My Rango review

 My Rango review 

 

Intro: This movie must have performed inception on me because now I'm thirsty. 

Rango: This movie is centered on a chameleon name Rango who is separated from his owner. After wandering in the desert, he comes across a small town that needs a hero, so he steps up to the plate despite being in over his head. He gets more than what he bargained for when he learns about a conspiracy in the town, so he has to decide if he's going to fight or flee? 

This is a classic Western story! Despite feeling like you've seen a movie like this before, we don't know when, if, or when the bubble will burst because he manages to get by with luck. What makes this movie different from other talking animal movies is that it's the animals are not cute, and not all the jokes are family-friendly. Plus, being an animated film gives the genre fantasy. The movie also balances comedy and action well. This movie took inspiration from Clint Eastwood's western movies. The film is also self-aware. The theme of this movie is identity. The CGI and visuals of the movie are outstanding! This movie better win an Oscar for best animation.  

Rango is an enigma because he keeps changing his personality, that we don't know what he's really like. That was a clever joke about him being a chameleon. With that said, he does go through a hero's journey in this movie. 

One of the problems I have with this movie is that the story could use more work. The rest of the characters don't stand out. Plus, it's easy to tell who's behind what. I also wish the theme of the movie would appeal to other characters. Overall, this is the best way to reintroduce Westerns. I would recommend this if you like this genre. 

Rating = Rental 

My Dragon Ball series Review

My Dragon Ball series Review 

Dragon Ball: This series is centered on a boy name Goku who lives in the forest by himself. That change when he meets a girl name Bulma who's looking for the Dragon Balls, there are seven of them with all seven you can get one wish. So Goku and Bulma go on adventures to find the Dragon balls and meet new people.

This is kind of an underrated series I say that because I don't hear people talk about this as much as DBZ. This anime holds up better than DBZ! 

The fans: Boo! Boo! Boo! 

Me: Whoa! Hear me out! 

The reason I like this more than its follow-up show is because it's lighthearted, tells a consistent story, has character development and the series can be serious at times. (I'm not saying DBZ don't have some of those things however that series seems to focus more on fighting then telling a story.) This anime isn't just about people looking for the Dragon balls. The world in this series feels like a fantasy land, we have dinosaurs, shapeshifters, talking animals and a boy with a tall what more do you want? I enjoy the fights in this series more than DBZ because they don't have a lot of Kai blast and the fighters use different fighting styles. My favorite story in this anime is the King Piccolo story that's because things was suspenseful in that tale. Plus, it breaks away for this series formula. 

Goku is a kindhearted boy. I'm fond to see him become what he is in DBZ. The fish out of water jokes work well for the most part. My gripe with him is what he had to do to tell if someone is a female. 

Bulma is a spoiled lazy brat! I say that because the reason why she wants the dragon balls is because she wants a boyfriend, I'm not kidding about that. My gripe with her is she can be hard to be around due to her short temper. 

Krillin is a street-smart kid who is a bit jaded. 

Master Roshi is Goku and Krillin's mentor, he's humorous and wise. what bugs me about him is that he's a pervert he should keep that under control around his students. Also, there is a better way to teach his lesson about humility to Goku and Krillin without him getting involved. Because Master Roshi is so goofy it's hard to take him seriously, when he meets his rival, he acts like a child. 

 
Yamcha is a cocky desert Bandit who's afraid of talking to girls, why!?! Him overcoming his fear of talking to girls could have been better. 

Emperor Pilaf (one of the villains.) is the comic relief. I'm surprised that he and Bulma are not best friends because there both spoiled. Emperor Pilaf has no reason to want the dragon balls because he's an Emperor want more do you want? 

King Piccolo (another adversary.) is crafty, ruthless, sadistic and arrogant.  

The problem I have with this anime is Goku outshines some of the characters, don't worry it's not as bad as DBZ. I wish there are rules for using the Dragon Balls. I mean if I was the dragon, I wouldn't gain wishes that you can get like if you wish to lose 100 pounds, I wouldn't gain that wish because that's something you can fix. There are plot holes with how characters can learn techniques. The series has some jokes that wouldn't be appropriate for kids. 

Overall, this is a good start to this franchise. I would recommend this if you like action/adventure. 

My rant about movie Trailers

My rant about movie Trailers

Is it me or has Hollywood lost their ability to do trailers? For those of you who don't know what a trailer is, it's a collection of shots from the movie that's used for advertisement to get people to watch the movie. I like watching trailers because of the mystery of them. I enjoy wondering how all of these shots will fit in the movie as a whole. One of the problems with trailers now is that they give away too much of the movie. Here's an example Cast Away is about a man whose plane crash lands on an island and he has to learn how to survive. If you saw the trailer for that movie you know he got off the island what the fudge? 

What's the point in watching that movie if you're going to spoil the end? To be fair the trailer doesn't show us how he got off the island so you could watch the movie to see how that happened. Another example is Terminator Salvation, the trailer for that movie gave away the plot twist in that movie. Why? You ruined any incentive for us to watch this movie by doing that. Have you ever heard of the saying less is more? Another issue I have with trailers is that sometimes they miss lead you, I mean you think the movie is about one thing but it turns out to be something else. The 2003 Hulk movie is a prime example of this when I saw the trailer for that movie I was expecting it to be a mindless popcorn flick not bore me to sleep. 

That was one of the many things that hurt that movie because if you were expecting one thing and got something different, you're not going to get good feedback. What also bugs me about trailers is sometimes they feel like highlights of the movie, I mean it let us know how the movie will play out without showing us everything. The recent Hulk movie and Avatar are examples of this which is one of the many reasons why I wasn't that impressed with that movie, but I digress. Again, why bother watching the movie if you know what the story is and how it will play out from beginning to end? Then again, the trailer for Avatar didn't hurt that movie's success. This issue can hurt comedy films as far as putting their best jokes in the trailer and people are not happy with the ones in the movie. 

Another minor complaint I have with trailers is that some of the footage in the trailer is not in the movie, some of them are deleted scenes that are on the Blu-Ray. If Hollywood doesn't want to lose money they need to do a better job at editing trailers. The reason why I think we have this problem is that some movies got three or four trailers. I suggest that you stick with the teaser trailer because they don't tell us much about the movie and release another one a month or two before the movie's release. That's all I have to say about this subject for now. 

My Unbreakable review

My Unbreakable review

Unbreakable: This movie is centered on a man name David Dunn who's the only survivor of a train crash. After that he begins to wonder if he's superhuman, he begins to realize that he as super abilities. So he to decides to either accept them or use them. 

This is one of those movies that's ahead of its time! I like how the movie made superheroes work in the real world. I'm also fond of how comic books are used in this movie, it could make you question are comic books really exaggerated stories? We do have people who can do things that most people can't or won't do but I digress. The movie made a joke about Comic books isn't only for kids. The movie also makes comic book references in a way that's subtle. For a drama movie, I appreciate it for not being dramatic.  

David Dunn (the main character.) is a lost soul, he doesn't seem happy with his life. He's also not close to his family. I wish we got into his head more, we don't know how he feels about what his life could have been or does he resent his wife for it? 

Elijah Price serves as David's mentor into becoming a hero because he's into comic books plus David helps him find his purpose in life. That's funny because he manage to make something of himself and he seems to be passionate about what he does for a living. you'll feel sorry for him after you see his backstory. 

One of my problems with this movie is the pacing is slow, I mean put you to sleep slowly. I find it odd that David surviving the train crash didn't attract attention from anyone else. You may or may not find the twist in the movie shocking and the way this movie ended might annoy you. Overall this is an underrated movie that should get more attention. 

Rating = Rental 

Me being Big Brother

Me being Big Brother

Intro: I don't like this program because it seems to give kids who don't have a father a substitute father, there is nothing you can do to replace an absent parent. Also, it gives single mothers an out, I mean how can we hold them responsible for not picking the right man to be their father if we keep bailing them out? Also, this program could cause more harm than good, I'll elaborate on that later. If it was up to me only kids whose fathers died or don't have a criminal record should be a part of this program. Since it's back-to-school time this is what I would tell the boys if I was a part of this program. 

Will you please stop asking me can men and women be friends; the answer is no! no! a million times No!!! Have you seen the show Friends or the movie when Harry met Sally? I'm not saying it's not possible however you can't rule out the possibility that lust I mean feeling will develop. When that does happen you need to address that. What hurt this possibility is both parties not being honest about what they want from each other. (To be fair women get upset when men are honest with them but.) Even if you two are not attracted to each other it doesn't mean anything, once she gets a boyfriend, she will kick you to the curve. What kind of friendship is that? 

That's another thing it's hard to be friends with the opposite sex if one is in a relationship and the other is not. You don't want to do anything to make your partner feel uncomfortable. Speaking of friendship school is not the best place to make friends for the same reason why you shouldn't make friends at your job because it's not good to mix business with pleasure. Plus, you don't want to deal with the heartbreak of him or her going to college far away. Also, you don't want everyone at school getting involved with the problems between you and your friends, do you? 

If you're looking for advice on how to sweep women off their feet, I can't help you with that even if I wanted to. Because dealing with women is like fashion, just because I look good in a turtleneck doesn't mean everyone else will. You have to put yourselves out there to figure out what kind of woman you can get. If you do seek relationship advice, I would exercise caution because there are things that they say that I don't agree with like you have no game. That bothers me because game is having what women want and most men don't have that as far as money, height, looks, body type and attitude. Even if you have what women are looking for it won't mean anything if she views you as a loser. Game is not about charming women if that was the case bars and nightclubs wouldn't exist. This is what bugs me about people giving other people advice they can't give you confirmation. 

With that said I do have some suggestions that can help with any relationship. Before I get into that I want to address two things. If you don't like working out or eating healthy then you have no business trying to get laid. Having sex is a workout why you do think people breathe hard or out of breath when there done? I'm not trying to scare you I'm just trying to spare you from being put in an awkward situation. Also, sex is like everything else as far as you're not going to be good at it the first time, you get better at it over time. So, if a woman tries to embarrass you by saying you're bad in bed don't let that bother you because it takes two.  

If you don't want to be a parent, then you really have no business trying to get laid. I don't care if you're using protection, you're putting yourself at risk of getting a girl pregnant. It's not fair to bring a child into the world and then ignore the child because you didn't plan on it. If you don't feel sorry for cops being put in a life-or-death situation, they why should anyone feel sorry for you? 

Do you know what you want to do with your life? If you don’t then you need to figure that out and focus on that. This plays a role in why relationships are not working these days, people don’t achieve their goals before they settle down. Because of that, they're miserable, they feel like they’ve missed out on life. It’s difficult to have a relationship and a career because both things can take up a lot of your time, just like playing sports can take time away from you doing your schoolwork or chorus. So, you have to ask yourself what’s more important to you your dreams or your girlfriend? 

One of the many problems in relationships is people don't take the time to get to know each other and that's what gets them into trouble. Now if you see a woman that you're drawn to don't be so quick to make your move, take the time to get to know her before you make your move. When you do make a move don't try so hard to impress her. By getting to know her I don't mean ask her a bunch of questions where you don't care about the answer like what do like to do for fun, what are your goals in life, what's your childhood like etc, etc. You can learn about someone by observing that person just like you observe the main character in a Book, Movie, or TV show. You learn about the main character by how he or she carry themselves, treats others and handles situations. If you apply this to your love life you won't be surprised by anything they do. 

Also, you need to figure out what you will or will not tolerate in a relationship. For example, if you don't want to be with a woman who likes to go to clubs you need to let her know upfront. Don't do it after the fact because that will cause aggravation. Before you two become a couple you need to let each other know what to expect from each other and stick to it. 

Finally, both parties have to be on one accord as far as they should want the same things out of the relationship. If you can do those three things relationship would last longer. The only issue you have to deal with is outside influence, everything else should work itself out.       

         

Here's a quick piece of advice on bullies you need to develop thick skin. Part of the reason why they're picking on you is that they're miserable. Would a happy person give you grief for no reason? I'm not saying that's OK however if you think highly of yourself nothing they say should bother you. People will despise you no matter who you are or what you do. You can win the humanitarian award ten times over and people will still dislike you. Plus, they don't need our permission or a good reason to dislike you. (The not having a good reason part still bugs me.) You need to have thick skin if you want to work at a demanding job or join the ARMY. I wouldn't recommend that you trash talk back at them unless you can make him or her cry go for it. Now if the bully put his hands on you or takes your things it's on. 

If you witness a crime whether or not you're a co-conspirator there is a way you can snitch without worrying about getting stitches or lead. First of all, get a lawyer, second, you tell the lawyer what you saw behind closed doors finally if you're worried about your safety then you have to negotiate witness protection before you say anything to the DA. I could be wrong your lawyer can get in trouble for knowing about a crime and not saying anything. I suggest you talk to someone who studies laws just to be on the safe side. If you become a disgruntled employee, I wouldn't recommend that you become a whistleblower because doing that doesn't show that you're trustworthy. I mean what's stopping you from blowing the whistle on anyone? 

Don't expect hard work to get you far in life because people don't care about that they care about results. For example, would you buy a Ferrari if you knew the workers only get paid five dollars a day and didn't go home until the car is done? What if the Ferrari doesn't work would you still buy it to reward them for the worker's hard work on the car? If you don't care about the labor people put into their work, you shouldn't expect everyone else to do the same for you. I'm not saying you should be lazy however you have to work smart not hard. To be fair society loves to send mixed messages about how to get results like if they find out that you cheated or break the law to achieve the goal it's a problem. So much for not looking at a gift horse in the mouth.     

  

As far as money goes save it. By saving I mean don't buy things that you can't afford, for example, if you want an Xbox 360 and it took you four months to save enough money for it you shouldn't buy it. You have to put money aside for your 401 K, a rainy day, food, clothes and vacations. Also, you shouldn't ask to borrow money that you don't have, for example, if you don't have 9 grand you shouldn't ask to borrow 9 grand. If you want to compete with other businesses, you have to rival them by offering something that other stores don't have. For example, when you shop a BJ's they sell things in bulk, you have to be a member to shop there and they give out coupon books. No other store has done that as far as I know. Before you buy a house learn everything that you can about real estate and do the same thing with the stock market. 

To the boys who want to be in good shape, there's more to it than working out and eating healthy. You have to get your diet under control. If you eat nothing but junk food and start eating healthy your body needs time to adjust to the change, talk to a nutritionist about this they can explain it better than I can. Another thing don't try so hard to work out take it slow, you don't want to pull a muscle. 

When you vote you want to start small, I mean start with your local government to see if there are any changes and then vote for President. 

Now everything I just said will mean nothing because I could be wrong. Our advice is based on how we view the world and what we experience. Due to that, we run the risk of projecting ourselves onto the youth. That's not good because A were not all equals, life works out differently for all of us because of that. B we can't give them confirmation about what we tell them without being by their side every step of the way. This is what I mean when I said that this program can do more harm than good because these boys are lost and looking for guides. I'm not saying we shouldn't give them directions, but they should see how the world is for themselves. 

Side note parents telling their kids they know what's best for them is one of the most arrogant things you can say to them. Unless you have a crystal ball you don't know that. If that's true then you shouldn't need help if your kids have mental problems, substance abuse issues and cutting themselves. If you consider that a low blow then you shouldn't brag about you know what's best for your kids. You can't take pride in their accomplishments and not do the same for their shortcoming in life. This is one of the many reasons why teens give authority figures a hard time because they believe what you teach and tell them doesn't match with how they see the world. It's like using an old map, let's say you move to Delaware, Dover and you use a 1970's map of Dover to navigate around the city. Do you really think that map can help you? 

That's all I have to say about the subject what do you think of this program?     

Defending Gohan

Defending Gohan

Gohan is a character from an anime called Dragon Ball Z, He's the son of Goku and Chi-Chi. When we first see Gohan, he's shy, timed and powerful. We only see his full power when his angry. The reason why he's so powerful is because he's half Saiyan and half-human. Knowing this makes you ask why didn't Truck and Goten have trouble controlling their powers? This is what makes this character interesting because he can't fully control his power until the end of the Cell sage. After that, he has gotten soft and this happens again in Dragon Ball GT. Of course, fans are outraged that he slacked off between the Cell and Buu Sage because they thought the creator was going to pass the hero's mental from Goku to Gohan.

I understand why fans are mad with what has happened to this character however they don’t understand this character. Gohan said in the Saiyan saga he doesn't want to be a fighter he wants to be a scholar. Translation, I want to make my mom happy, don’t worry I'll talk about her later. Gohan became a fighter under circumstances, in the Saiyan saga, Gohan became a fighter because Piccolo recruit him because he needs his help to fight the Saiyan. In the Namek and Frieza saga, he helps Bulma and Krillin find the Dragon Balls and he fought Frieza and his forces. A year has passed since that happened and it doesn’t look like Gohan trained in the past year. Gohan did train in the Android and Cell saga because those are threats. Also, keep in mind that Goku promised Chi-Chi that when this is over Gohan can spend the rest of his life studying. 

Gohan is not a fighter at heart, even Piccolo and Android 16 addressed this. Also, him being half Saiyan could be a factor because Saiyan loves to fight. So, what can you do with a character who learned how to control his powers? This is why he didn’t train seven years after the cell saga or before GT because he had no reason to train things were peaceful. Even if he didn't stop training, he wouldn't have made much progress. I mean there isn't much he can do to make himself stronger than he already was. So, if you want to blame anyone for why Gohan is the way he is blame Chi-Chi for having him study 24/7. I know education is important however you got to have your kid's best interest in mind. Side note why didn’t Chi-Chi make Goten (Gohan's brother) study? I also blame Goku for not standing up to Chi-Chi on Gohan's behalf. That's all I have to say about this character do you agree or is this bad writing?  

My review of Scott Pilgrim vs The World

 My review of Scott Pilgrim vs The World 

 

Intro: Word to the wise if you have to fight seven different guys to date a girl, she’s not the right girl. Getting her father’s approval is one thing but this is ridiculous. Also, she’s not good at picking men if she has seven exes.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World: This movie is centered on Scott Pilgrim who is a down-on-his-luck guitarist of a rock band. Things could be looking up for him when he meets Ramona Flowers who could be the girl of his dreams. He reconsiders that when he learns that she has seven exes that want to kill him. So, he has to decide if she’s worth fighting for.   

This movie is a geek’s fantasy! The director did an excellent job of incorporating what works in comics, anime and video games into a film with visual effects. This helps the movie be a good adaptation of the comics it’s based on. There are different genre elements in this movie. It makes you wish Edger Wright (The director of this movie.) would direct more video game and comic book movies. I like the fights in this movie because they are creative. The movie may have a simple story, but you won’t mind it because of how entertaining the film is. You can argue that this movie is a commentary on dating and the type of people you attract. The movie also deals with that you shouldn’t idolize people. The characters being flawed helps reinforce the themes of this movie.   

Scott Pilgrim is a bum who manipulates people. What bugs me about him is that it’s hard to root for him not because he’s fighting the exes (Come on have some self-respect.) It’s because the girl he was with before Ramona is a minor. Show of hands who wants the exes to beat him up for that?

Ramona Flowers starts off as an enigma, but we learn that she can be charming but cold.  

Wallace (Scott’s roommate.) is the best character in this movie. I say that because he’s the only one who isn’t a jerk. He can be sarcastic at times. My gripe with him is that he’s clearly not OK with him dating I minor so why does he still deal with him?  

I don’t have much to say about the rest of the characters because the movie hasn’t done much with them and the evil exes are plot devices.

One of the problems I have with this movie is that it can be hard to suspend your disbelief at times. The romance between Scott and Ramona is one-sided. I mean I can see why she’s drawing to him, but Scott just finds her attractive. That’s a shame because they parallel each other. Some of the dialogue can be cringy and some of the fights are lame. Overall, this is the most entertaining movie I’ve seen this year. I would recommend this if you like Geek culture.

Rating = Worth Seeing 

My Inception review

My Inception review

Intro: am I the only one who thinks that people are giving the Matrix too much credit for this movie? What about Paprika? Oops!

Inception: This movie is centered on a man name Dom Cobb who uses a device that can help him steal ideas from someone's dreams. One day someone offers to help him get out of his dilemma by planting an idea in someone's head, to do this he needs to recruit a team. Of course, something goes wrong, so the team has to execute the plan before things get worse. 

I wasn't that impressed with this movie; I don't think the movie is bad however the creators could have done more with this movie. I could have co-written this movie because I had experience with dreams that this movie addresses like not remembering the beginning of a dream, being aware that you're dreaming and when you die in a dream you wake up. I like the mechanic of the dream world, what characters can do in a dream and the movie has a little bit of humor. The movie also does a good job of building suspense kind of. The way this movie ends will either make you happy or angry.

Dom Cobb is a professional thief who wants to clear his name of wrongdoings. My beef with him is that he plays a role in why the plan didn't work out. Also, we don't know what his life was like before this point. 

Arthur is Cobb's partner who plans out the jobs.  

Eames is a forger he can look like anyone in a dream, plus he's the comic relief.  

Ariadne is used to see this world through the audience's eyes, she's also the architect of the dream world. She also helps Dom with his issues.  

One of the many problems I have with this movie is that Dom shouldn't have been picked to do this job. I mean the person who hired him tested him to see if he can do this job and he failed so why did he still pick him? Also, the movie explains how the dream world works what's the point of that if characters don't have good memories? It's hard to root for the team to succeed because what they're doing is wrong. This movie would benefit from less sophistication and more creativity, the dream world shouldn't be realistic. It bugs me that this movie doesn't explore every aspect of dreams, what's the point of having a movie about dreams if you're not going to do that? The movie can also be boring because it kind of has slow pacing.  

Overall, despite how good this movie it's a waste of potential. I can't say this is the best movie that deals with dreams because I haven't seen all of them. I would recommend this if you like heist movies.  

Rating = Worth Seeing    

My review of The Last Airbender

 My review of The Last Airbender 

 

Intro: Let me get this straight Mr. Shyamalan you made this movie because of your daughter. She deserves better than this. 

The Last Airbender: This movie is centered on a boy name Aang who was frozen in ice for 100 years. After being free from the ice he learns that he's the last Airbender and the fire nation has been at war with the other nations in those 100 years. So Aang has to master the other elements in order to stop the fire nation. 

This movie is a disgrace to the series it's based on! To be fair making a movie recapping the first season was a mistake because you can't sum up 20 episodes in an hour in a half film. Then again show manage to do that but I digress. The director seems to be aware of this, so he tries to make up for it by giving us a lot of exposition. Doing this hurts the movie because people will feel like someone is reading them a bedtime story then watching a movie. What happened to show don't tell? 

It also ruins the dialogue because the characters don't feel like their having a real conversion. Do I really have to comment on the acting or lack thereof? The pacing in this movie will put you to sleep. The movie tried to add humor but it's so lifeless you don't notice it. I also notice some editing issues I mean we were told that things happened, but we don't see it. How did the fire nation become to most dominant force? I mean they can't fire bend without being near fire and they don't seem to operate like a unit. Also, how they capture the earth benders is a joke. 

Speaking of benders, the movie doesn't explain how that works, they take too long to bend the elements and the earth benders look weak doing it. The CGI doesn't help make the bending look good for the most part. Another thing that bugs me about this movie is the movie didn't cast the right race of people to represent the water tribe and the fire nation. Not only that character's names and other things are pronounced wrong in the movie what's up with that? The fight scenes in the movie weren't shot well because it was filmed in one shot in a way where it focuses on one group and then another. When we see other people fight it looks like they're waiting to get in the shot. The conflict towers the end of the movie will either make you laugh or be outraged. The characters are a downgrade from how they were in the show.  

Aang is scared, weak and helpless. Our hero ladies and gentlemen. Now I wouldn't have minded the writers taking this character in this directing if he was going to overcome those flaws in the movie but that didn't happen in any noticeable way. I find that he has to learn how to bend the other elements because we see that he can do it so what's the point of this plot point?   

Sokka is bruting in this movie which is a far cry from what he was in the show. He something rush into things and other times he collective. The problem with this is the writer's flip flop with the character doing this. Katana suffers from this too. 

Speaking of Katana (Sokka's sister) is motherly like in the show and that's all I have to say about this character. The only complaint I have with her is that she and Sokka have no reason to join Aang on his journey.   

Zuko (prince of the fire nation) is like his cartoon counterpart as far as having a short temper and looking for the Avatar to get back on his father's good graces. With that said he's not relentless about capturing the Avatar as he was in the series. Also, his scar is not noticeable.

Iroh (Zuko's uncle) is laid back and Zuko's voice of reason. I just wish the actor would show more emotion.  

Comm. Zhao (the main villain) is the Fire lord's, right-hand man. He's also cocky and ambitious. 

I can't think of anything I like about this movie. In closing, this may be a bad movie but it's not the worse adaptation. That honor goes to Dragon Ball Evolution.

Rating = Trash      

My Power Rangers the movie review

My Power Rangers the movie review 

 

Intro: Is it too much to ask for a movie to be better than the show it's based on? 

Power Rangers the movie: This movie is centered on a superhero group called the Power Rangers. They learn that construction workers discover a human-sized egg that holds a monster called Ivan Ooze, so the rangers have to get to him before someone cracks the egg. That becomes difficult when Lord Zedd and Rita beat them to the punch and he shows the rangers he means business by destroying the command center, stripped the rangers of their powers and Zordon is dying. Alpha tells the rangers that there's a way to save him, but they have to go to another planet to do it, so they have to find new powers before it's too late. 

This is one of those movies that you like as a kid but doesn't hold up after all these years! I'm saying that by holding this movie to Power Ranger's standers. Yes! The show has cheesy lines and puns however this movie overdid it. Also, what's the point of this movie having the same opening as Star Wars if someone is going to read the text? The ranger's new weapons are a downgrade if you ask me. The Megazord fight is a joke because it's too one-sided and the way it ended was odd. 

Season three of Power Rangers handles some of the elements from this movie better like the ninja suit. When the rangers got the ninja suit in the show it gives them special abilities, in the movie they do nothing for the rangers. I wish the Rangers would do more to try and earn their new powers, this is another issue I have with the series. This movie tried to make family a theme of the movie but the creators did a poor job that it. The lesson in this movie is off-putting because the movie contradicts itself. Don't get me started on the CGI, it looks unfinished.   

The rangers are more or less the same as they were on the show. This will annoy people who didn't watch the show because they can't describe the ranger's personality. Plus, this movie has no connection to the show. What bugs me about them is how they treat Bulk and Skull in this movie, you'll see what I mean when you watch this movie.  

Speaking of Bulk and Skull why are they in this movie, they do nothing to help push the story or provide comedy for the most part.

Alpha is aggravating as usual. 

Zordon is the ranger's mentor we learn that he has history with Ivan Ooze and I wish the movie would explore that. 

Dulcea guides the rangers on the plant thereon. 

Lord Zedd and Rita (two baddies.) manage to be funny and menacing at the same time. The way Rita talks to Lord Zedd makes me question their relationship.   

Ivan Ooze (the main Villain) has a personality and seems to be aware of what's going on in the world when he's stuck in an egg. Plus, the creators did a good job at showing us how he's a bigger threat than Lord Zedd and Rita. His plan for world domination makes no sense and he could have achieved his goal if he was proactive. 

This movie can be funny and I like some of the design changes from the show like the command center, Alpha and the rangers suits for the most part. I'm fond that the rangers go on a journey to find new powers plus deal with the fact that Zordon could die. Doing that adds drama to the movie. 

Overall, this may not be a good movie but it's entertaining. I would recommend this to the fans. 

Rating = Rental     

  

My thoughts on fighting games

My thoughts on fighting games 

 

I have mixed feelings about fighting games. I like playing them because it's a fair game between you, the other player, and the CPU, kind of. You, the other player, or the CPU have the same abilities; what you do with them determines victory or defeat. Despite that I’m not that good at them, part of the reason why is because of the ridiculous combo combination. I find it insulting that I have to do them because your basic moves don't do as much damage. Plus, they are hard for me to execute; sometimes, I do it without trying. This is what ruins fighting games like MK and Street Fighter for me because I spend more time trying to figure out the combos than playing the game. There are some fighting games where you can set up the controls so that you can perform the special moves with ease, but I wouldn’t recommend that unless you want to be made fun of. 

I didn't have this problem with Soul Calibur 2, I can stop playing that game for years and know most of the moves. (I wish I could say the same for Soul Calibur 4.) I'm surprised that DBZ fighting games last this long, I mean, aren't you tired of playing the same story, using the same characters and moves? Fighting games may have the same blueprint and mechanics that doesn't mean that they all have the same gimmick. That's another issue I have with them; I wish they were different. This is what made the Super Smash bros games so popular; four players can fight each other, and instead of having to knock out your opponent, you have to either get a ring out or inflict as much damage until you knock him or her out of the stage. Something you don't have to do, that if you get the right weapon in the game, this is what helps make the game fun, it drops random weapons in the middle of the fight. 

It's a shame that Fighters Destiny isn't popular or became a well-known franchise because that game breaks away from the fighting game formula. In that game, you win by scoring the most points; you do that by performing certain moves. The same thing goes for Custom Robo, you get to customize your robot in that game, plus find cover and dodge your opponent's attacks. To be fair, I can understand why you would be bored with that game because all you can do is shoot lasers and bombs at your opponent. In Godzilla Destroy All Monsters melee you get attacked by the NPC. That can be annoying because you have to split your focus. That's all I have to say about fighting games for now if the developers try new things with this genre, it would be more popular than it already is.      

My Toy Story trilogy review

My Toy Story trilogy review 

Toy Story: This movie is centered on a cowboy doll toy name Woody who's also Andy's favorite toy. That changed when Andy gets a new toy on his birthday, it's a space ranger name Buzz lightyear. Buzz is more advance than woody in every way to the point where it makes Woody look inferior. One day Woody tries to get Andy's attention but that blows up in his face and now he and Buzz are separated for Andy. To make things worse Andy is about to move. So, Woody and Buzz have to get back to Andy before the move.  

This is a classic story of the new replacing the old, heck you can argue that this movie foreshadowed what's going on in Hollywood. Almost everyone knows what it's like to have a favorite toy and then disregard it when you see something new. We also know what it's like to be turned down for someone better. This movie also did a good job of getting us inside the toy's head, I mean if toys were alive how would they think or feel about how we treat them? The theme of this movie is being wanted, what does it mean to people and how it can affect them if they're not wanted. The CGI was impressive the year it came out but now it's dated. The movie also did a good job of building tension.   

Woody is the leader of Andy's toys, he maintains morale among them. Because he's Andy's favorite toy he has an ego to the point where becomes jealous of Buzz and can be a jerk. 

Buzz thinks he's a real space ranger and this proved funny moments in the movie. This also raises the question did any of the toys start off like this? 

Slinky is loyal to Woody.  

Mr. Potato Head is cynical.

the ham piggy bank is a smart mouth. 

Bo-peep is kind-hearted. 

Rex is timid. 

Sid is a sick kid. I mean you have to be if you enjoy disfiguring toys. Despite that he's creative.

  
The only problem I have with this movie is I wish the writers would give Andy an arc of learning to appreciate what he already have. I'm not saying he's spoiled but he lost Buzz he acts like he doesn't have anything else. I find it odd that no one noticed that the toys are moved from a different spot. The movie gives Woody and Buzz too much focus. Overall, Pixar was off to a good start with this film.

Rating = Worth Seeing    



Toy Story 2: Woody is preparing to go to Cowboy Camp with Andy, but something happens that causes Woody to miss out on it. Meanwhile one of Andy's old toys ends up at a yard sale so Woody tries to save him, however, he ends up in the car of a collector as a result of the rescue. So, Buzz and the gang have to find Woody and bring him back home before Andy gets back. 

This is one of those sequels that isn't better than the original. I like how it has almost the same stake as the first film but with a few changes. The same thing goes for when the movie recreates scenes from the last movie. The movie also shows us what the toys are like in different environments like in a toy store or in the hands of a collector. I'm fond of how this movie handles two plots because they both feel different plus, they both complement each other. The theme of the movie is abandonment, the toys have to deal with the fact that Andy will become too old for them and how being abandoned can affect them. The also deals with immortality vs loyalty. The movie also has a good twist towards the end.   

Woody learns about his origin in this movie and he has to figure out if he wants to stay with Andy or not? 

Buzz is flat in this movie he's just the loyal friend. The movie finds a way to bring back the old Buzz. 

Jessie is cynical about being a toy. That's understandable considering her backstory and it's heartbreaking when you see it. What bugs me about is she's helpless and the end of the movie and how she got over her moon. 

Stinky Pete is kind and wise. I'll also feel sorry for him because he doesn't know what it's like to be loved by a child. 

This movie has the same problems as the last movie and that is too much focus on Woody and Buzz. The subplot with Rex is pointless and I'm annoyed with the Star Wars reference. There is part of the last act that was wasted and there are moments in the movie that feel like filler. Overall, this is a fine sequel that builds off of the last movie. 

Rating = Worth Seeing 



Intro: WOW! A trilogy where all three movies are good, that's quite an achievement. 

Toy Story 3: While Andy is preparing to go to college his toys are preparing to go to the attic. However, something happen that caused them to end up in a daycare center and the toys made themselves at home. That changes when they learn that the daycare is not what it seems to be, so they decide to escape the daycare and go back to Andy.  

This movie is the best one out of the three! The reason why I feel this way is because the story isn't centered on Woody or Buzz, the story affects everyone. I like seeing how the characters are coping with Andy not wanting to play with them anymore. This movie made me feel bad about how I use to treat my toys, especially my Green Ranger action finger, for those of you who know me know the story behind that. The movie has moments where you will laugh, cry and be at the edge of your seat. How the toys plan on escaping will remind you of a prison escape movie. You can argue that the themes of this movie are purpose and being together. I'm glad the creators waited eleven years to release this movie because it helps us appreciate those themes now that the kids who grew up watching these films are older.  

Woody is still loyal to Andy, but he has to figure out if he wants to be by his side or his fellow toys? 

I feel sorry for Buzz because it seems like the writers don't know what to do with him without being back his gimmick.  

Ken is the comic relief of the movie. 

Lotso Is the head of the daycare and he's lovable. 

One of the few problems I have with this movie is the conflict in this movie involves misunderstanding. There are moments where this movie is similar to the last film and the last act can be contrived in some areas. All in all, this is one of the best Trilogy, that's saying a lot because there isn't a lot of good trilogies. It's sad to see this come to an end because I would like to see a spin-off where toys are being replaced with technology. 

Rating = Treasure Chest 

My Titan A.E. review

My Titan A.E. Review 

Titan A.E.: After Earth has been destroyed by an alien race called Drej the survivors are scattered around space. Meanwhile, a space pirate name Capt. Joseph found Clae, who has the map to Project Titan that can save the human race. The search for Titan becomes difficult when the Drej catches on to them, so they have to find it before they do.  

This movie is Waterworld, but in space. The movie also reminds me of Star Wars. I like the world-building; it's interesting seeing how humanity is dealing with Earth being destroyed. The Animation isn't good because it tried to mix 2D animation with CGI, and it doesn't look good. (not from a lack of trying.) Also, the film has some entertainment value. The characters are fine but left more to be desired. 

Clae (The main character) is the relucted hero. The problem is there isn't a moment where we start to like him I mean, he complains and acts like he's all that, but he isn't. If he was, he wouldn't get captured so many times and think he can talk his way out of trouble. When he learns that he could save the human race, this was his response. 

Clae: What's in it for me? 

You're saving the human race!!!! What do you mean, what's in it for you!?! See what I mean? How can I root for him if he's self-centered? I understand he has a tragic backstory, however that doesn't justify how he's behaving. 

Akima (One of the crew members) is the sassy love interest, and that's it. That's all I have to say about her. Yeah, I don't buy her being into Clae because she seems to be put off by him not wanting to save humanity. 

Stith is a hothead who wants to hurt someone or something. 

Gune is the brains of the crew. 

Capt. Joseph is an enigma because we don't know much about him beyond his connection to Clae's past. 

The Drej (The villains) are boring! They have no reason to feel threatened by humans, just like you have no reason to feel threatened by bugs. 

Despite liking the concepts in this movie, the writers wasted them. I wish we knew the humans point of view on living in space. There is a scene in the movie where one of the characters is naked, why!?! Also, some of the music doesn't go well with some of the scenes. There are plot holes around how Titan works, the conflict between humans, the Drej, and how space works in this movie. Also, the twist in the movie serves no purpose; it might as well not be in the movie. 

Overall, this movie fell short to be considered underrated and it didn't end Fox Animation on a high note. To be fair, it suffers from behind-the-scenes issues. 

Rating = Rental 

My Mortal Kombat review

 My Mortal Kombat review 

Intro: So, in order to protect the Earth from being invaded, Earth's fighters have to win a tournament ten times. You can’t have the best two out of three. Also, don’t you wish we would have this instead of wars or trial by combat?  

Mortal Kombat: This movie is centered on a man name Liu Kang who learns that his brother was murdered, so he goes out to find the killer. He learns that the killer is hosting a tournament called Mortal Kombat and he has to compete in it to reach him. That becomes difficult when he sees that the competition is more than what he bargained for and the stakes are high. So, Liu Kang and the other earth fights have to win the tournament to protect the earth.

Calling this the best video game movie wasn’t a fair statement considering the lack of competition at the time. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine as an adaptation but that doesn’t help make it a good movie. As bad as the Street Fighter movie was, I understand why the movie went in that direction it's because you can’t have a movie with just fighting. The story in this movie is OK ( Despite the fact that it’s a rip-off of Enter the Dragon.) however it could have been better. The movie set up interesting things with the character it’s just that the writers don’t flush them out. 

I understand why this movie is rated PG-13 because you don’t want to alienate the kids who played this game. Plus, the R rating wouldn’t help make this movie better. I would like to know how this tournament is structured I mean, I find it odd that none of the earth fighters fight each other. Another issue I have with the movie is the CGI hasn’t aged well. (To be fair, it didn’t look good back then.) Characters don’t always react when they see someone or something unnatural happen, one of the fights is lame, and how one character used a line from the game is contrived. 

Liu Kang is a tortured character. Not because his brother was murdered, it's because he struggles to come to terms with his destiny. Despite being short-tempered, he can be sarcastic.   

Johnny Cage is a movie star who's the comic relief and self-centered. 

Sonya is an FBI agent who's self-reliant. It's a shame that she and Liu Kang are not close because they both want the same thing. What bothers me about her is the movie doesn't do much with her. Also, she becomes helpless in the last act of the film. 

Kitana is wasted in this movie! Besides being eye candy, she's just in the movie to guide Liu Kang. She was suppose to be his love interest but that didn't get enough focus.  

Raiden is the guarding of the earth realm. He serves as a mentor for the trio. My issue with him is his advice is on the nose.   

Shang Tsung (the main villain) is power-hungry but is calm and collective. 

There isn't much I like about this movie beyond the soundtrack and one touching moment in the movie. Overall, this is an OK movie and I use the term loosely. I would recommend this if you like Kung Fu films. 

Rating = Rental 

My review of Prince of Persia the sands of time

 My review of Prince of Persia the sands of time 

 

Intro: Disney I thought I was going to watch a Prince of Persia movie, not The Fugitive. Oops!

Prince of Persia the sands of time: This movie is centered on one of the Prince of Persia name Dastan who's celebrating his victory over the battle of Alamut. That's short-lived when he's accused of a crime he didn't commit, so he has to prove his innocence. That becomes complicated when he learns about a conspiracy involving a dagger that can manipulate time. So, Dastan has to stop it before it's too late.        

This movie is The Fugitive but in a different setting and not as good. I understand why the writers wrote a different story from the game because the game's story is thin. However, going in this direction doesn't help make this movie a good adaptation. If the writers are not going to follow the story from the game, then what's the point of calling this Prince of Persia? Not only that this movie borrows elements from other Disney movies. 

The Dagger is underused in this movie because it's only used to rewind time. It can do more than that in the game. The reason why I prefer the plot in the game over the movie is that the game proves character development, character dynamics and the stakes are high. This movie is lacking those three things I just mentioned. There are scenes in the movie that are time filler, the characters are bland, a plot point that goes nowhere, people playing hot potato with the dagger and the ending is problematic.  

Dastan is fun-loving, snarky and loyal. What bothers me about this character is that he shouldn't have been in the movie. I mean King has two sons so why is he in this movie if he can be replaced with one of the two? Ever heard of the saying no one likes a third wheel? 

Princess Tamina is, is, excuse me. (Half an hour later.) OK, where was I? Oh! Yeah, Princess Tamina is disappointing. I mean she comes off as feisty but she's helpless for the most part. Her dynamic with Dastan is childish, they're bickering like nine-year-olds. What bugs me about her (Besides her not having a bow and arrow.) is she doesn't have the same name as her video game counterpart why? She also could have done a better job explaining the limits of the dagger.       

Sheik Amar is suppose to be the comic relief character but he doesn't do it for me. 

Nizam (the main villain) is a lowkey and manipulative bad guy. His motivations are understandable however I wish the conflict he creates had emotional weight.  

I like that this movie incorporates some of the elements from the game like the parkour and scenes from the game. The movie has some good visuals and it has some entertainment value. Overall, this is an OK action/adventure movie. I would recommend this if you like the Mummy.  

Rating = Rental   

My review of Disney's Dinosaur

My review of Disney's Dinosaur 

 

Intro: OK I'm not going to compare this movie to the land before time. 

My Editor: Really? Then why are your figures crossed? 

Me: Darn it! 

Dinosaur: This movie is centered on an Iguanodon name Aladar who lives on an island with his lemur family. His world turn upside down when a meteor strike destroyed the island so they have to find another place to live with the help of other herbivores. That becomes difficult without food, water and they are being chase by Carnotaurus. So the group have to do there best to stay the course. 

This is an overlooked movie I can understand why I mean the marketing didn't do this movie any justice. The CGI was impressive for it's time, it blends in well with the real world environment. Despite the Dinosaurs have the ability to speak they feel like real animals in how they behave. Plus, we would have a hard time making out what's happening in some scenes. The story may be simple be it works in the movies favor because these are Dinosaurs it doesn't have to be complex. I like the Carnotaurus because they don't talk that makes them more threatening. I'm surprised that this is considered a family film because of how violent it is. The theme of this movie is survival we see the dinosaurs trying to survive the aftermath of the meteor attack and they have different ways to go about it.   

Aladar is brave and compassionate. However he has to learn how to stand his ground. 

Kron ( the group leader.) is ruthless because he believes in the survival of the fittest. Having this mindset creates tension between him and Aladar. What bugs me about is that would he leave his sister Neera behind if she wasn't strong enough? 

Speaking of Neera she's the opposite of her brother. 

Zini ( one of the lemur.) is the comic relief. 

Yar ( Aladar's adopted father.) is grumble but caring. 

Plio is the nurturing one of the Lemurs. 

Eema and Baylene are elderly dinosaurs who prove humor of there own.        

One of the problem I have with this movie is the dialogue is distracting I mean they talk about things that they shouldn't know about or doesn't exist yet like school. The CGI can look dated at times. I don't like the title of this movie I mean why is it called Dinosaur if it's not about one Dinosaur? The movie address natural selection and I wish it did more with that. The movie could have ended differently if someone wasn't stubborn.   

Overall this is a decent Dinosaur movie that should have gotten more attention. 

Rating = Rental 

My review of A Goofy movie

My review of A Goofy movie 

A Goofy Movie: This movie is centered on Goofy's son Max trying to impress his crush, Roxanne. That results in him getting in trouble and Goofy getting a disturbing phone call from the principal so Goody plans a fishing trip so the two would bond. Of course, the trip doesn't go as planned so the two have to get through it the best way they can. 

WOW! How was this movie overlooked? What I like about this movie is that it's different from the other Disney movies at the time. Yes! The movie has songs and dances however it isn't a fairy tale story it's a father and son story. The songs are used to push the story. This is one of those movies that is timeless because of Goofy and Max trying to find common ground with each other a lot of people relate to that. The songs in the movie help push the story and the movie can be funny at times. Surprisingly this movie can be mature at times. 

I like Max because he's a good kid who's struggling with getting his crush's attention. Oh, the things we do for the girl of our dreams. Also, he isn't disrespectful towards his father it's just that he's embarrassed that he has some of his traits.  

Goofy is goofy no pun intended. He's a loving father who wants to be close to his son because of the relationship he has with his father. 

Pete is Goofy's co-worker who helps Goofy with his son, Pete is more of a strict father than Goofy. 

The only problem I have with this movie is that it wouldn't exist if Goofy and Max talk to each other about what happened in school. Overall this is the best father and son story I've? However, I would feel that way if Goofy was like Pete. I'm not saying you shouldn't be strict with your kids however they need to know you love them. I would recommend this movie to the whole family. 

Rating = Rental 

My TMNT movie review

My TMNT movie review

Intro: Parents how do you expect Hollywood to produce action/adventure movies for kids when you complain about violence every chance you get? What do you want the bad guys and good guys to do play patty-cake? 

TMNT: This movie is about a report name April O'Neil reporting on a crime wave being caused by a group called the Foot Clan. She almost becomes a victim when she is saved by four mysterious figures who she later learns their humanoid turtles. When the leader of the foot knows who the turtles are he sends his henchmen after them, this results in them losing someone they know, and one of their own gets hurt. So the Turtles have to regroup and figure out what their next move is going to be? 

This is one of those movies that hold up fine after all these years. I'm impressed with the stunt work the actors who are playing the turtles can do in those suits. The movie borrows elements for the cartoon and the comic book that this movie is based on. The theme of this movie is family, it deals with what family means and they should be there for one another. I'm fond that we have an explanation for how the villain has so many foot soldiers.  

Leonardo is the leader of the turtles. 

Raphael is the hothead and rebellious one of the turtles. Due to that, he has a love-hate relationship with Leo. 

Michelangelo is the immature one of the pack. 

I wish I can say that Donatello is the smart one but there isn't enough tech in this movie for him to display his knowledge. 

Splinter is the Turtle's mentor. My beef with this character is I find it hard to believe that he can learn martial arts the way he has.

Casey Jones is an ally of the turtles. 

April O'Neil is another ally to the turtles and thank goodness she isn't helpless. The only gripe I have with her is I don't buy her dynamic with Casey Jones. 

The Shredder is the leader of the foot clan and he's manipulative. 

The problem I have with this movie is that it doesn't feel like it's about the turtles. With that said this is an OK movie I would recommend this to Turtles fans. 

Rating = Rental  

My Book of Eli review

My Book of Eli review

Intro: So we have an action/adventure movie that deals with religion, now we're getting somewhere. 

Book of Eli: Set in a post-apocalyptic world a man name Eli travels west to deliver a book that's the last of its kind. Meanwhile, he bumps into a man named Carnegie who also wants the Book because he believes it will give him power. So Eli has to avoid him and get the Book to its destination. 

This movie should be the blueprint for how to make religious films applying to the general public. I like how this post-apocalyptic world is set up almost everything or anything can be used as currency. I appreciate that this movie isn't preachy with its religious theme however it could have been better if there were characters who are either against religion or indifferent to it. Doing that would add conflict in the story beyond fighting over something. I'm more interested in the war after learning why Eli's book is the last of its kind. The plot twist took me by surprise even though you could've figured it out. 

Eli is an enigma, some scenes shows that he's not that noble. The only complaint I have with him is I don't know how he was able to survive his injuries. 

Carnegie ( The main villain.) is manipulative. It's kind of hard to see him as a baddie for the most part because he's doing what he's doing to rebuild society. 

I only have two problems with this movie they are the plot holes and the movie can feel slow at times. Overall this is an OK movie, I would recommend this if you like post Apocalypse movies. 

Rating = Rental