them to remind them what they are supposed to be doing for the show.

Other characters like members of the cult make me want to just stop watching all together. For the majority of the show we follow the group that kidnaps Carole’s son Joey, They are Joey’s Nanny Emma, her rich boyfriend Jacob, and their friend/ Jacobs lover Paul. Now I have no problem with other sex relationships. It’s just that these three characters are the most ANNOYING characters on the entire show. Emma is probably my least favorite; she is this annoying little girl who is on a power trip only because Carol wants to have sex with her. Most of their scenes are just pseudo drama between a jealous Paul and Emma who are trying to win the affection of Jacob who doesn’t even belong there to begin with. Even Jacob’s reasoning for joining the cult is so juvenile and pathetic that you just want him to be offed by Ryan. Where the show stands now the character has randomly had a complete 360 character change and is now this hardened cruel bad ass? Jacob, we know you are a rich little boy who has daddy issues, and guess what, we don’t care!

Other members of the cult are just stupid and idiotic, one member of the cult is a Sheriff of an entire town and decided it would be a good idea to capture an FBI agent and show his face to him. Of course said FBI agent escapes, well Mr. Sheriff you basically screwed yourself over there. Now Carol can’t get any information on the FBI because they know you are a KILLER. Many members of the cult also just randomly pop out of the ground at the most convent times, but now I can actually tell who is a cult member and who isn’t. Basically if it is a character who is just introduced and is not an FBI agent or wasn’t in the first two episodes, they are most likely in the cult or helping them or just an ass.

Now the show had a very solid beginning but fell apart when (major spoilers) in the sixth episode Carole escapes. Yes he escapes and joins an “army” of his cultist hidden in some mansion they built in the woods. Carole now appears time to time to cause problems, to stir up the plot and keep us interested and calls Ryan to mock him of course. But he naturally has military members of his cult who I guess made some high tech equipment so they can’t get a trace on any of the phone calls. It seems that Carole’s ultimate goal is to become the world’s first super villain; the character has actually devolved to this point. There is even a hidden bunker with military weapons, I have no idea what the plan is but it is so farfetched that it seems that some cultists are members of the league of shadows.  Somehow the FBI is running around like idiots because they cannot find a mansion of cultists who are also convicted killers! The mansion is near a small town that is run by this Sherriff who is a cult member. So that’s the excuse the show provides, that he secretly brings them there, but the small town that is near the house must recognize half of the murderers that were on the news slowly migrating to their town.  It’s upsetting because this show can be great; some episodes are really amazing when some just seem to fall upon themselves. The more I’ve been writing this more I’ve started to see the shows faults and now I can say I don’t like it as much as when I started out.

I know that the show just got renewed for a second season, but I can only see this show running for two seasons. Anyone who watches this show can easily see that after the fourth episode that the show can easily become lost with itself and not know when to end. I have a feeling this show was a pitch for a TV movie or miniseries, but of course Fox likes to ruin everything and decided to make it a 15 episode show. You can tell that it seems the writers had all of this written out for only two or three episodes but now they have to fill in the gaps and lengthen everything in order to please the studio. Now the show isn’t over yet, I don’t know how it’s going to play out, but it starts fresh and gets very very sour as the show goes on. The cult even has a religion that they just named Caroleology. That is now ridiculous this show is slowly getting.

I’m giving the Following a

6.5/10

It’s a pity because at first I thought this show was a solid 8, but the bad writing and the constant inadequate plot lines and twists have made me really start to dislike this show.

Director: Stephen Spielberg

Starring: Sam Niel, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum

Original Release Date: June 11^th 1993

3-D Re-Release: April 05^th 2013

I think anyone remembers when they were little and the movies they watched, they helped enrich out childhoods and in away helped to show us and expand our ever constant working imaginations. These movies were special, they had stories we adored and characters we wanted to be like when we were older. Of course now, some of these movies may not be the greatest but nostalgia is always present when we revisit our favorite films from our childhood.  Only a few directors could help capture and maintain that childish wonder, they could look into that inner child of theirs and help create a film that they knew everyone would enjoy and that they would want to watch.  Some of these directors have certainly lost their way; there work is no longer up to par to what they used to create during their glory days. Fortunately Stephen Spielberg has kept in touch with his inner child and over the course of his legendary career has directed some of the best and most iconic movies in film history.

                Spielberg has made movies for many generations; many of those films have had a lasting effect on people`s lives. Each movie has grown with a generation making it their own movie for their childhood. Films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws have even had a lasting effect on my own parents. The movie for my generation is however the fantastic Jurassic Park which is based on the novel by the late Michael Crichton.  I am sure you remember when you first saw Jurassic Park, be it in the theater or the comfort of your own home; this movie was pure movie magic. Who doesn’t remember owning the never-ending spiral of merchandise and waiting anxiously as your favorite dinosaur made its way onto the screen? Of course over the past decade we have had two very disappointing sequels but it still remains that the original is a triumph in storytelling and film making. Unfortunately over the years I have become unacquainted with Spielberg’s dino epic, my only other times actually watching the movie (and not in its entirety) was in a high-school science class. Of course this only helped to diminish any sort of affection I had with the film, the third movie was also a reason as well and the constant talk of (in my opinion a very unwanted) fourth film.  So over the years I simply forgot about the movie and everything I loved about it, that was until I heard about the re-release, I have said in my Evil Dead review that I personally find these re-releases to be a pretty dammed good idea, even though the ultimate purpose of this movie is to get audiences reacquainted with the series before the fourth movie comes out. I still find it a great idea to help show audience great movies of our past; it could help remind people what an actual good movie is. So I went to see this movie in 3-D which of course by now is a terribly gimmick and should just go die in a hole somewhere.

                Right when the opening credits ominously creep onto the screen I was immediately brought back to my childhood. Being born in 1991 I was really too young to see this movie in the theaters so I knew right then I was in for a very different experience. I cant believe how much I actually forgot about this movie, it was like seeing it for the first time all over again. I can honestly say that this is one of the best movies ever made period, there is no denying the majestic power of this film, and Jurassic Park has everything that makes a movie great. An awesome story and a grand adventure on the backdrop of a mysterious island with awesome characters and of course the one thing that can send any child in a crazed frenzy, Dinosaurs.  

                I am sure by now everyone knows the story of Jurassic Park but for those who don’t the story is very straight forward.  Jurassic Park is about a man named John Hammond  (Richard Attenborough) who opens up a very unique “theme park” called Jurassic Park, of course the main theme of his park is Dinosaurs, but what does Mr. Hammond have that no other park does? Well Hammond has discovered away to clone actual living dinosaurs and has them live on his island like a reserve of sorts.  Hammond is on the verge of opening is park and in the process of making millions on it but his lawyer and many of the investors have decided that he open the park to only a select few in order to put the Park in a test run. If the tour is successful Jurassic Park will be opened for the world, but if for whatever reason it fails and is deemed unsafe the park will be scrapped. So John brings in the best in the field in order to assess his park. He convinces a couple of paleontologists, (Sam Neil and Laura Dern) a mathematician (Jeff Goldblum), his lawyer (Martin Ferrero) and his grandchildren (Joseph Mazzello and Ariana Richards). Of course each of the group is floored by the discovery but a greedy software engineer (Wayne Knight) sends the park into chaos by accidentally letting loose all of the dinosaurs and deactivating the parks security system. So our group is now on the run from very angry and hungry T-Rex’s and the horrifyingly Philosoraptors. 

                This movie really plays on the suspense and builds up the reveal of the Dinosaurs, which is something I never noticed as a kid. In reality the dinosaurs only have around six minutes of screen time in the whole 127 minute film. This only works because Stephen Spielberg knows how to weave a story and gets you invested in the characters and the world of Jurassic Park.  For the first half of the movie you are introduced to the characters and are sent on this mysterious adventure to Jurassic Park, you learn of the science that has made it possible for the dinosaurs to be cloned, and that is probably even more interesting than seeing the dinosaurs. You are given witty dialogue and some great scientific debates before the chaos is unleashed on the island.  Each character serves a purpose in this movie and is not simple fodder to be killed off by the dinosaurs. Even the children in this movie are not annoying and are some of the best child actors I’ve ever seen, they are very likable characters and you start to care for them and ultimately worry for them during the films suspenseful climax.

                Of course I cannot talk about characters in this movie without mentioning the most memorable one at least one. Of course I am talking about Dr. Ian Malcom played to perfection by Jeff Goldblum, this is one of those instances where the side character completely steals any scene from the films leads. He is witty, sarcastic and says possibly the smartest things in the whole movie. I feel though that after the Fly Goldblum has been playing the same character almost constantly, but thats only because he plays the eccentric genius very well. The moment he comes on screen he gives off such charm and charisma that he quickly becomes everyones favorite character in the film.

But of course the real stars of the movie are the Dinosaurs; back in 1993 when this movie was first released cg was not used to this extent. Sure there was Terminator 2 and the Abyss which helped showcase what could be done with this technology, but Spielberg being the technological genius that he is decided to go the extra mile. He decided that stop motion gave the dinosaurs a jerking motion so he moved to cg and ultimately made movie history.  No one had ever seen anything quite like this before, these were dinosaurs that looked, moved and sounded like real dinosaurs for the first time in the history of film making. Even today the cg looks extraordinary, of course some scenes look a bit dated but thats bound to happen when you watch a movie that is celebrating its twentieth anniversary.  Its quite embarrassing but some of the cg in this movie is better than half of what is coming out in theaters now, Jurassic Park really set the technological standard for movies and I honestly feel that some movies are still under the shadow of these fantastic Dinosaurs.

But of course there isn’t just cg thrown all over the place, oh no, Spielberg also used practical effects for most of the Dinosaurs. Cg was only used when it was needed, why use Cg when you also have the technology to create something that can interact with your actors. Scenes like when the T-Rex attacks the jeep are all practical with minimal cg. It adds more realism to the film and adds to the illusion that these are real dinosaurs.  I remember watching this movie and being at awe, then after 10 second completely terrified, if you think taking your children to see this movie its a good idea remember when you first saw it. I bet you were absolutely terrified at certain parts, if certain things don’t phase you’re kids than I am sure they will be just fine with this movie.  

The sound in this movie was incredible, it really shows that seeing this movie in theaters made a big difference and is proof to why it is as popular and well received as it is. Hearing the T-Rex roar actually vibrates you’re seat, which is something that I was not expecting from a film that’s twenty years old. I don’t know if this is due to the re-mastered audio or the speakers in the theater but it really helps add to the experience. But of course no Spielberg movie experience is complete without a score from John Williams, a man who personally is one of my favorite composers. This guy cant make a bad soundtrack at all and I completely forgot the theme to this movie. I only found myself humming it right when I looked at the poster for the movie before entering the theater. If I remembered this films soundtrack it would have easily been on my top soundtrack list. The score is amazing and very memorable, it helps add to the awe and wonder as our films protagonists traverse an island that has real dinosaurs inhabiting it. Scenes like when the helicopter makes its grand approach to the island and when we first see the Brachiosaurus are some of the most memorable film tracks of all time.  The theme to this movie is just as good, maybe even better than E.T’s. I have the sudden urge to go out and find the soundtrack to this movie and just listen to it on repeat.

The other surprising thing about this movie was the 3-D conversion; this is probably the best 3-D conversion I have ever seen. Its even better than most films that have even been filmed in 3-D, it goes to show that even after twenty years Jurassic Park is still looking better than most current films. I didn’t get the chance to see this in IMAX but I really wish I had since the 3-D is amazing in this movie and I would have really liked to see Dinosaurs on an IMAX screen. 

There are hardly any faults in the movie at all; it is really a true cinematic masterpiece and a great film adventure. It really helps to show that movies aren’t handled with such care and dedication anymore.  Jurassic Park has been on my mind constantly after seeing it and I highly regret ever questioning the greatness of this movie. Growing up and seeing this with adult eyes has even made me appreciate this movie even more. I highly recommend this movie to honestly everyone who loves movies, adventure, and science and of course Dinosaurs. Jurassic Park is a true milestone in cinematic achievement and I am so happy that I was able to rediscover this great film. The sequels have tried to capture the magic of the first but have all failed, thats because they were missing the genius of Spielberg, I have little hope for the fourth film since the first is so hard to live up to. 

I give Jurassic Park an

8/10

 Before it comes out I’m going to watch and review the original series and each movie before the new film. This will ultimately end in my review for Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, I’m very excited to re watch one of my favorite Anime/ Science Fiction series. 

Directed By: Fede Alvares

Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez and Jessica Lucas

Release Date: April 5^th 2013

When I first heard of this movie my first (yet almost reflex) reaction was one of sheer terror and disappointment. Yet another Horror Movie remake, and of course it was of a classic. We’ve had Jason, Myers, even Leather face butchered by studios and directors that think they can recreate the same atmosphere and terror of its predecessor while spinning something new and modern to track in new fans. Now this idea is not a bad one, of course it is always a great idea to show new fans a great film it helps keep movies alive while showing new audiences great works of the past. However studios need to simply just look at what other franchise are doing, Jurassic Park is a prime example of this, just re-release the movie, fans will go see the movie in order to re-experience the same movie in the theater once again, and I am sure new fans will accompany them (I saw many 8 year olds in Jurassic Park) 

The Evil Dead however is not just any classic Horror movie, its sacred B-Horror territory that you just don’t go stomping around on. When this movie was first announced the story was that it was chosen over the proposed the Army of Darkness 2/Evil Dead 4. To say I was upset is an understatement, I was furious, I couldn’t even think that this movie would be anywhere near as good as the first and Raimi and Campbell were forced into the Producer chairs, which I thought was simply being forced upon them by the studio.  Of course after that I simply forgot about the movie and went about my everyday life, that was until the first trailer emerged, I put it off for the longest time because it re ignited my hatred for the utter idea of the film. Of course one day I was forced to see it during a commercial break during the Walking Dead and I was then intrigued. I looked up the full trailer and I suddenly found myself excited. How, how could I be looking forward to a remake? I had been fooled in the past, trailers are made to make you want to see the movie, but I found myself very excited. The buzz the movie had had everything going for it, this movie was going to use practical effects, it was going to be dark and twisted, with allot of gore and to top it off it isn’t a remake! Now that the remake word is thrown out of the window I was even more interested and extremely looking forward to the movie. 

So the day dawned when I finally got a chance to the movie with a few friends, and I loved it. This movie is really great; it is everything a horror movie should be, well at least for the gore genre. I am going to say upfront this movie is not “the most terrifying movie ever” which the ad campaign is constantly saying. This movie would only scare the uninitiated to this kind of horror movie.  The plot is very simple and strait forward, and if you have seen the original, or any horror movie made in the past forty years you will basically know where I am going with this. A group of friends go to a cabin in the woods to spend the weekend, of course they stumble upon a very horrific and powerful demonic entity that wants to kill them and ultimately destroy the entire world. Now that’s as much as I can really say without spoiling the movie, then again there isn’t really much to spoil here it’s a horror movie. 

The cast is very unlikeable and boring, there acting isn’t memorable its really just forgettable. That seems to be the one gripe critics and reviewers are having with this movie, now let’s be fair here. This is a remake to the Evil Dead, what in gods name were you expecting?  I found the crappy acting and cringe worthy introductions to our unfortunate group was really reminiscent to old B-Horror movies. We didn’t come to see this group help an old friend get over a drug addiction; we came to see them get ripped apart by a blood thirsty demon. At least thats what I came to see, I don’t know about everyone else. The only acting that is really worth mentioning comes from Jane Levy, who plays Mia the sister to a member of the group who appends to be a drug addict and the reason for this cabin sojourn. At first she comes off as a very grown worthy character, its something you’ve seen a thousand times. Shes not just playing a drug addict; shes playing a Horror movies rendition of a drug addict which is two different things. Of course as the film progresses she goes through multiple character changes, in the literal sense of the word. 

The gore and effects are really great and hit’s the tone of the movie to a T. CG is used properly only to enhance certain parts of the film such as some fire sequences and a flooding of the road, the rest is all practical which is a good sigh of relief.  This film does not try to tone anything down when it comes to the brutal kills, this movie is on full throttle the minute that things start to go wrong, and they go very very wrong.  The gore is brutal and in your face the entire time, right at the five minute mark you’re being subjected to a horrible ritualistic killing that really sets the tone for the rest of the entire film.  After that the movie puts on the breaks in order for the plot to develop and to introduce characters, and then you are given the disturbing and beautiful shocking scenes you paid full ticket price for, assuming you did pay to see Evil Dead.  

I cannot stress how disturbing this movie might be to people who are not used to this sort of thing; one thing I will mention is the infamous tree rape scene. Of course it is not as shocking as in the original but it still sets a very uneasy and disturbing feeling in anyones stomach who watches it. If you’re not into that sort of stuff I highly suggest just sitting this one out. The film is very body horror and is filled with people dismembering themselves and showering each other with blood, and there is allot of blood in this movie. Fans of the original however should feel right at home with the little tributes to the original such as hearing the voice of Bob Dorian and Ellen Sanweiss whose original vocal performances are heard during the end credits and during the movie.  

In the end Evil Dead is a very fun time at the theaters, the plot is very underdeveloped and leaves more to desire but that is completely overshadowed by the gore and death which is the reason why anyone would go and see this movie. I highly recommend this to any fan of the original or any fan of horror in general. Evil Dead is one of the better horror movies I have seen in a while and it definitely one of the better remakes, but maybe, just maybe, this isn’t a remake at all, but you didn’t hear that from me. Also make sure to stay after the credits for a very groovy hidden scene.

I give Evil Dead a 7/10 its everything I wanted to see and I don’t feel cheated or let down. I found this movie to be right up my alley but I enjoy really twisted and sick horror movies so it didn’t bother me.  If you are new to this sort of horror be prepared to really be scared for life, and if you really want to be scared I recommend checking out Martyrs then you won’t be phased by anything a horror movie throws at you. 

Never thought I’d say this, but who ever is playing Morgan my god