Apologies for my absense

To all my readers, I would like to apologize for my lack of reviews for the last three years. School and real life have gotten in the way.

But now, I'm back and am hoping to finally get things back up and running! Hope to see you read my reviews again soon!

Review: The Force Awakens

Happy New Year to everyone! Here's a new review to start of the new year. It's a movie that takes place...a long time ago, in a galaxy far,  far away...

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens!! (Star Wars theme)

Yep! The biggest film of last year is my next review! And here goes nothing.

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The film takes place 30 years after the Battle of Endor. While the Republic has been reformed, so has the Empire in the form of the First Order. In addition, after his nephew Ben (who now goes by Kylo Ren) was corrupted to the Dark Side by Snoke, the leader of the First Order, and killed all his other Jedi apprentices, Luke Skywalker has gone off the grid. His sister Leia, now a General, forms a faction of the Republic called the Resistance to find him.

Basically, the Resistance's best pilot, Poe Dameron comes to the planet Jakku to a village for a piece of a map that leads to Luke. However, the First Order arrives massacres the village and captures Dameron, but not before he gives his piece of the map to his droid, BB-8, and sends him off promising to return.

One stormtrooper, FN-2187, is shaken by the massacre, and defects from the First Order, helping Dameron escape (during which time the former takes the name Finn), but they crash back onto Jakku, and Dameron is assumed lost. Finn continues on his own through the planet's desert, and meets up with B-88 and Rey, a young scavenger abandoned on the planet as a child.

When the First Order tracks the droid, it and the two escape onboard the Millenium Falcon, stolen from Han Solo years ago. After escaping, the trio come face to face with Solo and Chewbacca themselves.

The Republic's heroes old and new must then team up to defeat the First Order and destroy their Starkiller Base, a superweapon/planet based of the destructive power of the Death Stars.

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As you all know, the prequel trilogy was panned by critics and some fans alike, while the original trilogy has been embraced by them all. Being a fan of both trilogies, I would reason that this is because, the originals put more emphasis on story, narrative coherence and character development, while the prequels tended to depend more on CGI, special FX, and action sequences, not to mention the various changes George Lucas made to the originals years later. Of course, the two trilogies came at different times, different ages of film and such, so this difference in quality could very well be understood.

The Force Awakens combines the elements of both trilogies: the story, narrative, and character development of episode's IV-VI and the action, CGI, and special FX of episodes I-III (though less so on the latter two due to J.J. Abrams' decision to put true quality over flashiness). It also combines the freshness of new characters and storylines, to the nostalgia of old characters and storylines as shown by the return of many of the original trilogy cast members.

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The cast, both old and new, in this film is utterly astounding:

• John Boyega plays Finn, a stormtrooper who defects from the First Order after being shaken by the Jakku village massacre and the death of one of his comrades. Initially wanting to run, Finn finds it in him to fight and joins the Resistance. Boyega's performance as Finn is astounding. His portrayal of a main protagonist in constant conflict of what to do, what to fight for, etc. really shows his character development. And he and Daisy Ridley have incredible chemistry together. I'm willing to bet their characters will hook up in the next two films and if so, note that I called it first here.
• Daisy Ridley plays Rey, a young scavenger on the planet Jakku (left there by her parents at only five years of age), who is swept up into the said adventure after meeting B-88. She is eventually revealed to be very Force-sensitive after she gets a vision after touching the Skywalker family lightsaber. Ridley does a great job of playing a character who basically emanates Luke from A New Hope: a character who wants to know who she really is, where she comes from, what her place in the galaxy is. As said above, Ridley and Boyega have excellent chemisty and I'll bet their characters hook up at some point in episodes VIII or IX. I also have  the theory that Rey is related to the Skywalker family. I think she could be Luke's daughter or maybe even Han and Leia's. If so, in either case, I'm gonna guess she was left on Jakku for her safety after her possible brother/cousin Ben was corrupted and massacred Luke's potentially New Jedi Order members. We'll just have to see if this is true or not in the coming films.
• Oscar Isaac plays Poe Dameron, the Resistance's best pilot, who is assigned to find Luke's map, and whom Finn helps escape in defecting from the First Order. He doesn't have much character development, but Isaac and Boyega have some witty and brotherly-like chemistry together in the escape scene. He might get more development in the next two films, so it remains to be seen.
• Adam Driver plays Kylo Ren, formerly Ben Solo, Han and Leia's son who was corrupted by Supreme Leader Snoke, and decimated his uncle's goal to restore the Jedi Order. While Ren is eager to become as dark and powerful as his grandfather Vader was, he shows hints of light, and is constantly conflicted. Driver's baby face plus his performance as a very conflicted villain make him the perfect villain for the new trilogy. Not to mention Driver's performance in the scene where (SPOILER ALERT!) Ren kills his father. Almost reminds me of Mace Windu's death in episode III.
• Lupita Nyong'o plays alien Maz Kanata, a wise Force-sensitive alien, who takes a Yoda-like role and provides advice for Finn and Rey. Frankly, I assumed Nyong'o would get the role of a villain, maybe a Knight of Ren, but she does great as an advisor. I wonder if she'll take up a lightsaber in a future film.
• Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew return as smuggler duo Han Solo and Chewbacca. And I must say, these two have barely changed a bit! Ford's got the same snarkiness with a heart of gold, and Mayhew's still got those Wookiee howls we all know and love. Seeing them in their old shoes again is nothing less than epic, which makes Han's death scene all the more bitter.
• Carrie Fisher is back as Leia Organa, now a General in the Republic. Fisher captures her old role with ease just like Ford and Mayhew, along with her chemistry with the former. However, Fisher brings a little hardness to Leia, which makes sense given the corruption of her son and the subsequent collapse of her and Han's relationship. Nonetheless, she does splendid just like back in the old days of Star Wars.
• Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker return as droids C-3PO and R2-D2, though their roles are minor, considering R2 is decommissioned most of the film. And the gold-plated 3PO has a red arm. How'd that happen? We might just see in the future films.
• And finally, Mark Hamill returns as Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi. Not much to say about his performance since he appears only in the last scene, excepted he does it well, and he makes a great set up to Episode VIII.

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The Force Awakens is a sensational start for the next generation of Star Wars fans and a new hope for the older generations of fans.

In all, I give it a 100/10 and well... SEE, SEE, SEE, SEE, SEE, SEE, SEE IT!

Review: Hotel Transylvania 2

Yo! Sorry, I've been away all summer, Had some crazy stuff going on. But I'm back! And I've got a brand new review, this time for...

Hotel Transylvania 2!!

That's right! The sequel to the 2012 hit animated monster film! With the plot:

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At the start, we go through a seven year period after the first film, that features Johnny & Mavis' wedding, the birth of their son Dennis, and the boy's growing up all at the Hotel Transylvania, which, also goes through some changes such as becoming more technologically savvy and allowing humans as well as monsters in. Now you'd think things would be happy for everyone and it is initially...

Except for one thing...

As Dennis's fifth birthday approaches, his "Vampa" Dracula starts to become worried that he's not displaying any vampire abilities. Apparently if he doesn't come into his powers by age five, he won't come in to them at all. And old Drac doesn't like the notion of that.

It's made even worse when Mavis, feeling that if her son does turn out to be human, he won't be safe around all the monsters, and contemplates moving to California to be near Johnny's family and more humans.

So when Johnny and Mavis go to California to visit Johnny's family, Dracula and his friends, Wayne the Werewolf, Griffin the Invisible Man, Frankenstein, and Murray the Mummy try everything to get Dennis to come into his powers by taking them to all of their hot spots from their heyday. Of course the usual hijinks ensue which call for a lot of laughs.

Meanwhile, in California, Mavis, in her small-world naiveté, is entranced by mini-marts, and skate parks and becomes excited for the possible move, though she starts having second thoughts when Johnny's mom inadvertently offends her while trying to make her more comfortable during their visit. However, those thoughts are shriveled and her goal is strengthened when Drac and the gang's antics wind up being posted and going viral on the internet, causing her and Johnny to rush back home and berate the Count for trying to make Dennis into something that he's possibly not.

Things get even more batty when Mavis invites her grandfather and Drac's father, Vlad to Dennis's birthday, which sends Drac into a panic, since Vlad is a firm believer of humans and monsters staying separate, and forces him to improvise disguises for all humans (including Johnny's family) attending it.

Not gonna spoil the end since it's a recent release, but I can tell you it's very anti-climatic. Now on to the review...

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The film explores once again the notions of humans and monster's abilities to civilly interact with one another. We see that the hotel has undergone some technological renovations over the seven year period, to accommodate modern times and human guests.

Most of the main characters and voice cast return as well:

Dracula is still running Hotel Transylvania and has become more open towards humans since the first film, letting them in and modernizing the place. He has also supported Johnny and Mavis' marriage and is ecstatic about the birth of his grandson, Dennis. However, he soon slips back to his old ways when Dennis seems to show no signs of becoming a vampire, and is eager to get him to come into his powers.

Johnny and Mavis return, and are now husband and wife and father and mother, which provides with some major character development. Mavis is still the more excitable and high-spirited of the pair, though she does act overprotective of Dennis throughout the film (similar to how her father was with her in the first movie), to the point where she considers moving away incase Dennis doesn't "vamp out". This of course gives her the biggest character development in the form of a somewhat Face Turn Heel.

Johnny is still the laid-back goof we all love, but has embraced his fatherhood role to the fullest. Unlike Mavis, however, he wishes to stay in the hotel, regardless of Dennis's status as human or not, but doesn't want to disappoint his wife. So he and Drac conspire to have him keep her happy during their visit to California...but not TOO happy.

Wayne the Werewolf, Griffin the Invisible Man, Frankenstein, and Murray the Mummy all are back, and are ready to assist the Count in his plot to get Dennis to come into his powers-though not without the usual hijinks....

Dennis, Johnny and Mavis' son, is the most beloved person in this movie. His five-year-old innocence and love of extremity make him one of the characters that I love in this film. He also has a complex (and somewhat literal) puppy love with Wayne's only daughter Winnie, even though he claims they're only friends. In his innocence, he loves his monster friends and family, though thanks to his parent's-mainly Mavis's-and a kiddie monster performer's influence, he believes all monsters to be friendly.

Also, some of Johnny's side of the family (his parents, two of his brothers, and their families) are introduced in this film (though I still can't believe they haven't given them a surname yet). Johnny's father Mike is shown to be a deadpan guy for the most part (though I attribute it to being married to his wife), but a good-natured guy at heart. His mother Linda is well-meaning but often naive to the whole monster-human relationship thing. His brothers and their families don't get that big a role but do care for Johnny and his family.

And finally, Vlad, voiced by legendary actor and comedian Mel Brooks, wraps it all up in his appearance with his raspy voice and clever wit. Vlad isn't invited to the wedding or the birth due to his strained relationship with his son, and Drac's fears of what will happen if he finds out about the integration of humans and monsters. But Mavis invites him to meet his great-grandson and things just get battier from there.

All together, this is a film for the whole family to see as summer closes out, especially if you're a fan of the first film. The plot and characters really bring people close and will give you laughs that you will carry for at least until after Halloween.

In all I give this film a 9/10 and  recommend that you...SEE IT!

Review: Furious 7

Hey, hey! New review rolling in! And this one is on the currently biggest movie at the box office! That's right, my newest review is on none other than...

FURIOUS 7!!! 

That's right! The latest installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, and the late Paul Walker's swan song! Here's the full plot:

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After defeating Owen Shaw and his crew and securing their amnesties in the previous film, Dominic Toretto, Brian O'Conner, and the rest of their team have returned to the United States to live normal lives again. 

Brian begins to accustom himself to life as a father though not without some struggles, as he still is trying to get used to life without the action, fast cars, and bullet dodging, which Mia can clearly observe.

Dom, meanwhile, tries to help Letty regain her memories by taking her back to Race Wars and to her old grave. This, however, leaves her feeling lost about who she is, and she decides to leave to find herself again.

Meanwhile, Owen's older brother, Deckard Shaw, breaks into the secure hospital the comatose Owen is being held in and swears vengeance against Dom. He then breaks into Luke Hobbs' Diplomatic Security Service office to extract profiles of Dom's crew. After revealing his identity, Deckard engages Hobbs in a fight, and escapes when he detonates a bomb that severely injures Hobbs. 

Dom later learns from his sister Mia that she is pregnant again and convinces her to tell Brian about it. However, a bomb, disguised in a package sent from Tokyo, explodes and destroys the Toretto house just seconds after Deckard kills Han, one of their crew, in Tokyo. 

Dom later visits Hobbs in hospital, where he learns that Shaw is a rogue special forces assassin seeking to avenge his brother. Dom then travels to Tokyo to claim Han's body, where he meets Sean Boswell, a friend of Han's, who gives him personal items found at Han's crash which include a picture of Gisele Yashar (Han's girlfriend at the time of her death in the previous film) and Letty's cross necklace.

Back at Han's funeral in Los Angeles, the remaining crew agree that they can't take another death and vow to hunt Deckard down before he can take them out too. Dom then notices a car observing and chases after the vehicle, driven by Deckard. Both prepare to fight but Deckard slips away when a covert ops team arrives, led by Frank Petty, a man who refers to himself as "Mr Nobody". 

Petty informs Dom that he will assist him in stopping Deckard if he helps him obtain the God's Eye, a computer program that uses digital devices to track specific people, and save its creator, a hacker named Ramsey, from a mercenary named Jakande. Dom, Brian, Letty, Roman Pearce and Tej Parker then airdrop their cars over the Caucasus Mountains, ambush Jakande's convoy and rescue Ramsey, who is revealed to be a woman. The team then heads to Abu Dhabi, where a billionaire has acquired the flash drive containing the God's Eye, and manages to steal it. On both occasions, the team is pursued by Shaw, who engages in combat with Dom, and the team barely manages to escape alive. With the God's Eye, the team manages to track down Shaw, who is waiting at a remote factory. Dom, Brian, Petty and his covert ops team attempt to capture Shaw, but are ambushed by Jakande and his militants, who have allied with Shaw, and they are forced to flee while Jakande obtains the God's Eye. At his own request, Petty is then left to be evacuated by helicopter, while the team escapes.

Left with no other choice, the team decides to return to Los Angeles to fight Shaw, Jakande and his men on their home turf. Dom plans to confront Shaw alone while Brian and the rest of the crew prepare to deal with Jakande and regain control of God's Eye. While preparing, Brian calls Mia, who finally reveals to him that she is pregnant with their second child, a girl. This seems to inspire him to return home alive, and then retire to raise his family.

While Jakande pursues Brian and the rest of the crew with a stealth attack helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicle, using God's Eye to track down Ramsey, the team uses Ramsey to hack into God's Eye while sharing her mobile between their vehicles. Hobbs, seeing the team in trouble, breaks out of the hospital and destroys the UAV by ramming it with an ambulance. 

After Brian manages to manually reroute the program's signal, Ramsey successfully completes the hack, regains control of God's Eye and shuts it down. 

Meanwhile, Dom and Shaw engage in a one-on-one brawl on a parking garage, before Jakande intervenes and attacks them both, and Shaw is apprehended when part of the parking garage collapses on him. Dom then engages in battle with Jakande and launches his vehicle at his helicopter with him in it, narrowly missing, but successfully manages to toss a bag of grenades on board, before getting himself injured when his car lands and crashes. Hobbs then shoots the bag of grenades from ground level, destroying the helicopter and killing Jakande. 

When Dom remains unconscious, the team fears that he is dead. As Letty cradles Dom's body in her arms, she reveals that she has regained her memories, and that she remembers their marriage ceremony, which happened unbeknownst to the rest of the crew. Dom regains consciousness soon after, remarking, "It's about time".

Shaw is taken into custody by Hobbs and locked away in a secret, high-security prison, vowing to eventually escape and resume his vengeance. Meanwhile, at a beach, Brian and Mia play with their son while Dom, Letty, Roman and Tej observe, appreciating their happiness and acknowledging that Brian is better off retired with his family. Dom silently leaves, and Brian catches up to him at a stop sign. 

As Dom remembers the times that he has had with Brian in a montage of the previous films' events, they drive together for a stretch before arriving at an intersection, where Brian exits the main road and drives off into the distance, as Dom gives his closing lines; "You'll always be with me. And you'll always be my brother."

A final title card says, "For Paul".

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The film keeps the theme of family from the previous films, and also incorporates the theme of saying goodbye, in regards to Paul Walker and his character of Brian O'Connor.

In the regards to family, Dom's team find themselves under siege by Deckard Shaw, who is out for revenge in regards to what they did to his family–specifically his little brother Owen from the last film. At Han's funeral, the team decides they can't do anymore funerals, which makes them all the more determined to get Deckard.

This seems to be a recurring theme that nearly every film features the death (or presumed death) of one of Dom's crew: 

1. In the first film, Jesse, the youngest of Dom's original crew, was killed in a drive-by shooting by Johnny Tran.

2. In the fourth film, Letty was presumed killed by Arturo Braga while working with the FBI to clear Dom's record (though it was revealed she survived and was rescued by Owen Shaw)

3. In the fifth film, Vince, another member of Dom's original crew and his childhood friend, is fatally shot in an ambush by Hernan Reyes' men.

4. In the sixth film, Gisele was killed after falling out of a plane saving her boyfriend, Han from Owen Shaw's men.

5. In the seventh film, Han is killed via a car accident and grenade, both courtesy of Deckard Shaw.

So, in all, I am glad that following Paul Walker's tragic, unexpected (and utterly ironic) death on November 30, 2013, the filmmakers and studio decided to retire his character rather than kill him off, because that would have been "utterly tasteless" and demeaning to the legacy of both actor and character.

Which brings me to the second big theme: saying goodbye. 

With Brian and Mia having become family folk, in the film Mia is doing well with domesticated life, while Brian is still trying to get used to it. Mia is also pregnant with kid number 2, a girl. She initially wants to tell him about it at the beginning, but after Deckard kills Han and destroys the Toretto family house, she holds off until near the end, knowing that Brian needed to help Dom hunt Deckard, but also gets him to promise it will be the last mission.

Dom, Letty, Roman, and Tej also realizes that the time has come for their friend to retire, which they all acknowledge while watching him at the beach with his family. And Dom and Brian have a great final exchange with each other before the latter literally drives off into the sunset and into retirement.

In regards to the acting, each actor gives an excellent performance that I know have captivated the audience to no end. Kurt Russell gives a witty performance as government agent Frank Petty, aka Mr. Nobody, who agrees help Dom's team. Jason Statham thrills as Owen Shaw's big, bad vengeful big brother, Deckard. And Djimon Hunsou kills as secondary villain, mercenary Mose Jakande.

But the ones who deserve the biggest applause are Paul Walker's little bros, Caleb and Cody, who stood in and helped to finish his remaining scenes after his death. This had gained them so much praise that Cody is fixing to start a Hollywood career. Maybe we might see him in Fast and Furious 8, maybe as a relative of Brian...who knows?

And finally, to point my personal favorite part, the scene where Brian is forced run and jump off a bus before it goes over a cliff. This was one of the scenes filmed by Walker before his death. I feel this was one of the biggest, tension-filled, scenes in the movie, and makes me wish the Oscars had a Best Stunts category.

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Anyhow, in all knowing this is the last time we'll ever see Paul/Brian in the franchise (or in any film for that matter) really breaks my heart, because they were one of my favorite actors and characters ever. But the length the cast and crew went to honor his legacy and have O'Connor go out with a non-fatal, and sentimental end, has helped the film gross over $1 billion worldwide in just three weeks, and hopefully garner some Oscar nominations.

In all I give this film a 10/10 and highly, to the best of my power, recommend that you...SEE IT, SEE IT, SEEEEEEEE IT!!

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In memory of Paul William Walker IV

September 12, 1973–November 30, 2013

Review: Song of the Sea

California Love, ya'll! Here's a new review. And this one is not only an animated film, it's one of this year's Academy Award nominees. Here's a film that was made in Ireland, but carries the vibes of Hayao Miyazaki:

Song of the Sea.

This serene, quiet, but adventurous tale based off of the Irish legend of the selkie. Here's some plot:

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In 1981, 4-year old Ben lives in a lighthouse by the seaside of Dublin, Ireland with his dog Cu, his father Conor, and his very pregnant mother, Bronagh. Bronagh tells Ben many stories of Irish legends, and Ben promises that his new sibling and him will be best friends. Bronagh agrees with this, just as she tucks him into bed.

However, in the middle of the night, Ben wakes up to find his mother apparently in labor, and her hair turning white. She apologizes to him, before running out of the house and into the sea as his father gives chase. His father later returns with his newborn daughter and Ben's new sister, who is named Saoirse (SER-sha), but his mother is never seen again.

Six years later, the once happy family lies in shambles. Conor has had a tough time dealing with the disappearance and presumed death of Bronagh and has turned to alcohol for solace (though not to the point one might think). The only light in his life is Saoirse (due to her resemblance to Bronagh), who he lavishes with fatherly affection. 

Unfortunately, in the process, he has grown emotionally distant from Ben and constantly reminds him of the responsibilities of being a big brother. This, coupled with Ben's belief that Saoirse was the cause of their mother's disappearance (since she was born the same night it happened), has led him to treat his little sister with resentfulness and contempt, and boss and pick on her at every turn. Also, he has developed a fear of swimming, due to his father warning him that he'd get swept away or something like that.

Saoirse, on her part, has her own issue: though she is turning six, she has yet to speak a single word. This becomes one of the pet peeves that Ben goes through when dealing with her.

On the night her sixth birthday, Saoirse discovers a shell flute (given to Ben by their mother) and a  shiny, mystical coat, puts on the later, and goes swimming in the ocean with a group of seals...and magically turns into one in the process. It is then revealed that she is a beautiful white Selkie—a mythological being that lives as a human on the land and as a seal underwater—and implies that her mother was one as well (which might have been part of the cause of her disappearance).

Unfortunately, her father and grandmother end up discovering her nighttime swim. Conor, not wanting to lose his children the way he lost his wife, sends them to live with their grandmother in the city and locks Saoirse's coat in a trunk and tosses into the ocean. What he doesn't know, however, is that by separating her from her coat and the ocean, he has triggered a sudden illness that starts to over take Saoirse as time passes.

Ben and Saoirse then decide to find their way back home. As the journey goes by, they connect with each other more, reunite with their dog Cu, fall into a magical realm, and learn more about Saoirse's Selkie heritage, including some very important details: Saoirse, as a Selkie, has to perform a song in order to save and free more  fairies and mythical beings from a malevolent but ultimately misguided owl witch named Macha, who distraught over the loss of her own son years earlier, has resorted to stealing and sealing away the beings' emotions (hoping to spare them feeling the pain of loss) and petrifying them to stone in the process.

But several problems are at hand: Saoirse cannot sing until she finds her voice. And she cannot truly find her voice until she finds her coat. And without it, she becomes sicker and weaker with each passing second. And worse, Macha aims to capture and petrify Saoirse.

Together, Ben and Saoirse must journey through the realm and overcome fear, illness, and Macha to complete their destiny and save all of mythical-being kind.

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WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW!

Read at your own risk!

The animation from the film is like a living storybook almost, and the character and background designs certainly reflect this. The mixture of CGI-imagery and hand-drawn animation gives the film a charming and modernized look.

The plot of the film has a formulaic narrative structure. This in away does rob it of some of it's potential, since it sort of feels that it has been borrowed. The writers clearly did try to avoid common clichés in the film as seen when like when Ben confronts Macha over her actions, and doesn't try to beat her up, but rather tries to take some sense into her. Despite this the plot did have it's beautiful, and heartwarming and breaking moments, all of which pushed me to love this film even more.

The tone of the film, as I said in the beginning is very Hayao Miyazaki-ish and almost makes me feel that he's the driving force behind the film, even though he's not. Being a fan of Miyazaki and his work, I do have to say, writer/director Tomm Moore could definitely be the Irish Miyazaki since this is his second consecutive animated film to be nominated for an Oscar (after The Secret of Kellis in 2010).

The soundtrack is beautiful, just beautiful, especially the theme song (which always made me cry).

The biggest themes of the film are family, loss, sibling rivalry, courage, letting go, and healing.

Family takes full center of the film, with Ben's family starting off as happy and content. Following his mother's disappearance, the family becomes crumbled and broken, as his father grieves in seclusion, and he is forced to look after Saoirse constantly, a task that he comes to resent along with her. However, the magical journey and the climax finally tie up these loose ends, and by the end the family has mended ends and grown happy and close again.

Loss is also big in center, with Bronagh's disappearance being felt by everyone: Conor becoming withdrawn from the world and distant from his remaining family, his own mother insisting that the children have a better life with her. Ben resenting his sister due to her birth occurring on the same night as her disappearance, and Saoirse's curiousity about the heritage and mother she's never known. Loss also drives Macha the owl witch, who has suffered since her son (Mac Lir, a giant fairy) was turned to stone after a great loss, and steals people's feelings and petrifies them to spare them the same pain.

Sibling rivalry also drives the film, in regard to Ben and Saoirse's relationship. Ben, for the most part, holds his sister in contempt, blaming her birth for their mom's vanishing. He bosses her around, ignores her on occasion, and takes the best opportunities to pick on her (such as when he ruins her birthday cake by pushing her face into it just as she blows out the candles). Saoirse, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be truly affected by her brother's behavior. Though she does get annoyed on several occasions with the way he acts with her in the film, she still treats him with love and admiration.

As the two make their magical journey back home, their relationship improves greatly as they look out for each other, and Ben truly begins to be the brother his mom had envisioned he would, and after seeing a memory vision of everything that happened the night of his mother's disappearance and Saoirse's birth, he drops his animosity towards her completely and strives to help her get better and achieve her destiny. 

The end of the film sees the family celebrate Ben's birthday some months later, with Saoirse speaking more and Ben fully embracing the big brother role. Of course, Saoirse takes this opportunity to get a little playful revenge on Ben for what he did to her on her birthday, by doing the same thing to him (pushing his face into his cake just as he blows the candles out), earning some laughs from everyone, even Ben. The final scene shows the two siblings, now closer than ever before, swimming and playing in the ocean with their dog Cu, and their seal friends.

Courage has a small part in the film. This mostly attains to Ben's fear of swimming, which overcomes him on multiple occasions. The fear was instilled to him by his father Conor following his mother's disappearance, so that way neither of his children would be taken by the ocean like his wife was. This fear often prevent him from taking action. However, at the climax, with Saoirse near death from not having her coat, he, desperate to save her, conquers his fear and jumps into the ocean to retrieve it.

Finally, letting go and healing come in near the end, when after Saoirse finally finds her Selkie voice, sings her song, and saves the mythical beings, Bronagh re-appears (having been living in the ocean in Selkie seal form all those years) to take her daughter to the magic realm with her and the others. Ben and Conor try to talk her out of it, and Saoirse voices her desire to stay with the rest of her family. Because she is half-human, her wish is granted, and Bronagh assures her family that she will always love them before leaving. 

This encounter finally gives Conor, Ben, and Saoirse the closure they've needed and the start they've craved on the path to healing, and in the epilogue, which takes place sometime later, they've all grown together as a family again as they celebrate Ben's birthday.

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The one thing about this film is, that the final scene (which is adorable by the way), should have been made longer, and really established the now-firm sibling relationship.

Overall, this is a film I recommend for families and Miyasaki-vibe fans. I give this film a 10/10 and recommend that you SEE/BUY IT!

Review: Backstrom

Hey, Hollywood fans! I'm back with a new review. Only this time, I've decided to do my very first TV series review. It will be a freshman series, a crime drama, and a show that has really piqued my attention:

Backstrom.

The new FOX police-comedy drama brought to us by Hart Hanson (creator of fellow FOX crime drama Bones), based off of the Swedish book series by Leif G. W. Persson. Here's a brief overview:

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Everett Backstrom is a Lieutenant in the Portland Police Bureau and head of the bureau's Special Crimes Unit. He is also a man with no filter.

Growing up with a well-respected sheriff father, who was abusive towards him and whom he shared a mutual hate for, plus a childhood of bullying, along with other yet-to-be mentioned incidents has turned him into a snarky, pessimistic man with a dim view of the world, self-destructive tendencies, and the ability to only see the worst in everyone. 

Despite this, it has also given him the ability to put together the city's most sensitive and serious cases and nail the perpetrators responsible, allowing him to be come a successful (though not very well liked) police detective.

Prior to the series' first episode, however, Backstrom is demoted to Traffic following an racially insensitive outburst after catching the murderer of six Native Americans. Five years later, he is brought back by Portland's Chief of Police (who is also his ex-partner) to lead to the new S.C.U. Together, with a team of brilliant criminologist cops, they take on the most serious and unusual crimes in Portland, Oregon.

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The overall formula is very similar to FOX's House, M.D.: a sad, self-destructive man who hates the world and life, and whom everyone looks down upon as a person, but who's skills and talents are respected in the least. The only difference is it's a police drama instead of a medical drama.

Backstrom demonstrates in my view how everyone has demons, and some of us let them get the best of us in the worst ways. But it also show's how the main character tries to conquer his demons, though with currently poor outcomes (at least so far). And it makes you ask yourselves: will Everett Backstrom ever find light, love and happiness before his demons and xenophobia conquer him?

The cases in the series pique my interest as they are as expected from FOX: gritty, grim, and twisty. Some end with the person you most suspect as the criminal, while others end with the person you least suspect. The first and fourth episodes are prime examples of the latter. But what really piques my interest is how Backstrom solves the cases: he confronts the suspects, putting the info together in his head, then imaginarily puts himself in their shoes, while describing how and why they committed their crimes.

My favorite episodes are the third episode which investigates a murder within a cult disguised as a mega-church and the fifth episode, which starts of as a teenage girl's disappearance which is linked to a similiar case from Backstrom's past, which all turns out to be a Shawn Hornbeck/Jaycee Dugard story in the end. Both episodes (the fifth in particular) have their moments in which Backstrom actually demonstrates a sense of justice and empathy, and I hope personally to see many more of these.

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Now for the cast:

Rainn Wilson, whom many of you know as Dwight Schrute from The Office, plays the title character of Detective-Lieutenant Everett Backstrom, a self-destructive, xenophobic police detective who uses his dark instincts and peculiar abilities to outsmart his foes, manipulate his peers and, with the help of his eccentric team, solve the case, even as he less ably adjusts to the progressive sensibilities of 21st century Portland. Wilson, in my view, plays the role very well, and really works to give Gregory House a run for his money in the a**hole department.

Genevieve Angelson, a small-part actress until now, plays Backstrom's second-in-command Detective Nicole Gravely, the ambitious, by-the-book, and optimistic yin to Backstrom's yang, who extends herself to the limit to counterbalance his erratic and controversial behavior. Angelson does very well as the light to Wilson's dark, and despite their differences, both appear to have very good on-screen chemistry.

Dennis Haysbert, whom we all know as President David Palmer from fellow FOX series, 24, returns to the network as Detective John Almond, a nondenominational minister and tested veteran of the Portland Police Bureau, who often tries to see the light in Backstrom and convince him that there's light in everyone, with little results. Haysbert's return to the network brings some comfort for those who like to see a familiar FOX face on a new show, and his portrayal of Detective Almond definitely shows he's earned those veteran credits.

Kristoffer Polaha, another FOX veteran actor, from North Shore stars as Sergeant Peter Niedermayer, the handsome, free-spirited, philosophical Forensics Liasion whose open approach to the universe pushes all of Backstrom's buttons. Polaha's portrayal of Niedermayer really impresses me as do Wilson's on-screen insults to his character's quirks. Just goes to show how some people just can't stand seeing even the smallest bit of happy in the world.

Beatrice Rosen, a relatively unknown minor role actress, plays Nadia Paquet, a tech-savvy French immigrant who works as a civilian with the Portland police and has immense knowledge of criminal acts, which allow her to manage the chains-of-evidence on the S.C.U. cases. Rosen seems to have the best chemistry with Polaha's Niedermayer and the latest episode shows the two might have some romantic tension amongst them.

Page Kennedy, known for his role in Spike's sports-comedy Blue Mountain State, plays Officer Frank Moto, a uniformed cop who wishes to be a detective and goes out of his way to prove himself by being Backstrom's physical side. Kennedy shows he has plenty to prove as Moto and I really feel this role could be the catalyst for something bigger in a few more years. Frankly, I hope if the show gets another season, Moto gets more development, and he gets his promotion.

And finally, Thomas Dekker, ex-child-actor-turned-mature actor, does very well as Gregory Valentine, a semi-flamboyant gay man who serves as Backstrom's tenant, decorator and underworld connection. Dekker has the best chemistry with Wilson, considering they have the most scenes together; on-screen, their characters have something of an unusual father-son relationship (in the pilot, it's somewhat implied they may very well be just that). Personally I hope to god that Dekker is gonna be a big key in Wilson turning his life around on-screen.

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The one flaw about this show that I can see is that it hinges FOX's attempt to keep its dying trend of anti-hero series going. Though more successful than FOX's previous attempt, Rake, if it can make it past it's freshman year (which Rake failed to do), I will drop all dim views I see of it.

Overall, this is a series I recommend for those who love crime and comedy, but more of the former than the latter. I give this TV series a 8/10 and recommend that you TRY IT!

Review: Night at the Museum III

Alright, movie lovers! I'm back with a new blog and a new review.

This movie is a recent live-action family comedy release, as well as the final curtain call for two great acting legends:

Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb! The big ensemble cast led by Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson and with newcomers Dan Stevens and Ben Kingsley. Here's a brief plot:

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Since returning to his job at the end of the last film, Larry Daley (Stiller) has since become coordinator for New York Museum of Natural History's "night program," where guests can witness the artifacts come to life (though the patrons and the museum curator Dr. McPhee (Ricky Gervais) remain under the impression that they are merely special effects). The exhibits then present themselves a public event and everyone is dazzled by the presentation of the "special effects".

However, while Teddy Roosevelt (Williams) is giving yet another motivational speech to the guests, the Tablet of Ahkmenrah, the magic source of how the exhibits come to life every night, starts to corrode and its magic becomes unstable, causing all the exhibits to act wild and cause chaos during the event, attacking guests and running amok all over the place. While everyone does eventually calm down, and the Tablet's corrosion is discovered, the damage is already done and McPhee is out of a job the next day.

Looking to find the cause of the corrosion, Larry does some research and discovers that the former head guard and main villain of the first film, Cecil Fredericks (Dick van Dyke) discovered the tomb in 1938 as a boy along side his archeologist father. Larry visits Cecil, along with his friends and fellow ex-guards Gus (Mickey Rooney) and Reginald (Bill Cobbs) at a retirement home, where he learns that the Tablet's secrets reside in England at the British Museum of Natural History, where Prince Ahkmenrah's (Rami Malek) parents are, due to the U.S. and U.K. dividing the dig's spoils they took amongst themselves.

In addition to all this, Larry must also deal with his teenage son Nick (Skylar Gisondo), who is finishing high school and has an interest in DJing, but is unsure what to do with his life after high school. Larry tries to restore the bond between them, while also trying to convince him to make a plan for his life, whether it includes college or not. 

With the help of Dr. McPhee, Larry, along with Nick, Teddy, Ahkmenrah, Jed (Owen Wilson), Octavius (Steve Coogan), Dexter the Monkey, and several others journey to England to find the secrets of the Tablet and save the magic before it and the exhibits' lives vanish forever.

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The plot is once again Indiana Jones-ish, but once again has some differences, like in the previous film: new location, new exhibits, new craziness. Of course, for the scenes taking place "across the pond," you'd think they'd have a little more British humor in this one, but...oh well.

There is more action in the film, particularly in the navigation of the British museum and it's artifacts who have come to life for the first time ever (including a Hydra battle scene), as well as the last chase.

There are some emotional moments too, two of which I guarantee will leave your eyes welling up with tears. The first is during the climax when the Tablet's magic is nearly gone, and all hope seems lost as the exhibits begin to "die". There is a particular closeup of Robin Williams as he succumbs and it gets so emotional as you feel this is the way he must've felt when he took his life in August. 

Another scene is at the end when Stiller and Williams' characters say a final farewell to each other, with Teddy telling Larry that it's been a great run and to move on to his next adventure, before turning back into a wax figure for apparently the last time. 

Won't reveal any further spoilers though, you'll have to see it for yourself.

Stiller once again performs perfectly, stepping back into the shoes, jacket, and flashlight of Larry Daley. While still the same anxious, cautious, get-into-awkward-situations guy as before, Larry's character is toned down considerably from the last two films. The biggest themes he deals with this time are change, moving on, and letting go, particularly in regards to his son, with whom he's trying to do some remaining prep before letting him go out into the world, and his friends, whom he is trying to save from permanent immobilization.

Williams, in his final live-action role, once again dazzles as inspirational, witty, and always funny Teddy Roosevelt. Williams once again brings a wave of comedy of laughter and comedy to his role as the wax figure of the popular president. A wave that sadly will soon never be heard in theaters again...  Nonetheless, the comedy legend goes out with a bang, just how he'd always wanted to.

Wilson and Coogan return as the insatiable minifigure comedic duo of the rootin' tootin' cowboy Jedadiah and the brood Roman warrior Octavius. The two actors, whose characters where once at each other's throats, have essentially become close brotherly BFFs. So close that at several times where it seems like it's the end for them, they seem to have a tender, somewhat more-than-friend moment. It becomes sort of a running gag in the film, which I find very funny.

Also, Dexter the Monkey is back with more of his slap-stick comedy (ha-ha), though the film also goes into a new direction regarding some of his and Larry's complex relationship.

Also, the brief returns of Van Dyke, Cobbs, and Rooney (in his last film role as well) as the trio of elderly guards from the first film also bring some closure, as the three have moved on from the museum into retirement, though Gus still holds a grudge against Larry. Also, the exploration of Cecil's background, and his part in discovering the tablet, also gives some closure onto why he was bent on stealing it in the first film: he didn't know how to let go and say goodbye back then (which ultimately becomes the big theme of the film).

For some of the new characters, British actor Dan Stevens puts on a great performance as Sir Lancelot of Camelot. His character sort of mirrors that of Buzz Lightyear in the first Toy Story film, and recently Reptilius Maximus of the recent Christmas special Toy Story That Time Forgot: All three characters are very deluded and believe themselves to be whom and what they were modeled after, but ultimately discover what they really are, and, after some initial emotional turmoil, accept their true purpose. Stevens ultimately fulfills the role of Lancelot very well, almost basically a British, larger, medieval version of Buzz.

And finally, Rebel Wilson absolutely kills as Tilly, the odd, plus-sized guard of the British museum. She displays comedic genius in her role as Tilly, and her British humor is what I felt the film should've had more of. As the film goes on, her character has hilarious encounters with the Tablet's magic in the museum, and even falls in love with...

Nope, not saying. See for yourself.

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Overall if you're looking for a good live-action family film for your holiday enjoyment, NATM 3 is for you. It's a great adventure to close the door on a trilogy, and the careers of acting legends Robin Williams and Mickey Rooney, both of whom died before the film's release. I give this film a 9.5/10 and recommend that you SEE IT!

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In loving memory of 

Robin Williams                       

(1951-2014)                                                                                                

AND

Mickey Rooney

(1920-2014)

MAGIC NEVER ENDS