Reviews

Love it or hate it, Attack on Titan has been an absolute juggernaut of a series in the past 10 years, and it's sad to see it finally end. But damn WHAT AN ENDING!

Without spoiling anything, yes it does stick pretty close to the Manga, but with lots of little tweaks that gives the story clarity, and helps the pacing to breathe more, and the final showdown doesn't disappoint in terms of spectacle!

Honestly, if you were a little letdown by the manga ending, give this a go! The improved pacing and dialogue elevates it a lot in my opinion, plus the action & soundtrack is amazing, and a lot more emotional thanks to some phenomenal voice acting (as we expected haha).

It's been a wild ride and I'm glad this series managed to close on a high note. I'll definitely be missing the weekly drops of AOT episodes, and goddamn do I envy you future generations who get to binge this masterpiece all at once.

Thank you Isayama!

There is so much to unpack here. How to do it without spoilers?

Well, heres what i can say.

Career best performances from a NUMBER of key actors, Bill Hader kills it as usual, but goddamn the dramatic performances from everyone in the episode is chilling. The direction? Phenomenal. Not a wasted second, and theres tons of shocking moments.

This is also probably the further the show has strayed from comedy, its a straight up dark drama now and it feels great because it got here so organically.

A lot is resolved here, so much that i cant imagine them topping this season. If the show ended here, i would be happy enough. But since we know it isnt, where is it going to go?

I cant imagine it going back to a comedy, and i cant imagine the stakes getting higher, so i'm kind of worried. But, no matter what happens next, we have 3 incredible seasons of television. Bravo.

No spoilers obviously, but the "main character", played by Melissa Barrera, was noticeably weaker than the entire cast.

Everyone actually does a good job here but for whatever reason, they picked the weakest actress to be the main character. She gets all of the biggest scenes and just doesnt make it believable.

Other than that, the twist was a little predictable but still quite fun. Its a passable Scream movie.

With this episode, i fully believe New Blood should go on to have another season. The way they brought back both familiar elements and merged them with the new is incredible.

This is one of THE BEST revival seasons i have seen of any show. It grows the characters up nicely without ever forgetting where they came from.

No spoilers, but the inner turmoil within Dexter, the writing, and the pacing is at the peak of Dexter. No fat, just thrilling television.

No spoilers here. Nothing to say other than this finale ABSOLUTELY pays off this season. Which frankly, i was finding a bit too stagnant compared to S1 and S2, but the last 3 episodes were amazing and this really pulls it back home.

BRING ON SEASON 4.

My god this revival is everything i could have hoped for and more.

Dexter feels like how he did in the earlier seasons. Tethering on the edge of murder and lethal. Its clear that this season has been crafted with a lot of love.

There isn't any fat here at all. From people getting closer and closer to learning who "Jim" really is, to Dexter learning more about Harrison's true nature, to the interesting murder case in the background, every episode is paced so well.

All the side plots are interesting, and its shaping up to be one of the best seasons yet!

Cant really give a proper score or review to this. Since the real life passing of Hana Kimura is the direct cause of the cancellation, i've had mixed feelings on the show.

Had the tragedy not have occurred, i supposed this would have been a slightly below average season of Terrace House, so a 7/10? But due to the circumstances, i think its best not to dwell on the show's quality, but rather the treatment of the cast members.

Moving forward, IF Terrace House ever comes back (or is imitated), i hope the producers wont make the same grave mistakes, and not manipulate cast members for "entertainment".

Dexter fans rest easy. So far, the first episode promises a respectful continuation of Dexter, and has me excited for the season.

With MUCH higher production values, cinematography and a much focused script, "Cold Snap" might come off as an entirely different beast at first. But it quickly catches you up with the quiet life of Dexter Morgan these past 10 years.

Who Dexter now? What has he been doing, how much longer can he stay hidden? The premiere episode quickly answers these and more.

Much like catching up with an old friend, New Blood feels more new than familiar, with just enough of that old Dexter DNA thrown in there to keep fans happy. But i'm glad that they chose to evolve the character rather than do a rehash.

Theres less crash humor here, and the change of setting does wonders for the show. Its a much lonelier and quieter tone than fans might be used to, and the exploration of regret is definitely an interesting one. It felt much more like Fargo than the thriller days of miami.

And sure, most of this is set up, but its done well. Personally, i cant wait to see how this season ends.

With Snyder, we all know the visuals are going to look great, and they are! The action sequences are pretty damn good too, but the main focus of AOTD is actually on the characters, which just happens to be the biggest issue.

Coming off the high of Justice League, AOTD feels like a massive step back when it comes to character work. Now i understand that it is a trope in the zombie genre to have dumb characters, but without spoiling anything, the main "heart" of the movie just flat out does not work.

Its clear that Snyder wanted to tell a story of family and loss, but you dont feel any attachment to the rescue subplot of the film, which just drags it down. But then the "twist" of the movie is revealed and just made me roll my eyes. It doesn't even sense on a greed level, and comes off as just plot conveniences.

Whats left is an overlong movie, with fun characters (mostly because of actors), that are let down by awful writing and a nonsensical third act. And sadly, not enough action.

Its pretty rare to see a television series pay off in its finale, especially for shows like Mr Robot that have SOOO many questions and twists. But Mr Robot pulls it off, giving us both answers and surprises, which is what makes this ending both satisfying, and emotional.

It would be a shame to spoil the ending for you, especially if you have come this far already. Its a terrific capper that brings together the entire show, and makes up for some of the inconsistency in season 2. Is it perfect? No. And the way certain things resolve can feel a little convenient.

But at the heart of it all, is Elliot. And this is the one thing that the finale absolutely nails. For all the mystery and twists the show has brought us through, its ultimately the heart of the show and the story of this lonely, anxiety ridden man that will stick with me.

So one last time, say it with me.

Goodbye Friend.

Bleach (2018) wisely plays with a much smaller, and focused scope than most anime adaptations, and comes out as an enjoyable, and cohesive film that fans can enjoy.

Thankfully, the writers did not try to cram every story arc in season 1 into this film like Death Note did, but instead focused on the important stuff like Ichigo and Rukia. The actors all do a fine job, and as long as you dont expect a 1 to 1 recreation, i think fans will be pleased with how much respect it pays to the source material.

Now sure, its still extremely cheesy to see some sequences translated to live action. There isnt the iconic BANKAI sequence where you really see the outrageous power of a Reaper, nor do you get amazing action sequences. Plus, the PG 13 rating makes the action sequences surprisingly bloodless and tame by comparison. But what is here is more than serviceable, and its still pretty entertaining for what it is. Most of the humor also lands, and at its core the film has an emotional center along with an arc which it completes.

I doubt we will get a sequel since the Soul Society arc would be insanely expensive and effects heavy, but the ending wraps it up pretty neatly so there is at least closure at the end for new fans who just came into the series. It doesn't break new ground, nor is it amazing, but it is a rock solid adaptation of the first season.

The best praise i can give the film, is that it made me want to re watch the animated series again. Not because the live action remake was trash, but because it reminded me of why i liked Bleach in the first place.

I dont think its possible to describe the final 30 minutes of Annihilation and do it justice, which is the best compliment i can give it. As a piece of visual storytelling, Annihilation blows it out of the water. Garland's latest work pushes the boundaries of mainstream cinema by offering a film that is so unapologetic in its vision, you cant help but applaud. Not since Arrival (2016) has a film captured my attention so completely and left me so consistently in awe.

I mean what else can i say without spoiling it. The performances are great. The female representation is fantastic. The visual effects and design should get nominated if not outright win. If you love sci fi, then you need to watch this immediately on the largest screen you can find. This is a wholly original piece of work, that will likely draw wildly different opinions and interpretations.

First off, if you came into this because you were a fan on Moon (2009), i'm sorry to say that this adds nothing to that legacy. Mute is for better and for worse, its own complete thing.

Instead, what you'll get is a more grounded take on a Blade Runner-esque future, and a script that flies off the handle without any warning.

It starts off simple enough. A mute man's girlfriend goes missing, and he goes looking for her. But then the movie throws in an underground sex trade, the mafia, soldiers going awol, and maybe even pedophilia?

The film feels weirdly like a big budget student film too. With the pacing and story lines suffering the most in the first half. But like a car crash you cant quite look away from it. The characters are reprehensible, but interesting. Paul Rudd plays what is probably his darkest character yet, and Justin Theroux performance is....well its worth watching the movie for.

Given a few more rewrites, Mute could have been something interesting. But it fires in so many directions that i have no idea what it was trying to say. It is an interesting mess at the very least, filled with good performances. Not the worst movie i've seen, but a disappointing one.

Yeah i'm not going to spoil anything. You dont deserve that. Just know that this is probably the funniest, most heartwarming Black Mirror episode to date. Its also one of the best love stories i've seen in recent years. So what are you waiting for?

Dont check the time, just watch it now!

Imagine End Of Watch meets the comic series of Fables, and you have Bright. Its a fun, roller coaster ride of a cop thriller thats wrapped up in a wildly inventive and interesting world where fairy tales exist. It also blends in some social commentary about racism, particular in the police department. So yeah, this is a genre blender, but its done well because of a streamlined plot and magnetic performances. Joel Edgerton kills it as Nick Jakoby, the only Orc in the police academy. We've seen comedy in blockbusters go horribly wrong this year (looking at you Marvel + Last Jedi), but here its used sparingly enough that it never overstays its welcome. Heck, theres some one liners here that REALLY go for it, and personally i loved it. Will Smith and Edgerton have great chemistry throughout as the unlikely duo, and the film is a brisk, entertaining ride throughout.

Its also surprisingly emotional for a film about chasing a magic wand. For the most part, it hones in on the cop partner relationship of trust, and smartly centers itself around surviving. This isnt a film out to make a political statement, but rather a boots on the ground view of discrimination. Now lets talk the bad reviews. Because my god i saw this film before reading the reviews, and i'm shocked by the negative reaction.

Now, i HATED Suicide Squad because it was an incoherent mess that had no focus, no interesting action sequences and a boring villain. Bright has none of those issues. Taken on its own, it offers up a new world, filled with a pair of charismatic performances and some great action sequences. Sure, this ISNT a subtle film, but that doesn't make it bad. Far from it. Bright is first and foremost, an entertaining thriller. Its violent, crude, but also inventive and funny. Its a well made B film with an unusually fun setting and dynamic characters. Go in with those expectations, and i honestly think you'll have a great time.

This is basically X Men-Third class. Its entirely predictable, and executed poorly with boring new characters and weak direction. Millie Brown does the best she can, but what is up with the rest of the new cast? Its almost as if the show ventured into a cheap spin off, the character "Eight" is laughable at best, and the actress really pales in comparison with the main cast. She lacks any menacing presence, or vulnerability. Its a flat "green screen acting and monotone line deliver" performance. Worse, there is nothing interesting about the entire scenario. It feels inconsequential. A forced tie in just to create extra spin off scenarios.

The worst part is that it acts as a filler to what has been a mostly great season. It breaks any form of momentum we had from the previous cliffhanger just to forcibly give Eleven an episode of her own. Her character, and the show deserves better than this shoddy and generic story line.

(Completely Spoiler Free) They did it, thank god. The best thing i can say about Stranger Things 2 is that it is a true continuation of the story laid out in season 1, rather than a repeat. And if you loved the characters from season 1, you are in for a treat.

With all the hype surrounding Stranger Things, it seemed almost destined to disappoint in some way. For the MOST part, it doesn't. The show delves much deeper into its characters this time, rather than an overarching mystery. So while it lacks the breakneck binge worthy pace of season 1, it is surprisingly much more heartfelt and poignant than you might aspect. There is still a lot of action to love here but the characters are wisely front and center.

The acting has seen a major step up from all of the kids, which isn't to say they weren't already great, but the material they have to work with is much richer this time round. It picks up one year after the events of the season 1, which left a huge impact on all the characters, and the writers didn't shy away that. There are some wrenching scenes here that drive home how much these kids have grown and changed over the year long time gap. Which brings us to the only problem. The cast size.

There's no way to talk about it without major spoilers, so i'll just say this. There is one episode near the end of the season that feels like a major misstep. Its a filler episode which introduces a myriad of new characters that you don't care about,  and forces you to spend time with them.  It deviates so sharply from the central plot that it breaks momentum, and squanders any potential emotional impact it could have. Its a weak episode that is made even weaker because of its placement, and serves as the only sign that the writers are overreaching to fit in a grander narrative into what is otherwise a self contained story.

Apart from that, the other new additions are great. If you were worried about Maxine, don't be. Go into Season 2 blind, but expect a slower pace. Stranger Things 2 is a different beast from Season 1, but once things gets going it reaches heights that emotionally bests its freshman year. Its funny, creepy, moving and exciting all at once, and delivers an immensely satisfying finale. Bring on Season 3.

Ah yes, family dysfunctional. Everyone has it, and frankly its an over mined sub genre in film. With entries often pushing melodrama and character arcs to neat, organised catharsis, it has become as predictable as bad romantic comedies. Which is why i'm so happy to report that 'The Meyerowitz Stories' is one of the best dramedies I've seen all year! 

Told through various character perspectives in no real cinematic structure, there's a naturalism to the style. A humbleness that revels in subtleties rather than climatic overtures. And by god is it refreshing. There isn't a drop of pretension to be found in the film, no barriers between you and the characters, who are all lovingly played by an assured, veteran cast. 

Adam Sandler is a standout in what is already an outstanding ensemble. This is a performance quite different from what you might expect. It isn't a retread of Punch Drunk Love, or a dramatic overhaul of his past characters either. He instead lends a striking amount of humanity to Danny, which can be said of the entire cast. But Ben Stiller in particular deserves a shout out. I've never quite seen him pull off drama this straight faced and earnest before, and like most of the film, the sporadic dramatic beats are interspersed throughout his performance. 

Yeah i cant quite say enough nice things about 'The Meyerowitz Stories'. This was a joy to watch.So i'll just say this, if you love Wes Anderson films, in particular 'The Royal Tenenbaums' this is an easy recommend. And while it lacks the formalism and ridiculously cinematic glory of Anderson's style, there is far more humanity is Noah Baumbach straight faced approach. Meyerowitz Stories may not provide anything radically new, but it provides a great entry in the tired list of dysfunctional comedies, along with some of the year's best performances.

Look, everyone knows there is no way you can take an entire season and condense it into one movie. And with Death Note already having an Anime, and several live action movies, the American remake wisely sets out to be something very different. No its not amazing, but its vastly superior to the other Anime Adaptions like The Last Airbender or Dragonball Z.

IF you can accept that the characters are nothing like the source material, then you'll enjoy this adaptation. In fact the more unfamiliar with the source material you are, the better.

The movie pretty much sprints through the plot from the start, establishing the main players and rules within minutes. The condensation of the plot works for the most part thanks to the stylistic direction.

And hell, even knowing the original's plot, it was fun to see such a different and stylistic departure. If anything, i wish there was more of it, because the movie moves too fast for its own good. You wont get the philosophical debates, or much character set up. Which is a shame because what IS there is good. There is a slasher/thriller vibe to the film, and the cat and mouse feeling from the original is still there, if diluted.

Willem Dafoe is fantastic as Ryuk, and Nat Wolff's Light Turner worked much better than expected. Its a much more animated, punkish performance but it works for the highly stylized reinvention that Adam Wingard goes for.

What doesn't work is Lakeith Stanfield as 'L'. Its just TOO different of an interpretation, and the manic performance he gives just overwhelms the film which is already bursting with energy. The plot also suffers from being so condensed. To the film's credit, it at least makes sense, but it breezes through what feels like an entire season in under 2 hours.

At the end of the day, this was a solid high concept 'B' movie that stands on its own as a fun power fantasy thriller. Its weak on the characterization, but the slick production values and breakneck pace makes for a fun, if shallow ride. It could have been a lot more if Netflix just made it into a Season instead of a movie.

This may sound like every other coming of age story, but i assure you, it is not.

Greg (Thomas Mann) is the kind of kid in your high school you didn't know existed. Socially awkward, anxiety ridden and self loathing to a fault. He's the outsider, preferring to remain invisible by refraining from any significant relationships with people. Greg is the outsider most of us probably were at one point or another, and he likes to keep it that way.

Enter Rachel (Olivia Cooke), the dying girl.

Rachel's been diagnosed with leukemia, so Greg's mom forces him to spend some time with her. It will be a "nice thing", she says.

Of course, Greg has no desire to hang out with a stranger while Rachel has no interest in attaining pity from anyone. They hang out anyway to appease their parents, and end up forming an unlikely friendship that develops wonderfully in ways you might not expect.

And yes this all sounds like every single coming of age story we've seen, but its been gifted with terrific performances by both Mann and Cooke that lend real heart and authenticity to their characters. This is also not a manipulative tearjerker Ala "The Fault In Our Stars", where the boy falls madly in love with a girl and ends up in a tragic romance.

Instead of diving into a bowl of generic angst, our heroines face it head on with off kilter, deadpan humor. The result is a film that feels refreshingly real, striking a fantastic balance between its hilariously off beat characters and earnest drama. Its the best Wes Anderson movie Wes Anderson never directed, and i unabashedly love it.

So I could sit here and tell you how poignant the film is, how its funny and heartfelt all at the same time. How its one of the best films of the year. But how boring would that be? I would be doing the film a disservice by spoiling its moments. Like most films, it has to be seen to be understood.

Yes, coming of age stories are a dime a dozen these days. But every once in a blue moon, a movie like "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" comes along to remind us how powerful and affecting movies can be. So if you haven't already, please give this one a shot. It might just become a new favorite of yours.

Thats it?

I expected something different but this is pretty much a generic chick flick with a happy ending. Which is ironic since it starts out interesting, but it falls victim to its own desire to "stand out" with a crude, borderline unlikable main character, who eventually gives in and tries monogamy. What a twist.

Amy's character spends the entire movie whining about monogamy, sleeping around, so i really never felt any connection to her character, plus the jokes fell flat most of the time. I get it, its the 21st century, women can make crude jokes. The difference is Bridesmaids embraced its crudeness and knew what it was. Here, it tries to be "mature" in its first half, but then completely gives in to the chick flick syndrome.

The love interest was underdeveloped, and its one of those cases where he likes her just because the script says so. Oh and John Cena was funnier than her. I'm not even joking.

The resolution the characters have is unbelievable, and their chemistry wasn't that good. Which is a shame since i really liked Apatows work but this is by far his weakest for me. Funny People had darker characters that actually had good acting, character development, and blacker humor that worked for the story. Its also far more realistic and doesn't have a neat fairytale ending like this.

The biggest offender for me, is that Trainwreck just isn't that funny. Couple this with a hard to like main character, and this was cringe worthy. I have no idea what the critics were smoking.

Room is easily one of the most emotionally devastating movies i have ever seen. Period.

It completely draws you into this world that both of its characters inhabits and never lets go. The story of a mother and son kidnapped and living in a room for years is equally haunting and beautiful.

Movies of kidnapped inhabitants are a dime a dozen these days, but what makes Room so special is the realistic and empathetic approach to its story. The "villain" isn't astonishingly evil, but frighteningly real.

So is Joy, the mother of Jack. She isn't Jason Bourne, she has no particular set of skills. All she has is her love for her son and that keeps her going for the both of them. Instead of focusing on the gruesome details of rape, abuse and kidnapping, Room chooses to focus on the humans in the story, and their survival through mutual love.

You might be surprised most by Jack, the boy who grew up in Room. You cant help but be heartbroken as you see how much he loves the jail cell he grew up in. Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson both give performances for the ages. As is the direction and music. This could have so easily fallen into the cliché revenge plot or melodrama, but it never falls into those trappings.

Visually, the movie intentionally traps you into the Room for the first half, never letting you see outside of it. It really makes you feel the characters predicament and the "Room" itself becomes a character.

Of course, they do escape as written in the plot, and i wont spoil what happens after. Just know that the performances are incredible, and you will leave the cinema with memories of this film that will stick with you. You will remember Joy, Jack, and Room.

As the hype for Room increases, i suspect certain audiences might leave slightly disappointed from how grounded and realistic the film is. No, there is no twist, no gimmicks and no flashy moment or revenge plot. And the film is all the more better for it.

Despite its subject matter, Room manages to inspire, and is surprisingly heartwarming. I didn't expect myself to love the film that much but i can say wholeheartedly that this film is a triumph of human emotion and it is the must see movie of 2015.

What is The Voices? Its a darkly funny, hilarious film that has a surprising amount of emotional depth and empathy.

It is also a criminally underrated movie, that is one of the real surprises from 2014. One of my favorite things about it was discovering what kind of film this really was, so i will be VERY vague in this review.

Ryan Reynolds stars as Jerry, a sweet but awkward man working in a toilet factory. One day he works up the courage to pursue his office crush. Oh, and of course, he hears voices.

The performances here are uniformly excellent, with Reynolds in particular doing some of his best work to date. I admit i never though much about him as an actor but here, he is equal parts hopelessly naive, infectiously upbeat, and tragic as Jerry. Thats all i will say about that.

Suffice to say, the movie deals with coming to terms with reality, and The Voices takes a very interesting approach in telling this sort of story. Its not a direction i have seen done often and it pulls it off brilliantly, without ever shying away from the hard moments. Because make no mistake, it can be disturbing in an understated way.

It stays true to the character of Jerry to the end, and despite its subject matter, it was a blast to watch! Its a smale scale movie that hits hard and has some surprising emotional depth to it.

If you can take some violence, and are open to trying something new, DO NOT give this one a miss! Its a real gem of a movie.

There's no doubt in my mind Birdman will divide audiences. You will either go with its heightened sense of reality, or disconnect with it entirely.

Filmed and edited in a "single-shot" style, Birdman demands for your complete attention, and never gives you a moment to breathe or look away. It feels very much like a play. It has undeniably brilliant moments, with fantastic performances, impressive camera work, and directed with a great eye for detail. The performances are truly the highlight, with Keaton and Stone delivering career bests.

Keaton in particular, turns in a brilliant performance as the deluded Riggan, an actor washed up and hungry for artistic recognition. In fact the entire cast is great, and there is an urgency is nearly every scene that really captures the chaotic behind the scenes atmosphere. It puts a harsh mirror onto the art scene, where you feel trapped in the business, where the only choices seem to be selling out, or staying with egoistic actors and the pretentious critics who judge your earnest work by spitting on it. Much like a reflection of what is actually happening in the movie industry now. Blockbuster franchises like Marvel thrive while indie movies have a much harder time to survive.

Iñárritu commits so much into the style of the film, that it becomes rather joyless. Everything impresses on a technical level, but never resonates. It succeeds in putting you into the shortsighted view of Riggan by essentially almost never leaving the Theater set and outside street for the entire movie, but it robs the movie of any scale or sense of consequences. Everything felt small. All we see is the set, the stage, and the streets outside the theater, and for a movie that asks you to never look away, its became surprisingly visually bland as time went on. The tradeoff is in the immersion factor, which Birdman absolutely nails.

At the end of the day, i cant say i enjoyed of Birdman. Parts of it has incredible emotional resonance, but for a majority of it, i appreciated its technical accomplishments, yet it felt cold at its core by the end of it.

The brief flashes of dark comedy give it a strange tonal imbalance, with some of the fantasy sequences serving as the foundation for the final shot, which ends on the now clichéd "art-house ambiguity" shot. The performances carry it up, and i suspect its a film that art students would gladly study over, picking apart its themes and marveling at its technical prowess. And rightfully so, it should be applauded for that.

As a viewing experience, its decent if you want to try something new, andlike art-house films. And Keaton's soulful performance alone is worth the price of admission, but everything else falls flat and feels empty.